Nathan Lewis

Nathan Lewis is a busy guy. As a fitness blogger, husband, and father of a tyke he calls the “strongest-willed infant on the planet,” he manages to keep himself quite occupied and productive. But only a few years ago, Lewis – and his day to day life – may have been nearly unrecognizable.

Completely shaven and working in the world of auditing, Lewis had no idea he was on a path that would soon lead him to a world of blogging and beards.

“I had always wanted to grow a beard, but constantly had jobs where they weren’t acceptable,” he says.

“Once I quit my auditing job to start Iron & Tweed (Lewis’ lifestyle blog) it was game on! So really, my blog and my beard are sort of linked – for me, they’re both symbolic of freedom and new beginnings.”

Lewis’ interest in blogging was something that always bubbled just below the surface, but he was never aware of just how viable a career option it could actually be.

“I used to think to myself ‘the perfect job for me would be to write Art of Manliness,’ but I was completely oblivious as to how blogging was tied to business,” he says.

“I just thought those guys were running blogs as a hobby. Fancy my surprise – and interest – when I realized this could really be a career!”

A career he had unknowingly been preparing for his entire life.

“Since my work is so closely tied to my life and hobbies, I’ve essentially been in the field my whole life – I just didn’t start documenting until a year and a half ago,” Lewis explains.

“I’ve been interested in fitness and bodybuilding for over 20 years and really began focusing on improving my personal style about eight years ago.”

“I started Iron & Tweed to help guys improve their lives by giving them the tools to build an aesthetic body and then dress that body well,” he continues.

“I come from humble beginnings myself and struggled with a lot of the issues that many of my readers are now facing. My goal is to educate, motivate, and inspire. I want to build a community that helps men to make lasting and positive change in their lives.”

As for his involvement in Team Beardbrand, it all started with a chance encounter with Beardbrand founder Eric Bandholz.

“I was lucky enough to meet Eric at StyleCon 2015. When I arrived, the guy at the registration table took one look at my beard and said, ‘There’s someone here you need to introduce yourself to.’ I was walking into a big event without knowing a soul, so being able to seek out a bearded brother was a bit of a relief,” says Lewis.

“After introducing myself and talking beards for a while, Eric and I ended up hanging out over the course of the weekend. He’s such a friendly, charismatic guy that I felt like I would have been willing to help him move to a third floor walk-up within about five minutes of meeting him. Since then we’ve kept in touch and have continued to find ways to work together.”

With Iron & Tweed thriving and his involvement with Team Beardbrand, Lewis says his beard grooming routine has to stay on point now more than ever.

“I can’t get enough of Temple Smoke beard oil from Beardbrand. Ever since the first sniff, I was hypnotized by the smoky, resinous scent. This fragrance sticks with you, literally and figuratively,” he says.

“I wash my beard about twice per week with Spiced Citrus beard wash and follow up with beard softener and beard oil in the same scent. But every other day of the week I give my beard a thorough rinse, pat dry, and apply 5 or 6 drops of Temple Smoke beard oil followed by several light applications of Temple Smoke mustache wax. Then, all that’s left is to enjoy the exotic aroma of Temple Smoke every time I turn my head.”

Connect with Nathan at Iron & Tweed, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

TEAM BEARDBRAND

A group of remarkable individuals who are doing their part to change the way society views beardsmen, Team Beardbrand is comprised of businessmen, athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, and entertainers. As ambassadors of Beardbrand, these gentlemen embody what it means to be an urban beardsman – integrity, work ethic, principles, and of course, killer beards.