He Nearly Took His Life. Now He’s Saving Others. THE REAL Movement with Shawn Lesser

The day he begged his wife to kill him was the day everything changed.

On this episode of Celebrate Your Story, I sit down with Shawn Lesser, an impact investor turned mental health advocate whose life took a dramatic turn in the fall of 2022. What started as a persistent depression spiraled into a full mental health crisis, one that led to hospitalization, months in treatment centers, and ultimately, a complete reinvention of purpose.

Shawn opens up about the emotional toll of losing his identity after stepping away from the investment firm he co-founded, and how a simple text from a friend became the first step toward rebuilding his life. That friend became his “mental health sponsor,” and together they launched The Real, a movement to support men’s mental health through conversation, community, and change.

Today, Shawn’s mission is bold: help 10 million men by 2030, break the stigma around mental health, and channel billions of dollars into the space. From investor summits in Davos to grassroots mental health walks around the world, his journey is a powerful reminder that healing often begins with telling the truth.