In this episode of Powered by Authenticity, I’m joined by Del Reid, Founder of 26 Shirts in Buffalo, New York. Del shares his insights on leadership, networking, and the power of a giving mindset.
I’ve long admired the work of 26 Shirts, and our conversation only deepened that respect. As Del explains, “26 Shirts exists to make an impact on families who are going through the worst situations of their lives.” What began with a single tweet has grown into an organization making a profound difference across Western New York. That tweet, of course, was the now-famous #BillsMafia tag — and it was such fun to hear the story behind its creation.
We talked about what it means to lead with generosity, and how a giving mindset can spark ripples of good throughout the community. A theme that stood out to me was “team” — from the support of his family and wife, to the broader community that stands behind his mission. Del also shared how being rooted in faith has shaped his journey and leadership — something that resonated deeply with me.
Del, thank you for joining me on Powered by Authenticity. I’m grateful for the conversation and look forward to many more ahead.
A special thank you as well to our location sponsor, Roman’s, for hosting us at your #1 rated restaurant for this episode.
Links to find Del and 26 Shirts:
Del Reid | LinkedIn26 Shirts - Behind everyshirt, there's a story.
Mafia Family Ties Podcast - YouTube
Del’s Bio:
After (quite accidentally) co-founding the #BillsMafiamovement among Bills fans on social media in 2011, Del felt moved to do something more than just make jokes on his growing social media platform about the cheating Patriots. After trying out a couple different ideas, in 2013 helanded on the idea of selling shirts to help out fellow fans who foundthemselves in tough situations... and thus, 26 Shirts was born!
Thank you to our location sponsor, Roman's in Batavia, NY!
