| Lessons From an Icon - Cuck Lewis III |
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 By Olga MorseI remember meeting Chuck Lewis III in the summer of 2009. He had a gentle smile to compliment his captivating eyes, and he wanted to know all about my brand new venture called Forward/Adelante. Chuck inquired about my purpose as the founder of a fledgling business, about my ambitions and if I believed in myself. As the conversation progressed, we began to find similarities between Forward’s beginnings and his own start-ups dating back to the 1950’s. "I like this," he told me, referring to Forward/Adelante, adding, "We needed this in Charlottesville." After a long chat, he signed his book, All the Riches of Job, handed it to me and said, "use it and share it." The book reveals a life journey that is not only inspiring, but serves as a constant reminder that the biggest obstacles in life can be overcome. Born in 1939 in rural Virginia and raised in a poor black neighborhood, Chuck eventually earned an eighth grade education. After a stint in the Army as a teenager, Chuck decided to do something with his life even though he felt he was "not qualified to do anything." Although there was not much opportunity for young black men in those days, he was able to land a job stocking shelves at a department store, but soon began to despise it for its lack of challenge. Soon thereafter he quit and swore to himself never to keep a job he hated. Walking out of that store was a profoundly soul-liberating moment; that's when he decided to try life in the big city and moved to New Jersey. Chuck decided to do something with his life even though he felt he was "not qualified to do anything."Now nineteen years of age and looking for work, Chuck recalls overhearing someone comment that "the mark of a good man is in his ability to take a negative and turn it into a positive." Being a black man in the 1950's was a big negative in the eyes of society and the law. However, Chuck realized, "with the civil rights movement just heating up, many corporations were working to integrate their management staffs. They were looking to hire that 'first Negro manager trainee'." In the upheaval of social change, he saw an opportunity. Chuck had no diploma, but he did have "an innate ability to sell who I was and what I was capable of." With that sense of self confidence, he strode into a Howard Johnson Restaurant and applied for a management position. He got a definitive "No". Days later, he returned determined to ask again and the answer was "No". A week later he was turned down again, but this time with a caveat – to read "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie, which he did that evening. When he returned the next day, Chuck got the job! After only nine months, he went from being a trainee, to managing his own restaurant, thus becoming one of his generation's first African-American managers. He respected his employees and found himself quite dependent on them, because in reality Chuck knew nothing about running a restaurant. He decided to overcome his lack of experience by immersing himself into every detail of the business. He enrolled in "the school of late nights, crash courses, and learning by doing." His free time was spent tackling routine tasks such as dishwashing, taking orders, food preparation, and learning to cook from an old chef. Eventually, Chuck became an expert restauranteur who understood the system from top to bottom and in between. With a successful management approach he built a strong foundation and a well paying career, plus gained a new found respect among his mostly white peers. Despite his success, Chuck felt "empty inside" until he met his beloved Kathy Jotz, who became his wife and partner in business. By marrying Kathy (who was white), he challenged the miscegenation laws that existed in our nation at that time. After their daughter Leah was born, the entrepreneurial couple dove into the tomato business. The idea was to cut the cost of tomatoes by selling them directly to restaurants, while bypassing the large produce distributors. With only $250 of start-up capital in his pocket and a short window of free time, Chuck needed to find customers willing to work with him. Yet each supplier he spoke with turned him down, one after the other, doubting his idea and refusing to sell him their tomatoes. With perseverance he drove around Richmond, VA for hours trying to find just that one supplier willing to sell – and finally he found one! Right on the spot, Chuck purchased five cases of tomatoes and headed back to Charlottesville, VA, where he sold them all. To them, adversity was only an opportunity to seek new possibilities. After eight years of tackling many arduous obstacles and turning them into successes, Chuck and Kathy's produce company expanded to grossing an amazing $11 million a year. Both were committed to constantly learning all aspects of the business. It was crucial to know their competitor's angle and the needs of their customers. Chuck explains that his bottom line for success was networking, which became his new motto: "We sell personality, not produce." It was about giving a good bargain, getting to know the customers and establishing trust. The company was later sold so Chuck could place more of his focus on his real estate investments. Today, his son Charley along with his sister Leah, now run the family's real estate empire. According to Chuck's autobiography, Kathy died in 1989 at the age of forty-two due to a severe asthma attack. Several of Chuck's companies were later named after Kathy to honor her memory. However, Chuck is no longer missing his dear wife. In the words of his obituary in The Daily Progress, "Charlottesville entrepreneur and author Chuck Lewis, 70, left for his final sales call on Monday, May 3, 2010, and will reunite with his wife, Kathy, in the great produce warehouse beyond." Most people who ever had a chance to get to know Chuck held very positive opinions of the man. Not just for his great personality, but because he always listened to other people's ideas, and cared enough to give other budding entrepreneurs the chance to get started with either a micro-loan or facilitating access into one of his many real estate spaces. Aside from being a self made multi-millionaire, recipient of the Entrepreneur Award in 2005, mega real estate developer, and proud owner of York Place Building in downtown Charlottesville, Chuck was also a loving husband, loyal friend, dedicated father, and a true icon of enterprise. I personally want to express how happy I am for having had my brief encounter with Chuck. The wisdom and advice he shared with me was enough to lift me up when I needed encouragement on my journey of launching Forward/Adelante. Thank you, Chuck, for being committed, never giving up, and always inspiring others to overcome their own hardships.
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