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Mental health is emerging after a long-standing silence in finance.

For decades, personal struggles were pushed aside, considered irrelevant, or worse — made to seem a sign of weakness. But as workplace losses due to burnout, absenteeism, and lower productivity add up, Wall Street firms are starting to pay attention.

The numbers are staggering, and the conversation is shifting. Nearly 1 in 5 US workers rate their own mental health as less than "good," according to a recent Gallup panel. The resulting unplanned absences are estimated to cost the US economy nearly $50 billion each year.

Shawn Lesser knows the stakes all too well. After spending decades in the world of private equity, he suffered a mental breakdown in 2022 during an investor call that led him to rethink everything. He would eventually found the mental health foundation The Real (often stylized in all caps), endowing it with a mission "to build a community to support and foster the mental health and well-being of men across the globe."

Lesser's story mirrors a broader problem in finance, where high stress, long hours, and competition can take a heavy toll. His breakdown didn’t happen overnight, and it was not unique.

“Mental health doesn’t discriminate," says Lesser, adding, "Some of the richest people have the most problems."

As the financial toll of mental health challenges adds up, employers are listening.

Companies are starting to invest in worker well-being — not just as a form of goodwill, but as a strategy. Healthier employees mean more productive employees, which means more profit. Lesser says this aligning of incentives is key.

“If you have a healthy workforce, how much more money are you going to get?” he asks rhetorically, referring to the fewer absentee days taken by happier employees. The old culture of “powering through” is being replaced with one that sees mental healthcare as a business asset, not a weakness.

The Real is built on three core principles: conversations, community, and change. Talking about mental health — the first "C" — is the first step. Lesser has personally shared his story of overcoming depression and anxiety with over 1,000 individuals.

For the community aspect, Lesser has toured the country, with an eye toward global expansion. Lesser aims to reach 10,000 members through peer-to-peer support initiatives like Real Walks and the Real App, which offer a safe space for men to find mental health sponsors and share their experiences.