After years of hiding from the spotlight, Devan Leos emerges with two digital marketing companies that he fully owns and operates. After the stardom ended for this former Disney Channel Actor, he found himself tremendously struggling mentally and physically.
“I found myself wanting to dig my own grave and die, haha. I mean, I lost everything… I went from being a Disney actor to being a disgrace.” – said Daven.
What changed?
It started with desire. I want to change everything about myself. I was a greedy, dirty, down-right degenerate who was stuck in the past… but I wanted to right my wrongs and cut out the negative elements of my personality. I knew I was a pretty Sh*t person. I just felt lost and lacking guidance.
And then…
And then, I reconsidered all my personal beliefs and opinions. I sat down and acknowledged that I was not living up to the G standard. First, I decided to cut greed out and use my platforms to raise money for the mentally Ill and Homeless. Instead of trying to make money, I instead tried to raise it for those in need. It was tough at first, but someone must have been looking out for me because I began to get phone calls and work opportunities in the marketing field while doing stuff for all of these charities.
Can you elaborate on the charities?
Yes, I first began to raise money for NAMI via TikTok and other platforms. While volunteering for a shelter known as Family Promise, I was asked to partner with them and help set up fundraisers and donation drives that I eagerly accepted to do.
Do you still work with them?
Yes, in fact, we are aiming to set up a local event in Santa Clarita for family promise, a family-based homeless charity, on the 21st of April.
So you obviously, in a way, went from rags to riches. How do you think this will affect your position with these charities?
Well, it’s a blessing because I will be able to give more and do more. Homeless people are real people just like you or me, and they often struggle with mental health issues, unfortunately. I myself have had my own battles with mental health, but thanks to treatment and a strong family foundation, I’ve been doing a lot better.
When I first started my companies, it was like, “yeah, ok, we are doing something,” but then business really picked up, and it put me in a very fortunate position to be able to give more time to those in need and give more as well.
How does your marketing company play into your ability to help those in need besides monetary donation?
Good marketing is about more than doing something… It’s about making sure everything is done RIGHT. From charts to graphs and strategies, analytics, promoting, campaigning, etc. There’s a lot that goes into setting up charity events and donation drives. Setting up the event is great, but getting the word out and convincing people to show up and donate can sometimes, unfortunately, be difficult. That’s where I like to come in and offer my abilities for free and my resources and time so that I can make sure we have as many people coming to help out those in need. We don’t profit from these events, it goes 100% to the families in need, and everyone here is volunteering. It’s liberating and rewarded to work towards something bigger than oneself and know you’re helping your community and helping people survive. I couldn’t do it with the help of the Staff at Family Promise SCV and without my colleagues’ support. I’m not a great man, just a guy trying to do the right thing.
Devan Leos will be helping set up and organize a donation drive for Family Promise in Santa Clarita. If you would like to know more or help out, go to FamilyPromiseSCV.org or DM Devan on Instagram @TheDevanLeos.
