Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Arva Thomas. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Arva, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My mission is to empower and propel more women into executive leadership roles in corporate and government spaces. The story behind my mission is a personal one. As a child, I had a front row seat to my mother’s rise up the leadership ladder in the field of secondary education. Beginning as early as age five, I watched the carefully planned steps my mother took. I listened to the stories and lessons she shared. And I soaked up the advice she gave about successfully working with people. My mother was my first mentor and trusted advisor, and still is. What I did not know at the time is that she was modeling and teaching me “executive presence” and it was an important factor in her success.

By the time I began my career in government, I was a clear standout. My peers, mentors, and leadership team all noted a “presence” about me. I was quickly promoted several times, offered choice assignments, and participated in high-profile projects. I was on an accelerated path to achieve executive level leadership, until my priorities changed and I left my career to be a stay-at-home mom.

Years later when I re-entered the workforce, my children were still my primary focus. I did not pursue the path to executive leadership as passionately as I had before. I still excelled in my work and exhibited executive presence to stand out from my peers. I earned promotions, accepted choice assignments, and led high-profile projects, just not as often or as quickly as before.

Now that my children are headed to college, I have given myself permission to get back in the race again. I know exactly what to do, and I am doing it. And just like my mother did for me, I want to share my experience and expertise in executive presence with other women to help them reach executive leadership status.

Arva, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am the Founder and CEO of Blue Monarch Communications LLC, an executive presence and communications consultancy that develops leaders into executives. As a coach and mentor, I primarily work with women in mid-level leadership positions to cultivate executive presence in six key areas so they can get promoted, and map a clear path to executive leadership in their chosen field. I am also a full-time corporate trainer with the federal government.

Just before my 20 year anniversary serving in the federal government, I began a journey of introspection, reflecting on my experiences and lessons learned along the way. I loved what I was doing, and I was on the path to executive leadership again. But I realized that my motivation for pursuing executive level leadership had changed. It wasn’t just about the pure ambition of my youth. It was also about being in a position to do the most good. To develop more leaders who understand their professional “why” and who can use it for the betterment of the organizations and the people they serve.

But I still felt a nudge toward something greater. I wanted a way to multiply the number of women in executive leadership (beyond myself and those who I would help develop at my job) who could bring more diversity of thought, more innovation, more creativity, and more heart to their organizations. This is what led me to start Blue Monarch Communications.

Through our Epic Moves Program, women in mid-level leadership positions learn to cultivate executive presence in six key areas so they can get promoted and map a clear path to executive leadership in their chosen field. The six areas are: Business Acumen, Emotional Intelligence, Professional/Political Savvy, Personal Brand/Image, Interpersonal Skills, and Communication.

What I love about the Epic Moves Program is that it uses the EPI Method, which focuses heavily on the internal, transformational work that leaders must do in order to be effective, rather than just the behaviors that they should mimic in order to get by. The EPI Method also incorporates key external components and creativity to help clients stand out from their peers, increase confidence, and gain the visibility and influence needed to get promoted. I created this method based on what has worked for me and has made me successful in life and my career. It encompasses what I have learned and observed from my mentors over the last 45 years, and my successful and varied 25-year career in government, corporate, and entrepreneurial spaces.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Interestingly, I began my career as a high school Spanish teacher. Both of my parents, my aunts, and my grandmother had all been educators. It was the “family business” and it seemed like a logical choice for me. But mid way through my first year, I knew that traditional teaching was not for me. I was miserable! I toughed out the rest of the year and did not renew my contract. Instead, I decided to pursue a master’s degree.

After earning my master’s degree, I began a new career with the federal government. Starting out, the job was not what I hoped it would be. But I received some sage advice from a family friend and mentor who told me that if I did well in this position, there would be ample opportunity for me to move on to bigger and better opportunities within the agency. He was right! Using executive presence, creativity, and innovation, I turned what could have been a dead end job into a thriving career. I capitalized on some great opportunities, which soon led me to my passion– training and leading workshops. No matter what position I held as I quickly moved up the ladder, I always found a way to incorporate training and leading workshops, until I ultimately became a full time corporate trainer within the organization. So I ended up pivoting from one type of teaching, which was not a good fit for me, to another type of teaching for a different audience demographic that was the perfect fit.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks has had a tremendous impact on my entrepreneurial journey. That book taught me that I do not have to try to master everything! I do not have to be great at everything! And I do not have to waste time and energy trying to master things that will not ultimately help me get and stay in my Zone of Genius. What a relief that has been, especially as a classic high achiever and recovering perfectionist! I learned long ago in my career that done is better than perfect, and that it is important to make the best decision you can with the information you have and move on; however, it took reading the Big Leap to remind me to apply those lessons to my entrepreneurial pursuits.

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