We caught up with the brilliant and insightful L. Patrice Bell a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

L. Patrice, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Who is your hero and why? What lessons have you learned from them and how have they influenced your journey?

My grandmother (Evelyn Freeman) and mother (V. Gay McGahee) are my heroes. I often hear people who dread the idea of becoming anything like their mother, but I aspire to be as witty and composed as mine is and hers was. I’ll focus on my grandmother, but I want to note that she has dementia and is almost nonverbal now — a stark contrast to the loquacious woman I grew up with. She is still living, but I miss her often.

I was always amazed by my grandmother because she had 2 careers. As a child, I was under the impression that I could only pick one thing to be when I grew up. My grandmother was also active in numerous church ministries, her sorority, and countless community organizations. She took me to my first ACLU meeting when I was about 8 years old. She was my hairdresser until I went to college, and my confidante throughout. When I learned that my grandmother had been a nurse before she became a high school English teacher, the mental barrier was removed setting the stage for my future career journey. I’ve worked in aerospace & defense, hospitality, nonprofit, startups, tech, and so much more, and every experience informs how I operate today. I draw from every industry, every experience to provide the best services to my clients today.

L. Patrice, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m L. Patrice Bell, founder and owner of L. Bell Solutions — a consultancy where I serve as a Fractional COO, strategic partner, and problem solver for visionary leaders who long to escape the weeds of day-to-day details. I streamline your workflows, optimize your operations, support sustainable growth, and help you scale your business with confidence. My academic background includes degrees in Mathematics, Industrial Engineering, and Hospitality & Tourism. This mix of education and experiences reflects both my analytical mind and my love for people-centered experiences. I’ve always been gifted at spotting inefficiencies and building better systems. I joke that I’m not just an Industrial engineer by degree, but also in my heart.
I began consulting full-time because I had so many career experiences that left me wanting more for myself, and I realized that I had actually been doing it all along. Early in my career at Boeing, I was promoted quickly because I joined a team that was on fire, and I played a key role in putting the flames out. Once things were calm, I asked my manager, “Are there any other teams that need help?” They sent me to Wing Ops, and while there, I jumped into an additional role that no one in the org fully understood. They said it usually took 18 months to get up to speed, but I was running the process solo within six months. Eventually, I became an internal fixer. They would send me between wing, systems stress, fuselage, anywhere that needed help. I loved it!
That pattern followed me. At the Northwest African American Museum (NAAM), I joined to run the front-of-house operations, but ended up running programming, partnerships, marketing, PR, and the volunteer program during COVID. At DoorDash, I was hired to help launch offshore support centers, but I kept spotting process gaps across the organization. I started filling the gaps, and I created my own role as Manager on the Strategic Initiatives & Acceleration Team.
Now, through L. Bell Solutions, I help leaders and organizations who are overwhelmed, overextended, or unclear about how to operationalize their vision. I offer Fractional COO services, strategic planning, change management, rhythm of business operations, and process design — all tailored to meet people where they are and take them where they want to go.
What sets me apart is that I don’t build systems that center myself. I build systems that can thrive in my absence. You know how some people can’t leave their role without everything falling apart? That’s never the goal for me. If I create something that can’t function unless I’m there, I don’t count that as success. I believe in building foundations that are sustainable, scalable, and strong enough to stand without constant oversight. Then, I get to move on to the next fire!
One of the things I’m most proud of is my resilient spirit.
Quick story break: I was in my 4th year of a 5-year engineering program when I found out I was pregnant with my oldest son. I remember asking the Dean of Students about possible campus resources, and he said there were none. I asked “well what do people do when they get pregnant?” He said “THEY GO HOME!” I had never even considered going home as an option even though my parents would’ve welcomed me back warmly.
I gave birth 12 days before classes began, and I served as the NSBE President that year. That first semester, my husband and I staggered our schedules, and we would pick each other up between classes to trade off the car and the baby. I remember nursing while doing homework, nursing at the back of the room during study jams, lugging a car seat/stroller around campus, and being generally exhausted. I was just so close to the finish line! My oldest son grew up on campus and was the most agreeable child I’ve ever known. He went to NSBE conferences and conventions, attended meetings & campus events, and he took a lot of flights before he was a year old. I had 2 friends on campus who would hold him when I ran meetings (my husband was on the board with me, so he’d be occupied at the same time). It took an extra semester, but I completed my Engineering degree and began my career at Boeing.
Although the stakes aren’t as high anymore, I bring that same resilience to the work I do now. I’m creative in my approaches, and I like to have fun. I enjoy fractional COO work the most because it allows you to view the full picture and provide the most effective guidance.
I’m someone who can step into chaos, bring clarity, and build something lasting. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg that is L. Patrice Bell.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I was in my 4th year of a 5-year engineering program when I found out I was pregnant with my oldest son. I remember asking the Dean of Students about possible campus resources, and he said there were none. I asked “well what do people do when they get pregnant?” He said “THEY GO HOME!” I had never even considered going home as an option even though my parents would’ve welcomed me back warmly.
I gave birth 12 days before classes began, and I served as the NSBE President that year. That first semester, my husband and I staggered our schedules, and we would pick each other up between classes to trade off the car and the baby. I remember nursing while doing homework, nursing at the back of the room during study jams, lugging a car seat/stroller around campus, and being generally exhausted. I was just so close to the finish line! My oldest son grew up on campus and was the most agreeable child I’ve ever known. He went to NSBE conferences and conventions, attended meetings & campus events, and he took a lot of flights before he was a year old. I had 2 friends on campus who would hold him when I ran meetings (my husband was on the board with me, so he’d be occupied at the same time). It took an extra semester, but I completed my Engineering degree and began my career at Boeing.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn the idea that I have to give my all to everything that I do.

