What do you do when your bank account hits zero, your car gets repossessed, and you find yourself curled up in bed wondering if this is what entrepreneurship — what life — is supposed to feel like?Dr. Will Lewis has been there. And what he learned on the other side of that storm became the foundation for his powerful new book, Perched in the Storm: Brutal Lessons in Resilience Every Leader Can Learn from Entrepreneurs.In this conversation, Dr. Lewis — Marine Corps veteran, PhD, nationally recognized leadership expert, and entrepreneur — sits down with Sharon to get real about what it actually means to lead through failure, stay steady when the storm is raging, and find strength by leaning into your humanity instead of hiding it.In this conversation, we cover:- The moment everything fell apart — zero bank account, repossessed car, and what it took to get back up- Why the storm didn't come to break him — it came to reveal him- How faith, family, and community became his lifeline when the hustle couldn't fix it- The decision every leader faces in the middle of a storm: victim or victor- Keith Vest's story — cancer, financial collapse, and betrayal hitting all at once, and what came next- Why the strongest leaders are the ones willing to say "I don't know — I need your help"- What Dr. Lewis tells his sons about crying, emotion, and real strength- The founding of The Intersection — and what happens when three leaders collide their gifts📖 Get Perched in the Storm:➡️ Website: https://www.wtlewis.com/books➡️ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Perched-Storm-Lessons-Resilience-Entrepreneurs/dp/1968760997➡️ Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/noresults/perched-in-the-storm-william-t-lewis/1149266130---🌿 Stay Connected & Join the Work in Western North CarolinaInstagram:➡️ instagram.com/thesharondeckerTapestry Collaborative (Nonprofit):➡️ https://www.tapestrycollaborative.comWNC Recovery Resources & How to Help:➡️ https://wncrecovery.nc.govFind Dr. Will Lewis & Cam's Coffee Co.:➡️ https://www.wtlewis.com---Chapters:[00:00] - Introduction: Meet Dr. Will Lewis[01:50] - The Bird on the Cover: The Metaphor Behind *Perched in the Storm*[03:50] - The Original Title (You'll Want to Hear This One)[05:10] - When Everything Collapsed: Zero Bank Account & a Repossessed Car[07:45] - Faith, Family & Why He Never Lost Hope[09:35] - The Storm Came to Reveal You, Not Break You[10:06] - Victim or Victor — It's a Decision[11:20] - What Sharon Saw in WNC Small Business Owners After Helene[12:34] - Granny's Advice: Just Keep Living[14:00] - Humility as a Leadership Superpower[15:20] - The Power of Community in Crisis[17:06] - Why Dr. Lewis Teaches His Sons It's Okay to Cry[18:14] - The Wisdom Is in the Room, Not on the Stage[19:41] - Keith Vest's Story: Cancer, Collapse & Betrayal[24:51] - The Intersection: What Three Leaders Built Together[25:35] - How to Find the Book & Connect with Dr. Will Lewis---Key Takeaways:- The storm doesn't come to destroy you — it comes to reveal who you are- Every leader is either in a storm, coming out of one, or about to go into one- Strength shows up through vulnerability, not in spite of it- Community isn't optional — we were made for it- Faith gives you hope when your circumstances give you nothing- Feel the feels — stuffing it down doesn't make you stronger- The wisdom isn't on the stage. It's in the room.Topics covered: leadership lessons, entrepreneur rock bottom, Dr. Will Lewis, Perched in the Storm, Marine Corps leadership, faith and work, mental health for leaders, male vulnerability, organizational culture, change management, DEI leadership, community over individualism, Sharon Decker podcast, WNC small business recovery#Leadership #Entrepreneurship #PerchedInTheStorm #DrWillLewis #SharonDeckerPodcast #Faith #MarineVet #LeadershipLessons #MentalHealth #CommunityMatters #ChangeManagement #WNC