I was a child that was always labeled as gifted. I got straight A’s (I graduated high school with a 4.67 GPA), I was involved in all kinds of extracurriculars, President of this, Captain of that, and I thought that I had to be perfect. Once I entered the workforce, I continued the trend of giving my all. However, the corporate world doesn’t care if you give your all. They always want more. So I would try to give more. One of my jobs was absolutely exhausting. I was working 75-hour weeks and giving my family the scraps of myself that were left. One night, my youngest son (about 4 at the time) had gotten scolded by his dad, and he was fuming. He yelled out “daddy’s dumb!” I listened from the doorway where the boys couldn’t see me. My oldest (about 7 at the time) responded “ No he’s not! If daddy’s so dumb, then who’s going to get you lunch when you’re hungry?!” “My mommy!” replied the youngest. “No she’s not. She has to work!” the oldest rebutted. “And who’s going to give you treats when you want one?” The youngest responded confidently “my mommy!” only to be met with “No she’s not. She has to go to work.” This back and forth went on for maybe three more questions before the youngest defeatedly replied with “my dad”. My oldest closed the conversation by saying “exactly! So don’t call daddy dumb!”

I cried for 3 days straight. I couldn’t believe that the kids were so affected by the way I was working. I pulled back and eventually moved to a new role where I worked 40 hours a week, made more money, and still had a massive impact.

I learned to work that way from my mom. She gives so much. It seems like we spent the majority of our childhood in her office watching her run herself ragged for the work. One day, my husband asked me why I followed her example when I also had my dad right there. My father went to work at 6am, came home at 3:30, watched Judge Judy, cooked dinner most nights, and took us to pick out rental movies every Friday. He volunteered at our church, and he was at every game, recital, and awards ceremony. When my dad retired, the city did a feature on him and his 40-year career.

My dad built a life full of consistency, care, and balance. And for the first time, I realized I had inherited my drive from my mom but overlooked the wisdom in my dad’s rhythm.

That was the shift. I had to unlearn that excellence always means exhaustion. I had to let go of the belief that if I wasn’t drained, I hadn’t done enough. Now, I choose sustainability over sacrifice. I still work hard, but I no longer pour out everything until there’s nothing left. I lead my business with intention, I protect time for my family, and I honor the version of success that includes rest, joy, and showing up whole.

At the end of the day, I don’t just want to be known for the problems I solved, but for the life I lived while solving them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://LPatriceBell.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/l.patricebell/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lpatricebell/

Image Credits

Michael B. Maine, Brea Bursch, Omar Diaz, Billy Green