We were lucky to catch up with Dr. Loucille Hollis recently and have shared our conversation below.
Dr. Loucille, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
As a person of faith, I know that God speaks to people through dreams and visions, but at that time, I had not experienced one. In the early 1990s, I had a vision of weeping women asking for help, but I had no idea what to do. I approached my pastor for answers, his words, “it sounds too big for our small church.” Over time, I forgot about it. However, in the interim, I accepted the call for ministry and God provided opportunities for ministry at my local church and outreach initiatives.
More than twenty years after the vision, diagnosis and miraculous recovery from sarcoidosis, I received an invitation to attend an online seminar on New Year’s day- January 1, 2014. It was there that the seed to start It’s Kairos Time germinated. Seminar attendees were invited to identify and contact the speaker of their choice for pro bono business start-up help. I selected Ms. Cheryl Wood (now Dr. Wood) and reached out to her with my story. I had no organization, no event date, and no location, but we were divinely connected. She wrote back, “your story is compelling, and I want to help you.” Because the focus of the ministry was women, we agreed that the inaugural conference should be held in March in honor of Women’s History.
Based on our calendars, we selected March 14, as the launch date. There was much work to be done in those six weeks, but with the help of my late husband, Benjamin Hollis and a few friends, the corporation was formed venue secured invitations sent, hotel accommodations made, the inaugural event for It’s Kairos was launched on March 14, 2014, as planned. In addition, my book (Meditation Moments) was edited and submitted to the publisher for printing. I took my vision off the shelf, dusted it off and allowed God to make it relevant for women in 2014 and even today.
Moving forward, my biggest cheerleader, my husband passed away in 2015. I almost gave up, but I knew I could not stop empowering and equipping women with tools to release their fear and move forward in divine purpose (the focus of our inaugural conference). In 2016, I had a second vision: This time it was about youth and scholarships. When I called the attorney to ask if we needed to update the mission statement, she reminded me that based on her recommendation, I had agreed to leave the phrase “as a legacy for youth” as part of the mission. In context, this is the relevant portion of the mission statement: “to inspire and equip women… to identify and walk in their divine purpose…; to impart wisdom and purpose as a legacy to youth.” Thank God I had not deviated from the language God had initially placed in my spirit. Today, in partnership with women, our youth programs are the primary focus of engagements.
Why the focus on that last phrase of the mission – we’re framing a legacy for our youth. In March 2024, we will celebrate ten years of incorporation, annual and seasonal women’s activities, scholarships to 16 students, annual book stipends and an award from the John Maxwell Family and Youth Division for the work we do with youth. A vision delayed is not a vision denied. It doesn’t matter the age or background, if I did it, so can you!
What keeps me motivated? –My desire is to serve and make a difference in the lives of women and youth – Significance (not success): This will be my legacy. PURPOSE, PASSION & PERSISTENCE is what keeps me going – day after day and year after year. When is all is done, “that my living will not be in vain.”
Dr. Loucille, 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?
“As a personal growth professional, I love inspiration. A powerful principle is at the heart of every major movement, but words and ideas are lifeless without action. There are inexcusable things happening in this world – loss of hope and wasted potential. I want to partner with you to change that.” Dr. Loucille Hollis
Dr. Loucille Hollis is a Global Leadership Consultant, ordained minister, author, and founder of the Nonprofit It’s Kairos Time. Kairos is an ancient Greek word meaning “a favorable moment of possibility; a passing opportunity to be taken full advantage of” – in other words, the right time to act – to transform the community and then the world!
As an author, Dr. Hollis wrote “Meditation Moments: It’s Kairos Time,” a compilation of her prayerful reflections. She is also a contributing author to Amazon Best Seller, “Courageous Enough to Launch,” an anthology of stories, strategies, and scriptures of women who overcame adversities to reach their God-given purpose.
Long dedicated to civic advocacy, trained by the United Way Minority Board Placement Project, Dr. Hollis has garnered a laudable reputation as the founder (2014) and visionary behind It’s Kairos Time Inc. (Kairos), a nonprofit charitable organization based in New Jersey to empower and equip women and inner-city youth to identify and walk-in their purpose. This is accomplished in partnership with the Maxwell Leadership Team and in collaboration with various community-focused groups. Along with the team of judges, she has oversight of the Kairos’ flagship initiative – the annual Kairos Annual Scholarship Contest/Awards, initiated in New Jersey (2016) and expanded to Dunbar High School in Fort Myers, FL (2023) in memorial to her mother, in partnership with the Louise Wilcox Black Memorial Fund.
Before entering the field of nonprofit organizing, Dr. Hollis spent 30 years in the corporate world developing and overseeing risk assessment programs as a senior-level manager for New York’s largest transportation authority. Dr. Hollis also maintained involvement in education as an adjunct professor at St. Joseph College. Her exemplary performance in the field was borne from her academic journey, which began at the New York Institute of Technology. Attaining a Bachelor of Science in psychology and business administration in 1982, she earned an MBA in finance two years later. Dr. Hollis earned a Master of Divinity (MDiv) in 2014 from Luther Rice Seminary, followed by a Doctorate of Ministry. She has received numerous accolades, including inclusion in the publication Marquis Who’s Who in Finance and Industry in 1993, Who’s Who of Women in America in 1995. In 2019 she was selected as a recipient of Who’s Who in Career Distinction, followed by the Lifetime Professional Achievement Award in 2021, Maxwell Youth and Parent Leadership Award in 2022.
Dr. Hollis is a Maxwell Certified Leadership Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a member of the National Association of Female Executives, the National Black MBA Association, the Psi Chi National Honor Society, New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBA), NJ Center for Nonprofits, Toastmasters, and her local Chamber of Commerce.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
I’m not advocating this for everyone but as I listened to the Les Brown broadcast, I was 100% convinced that it was time for me to start my business (ministry) and that is why it is called It’s Kairos Time. (Kairos is an ancient Greek word meaning ‘the right, critical, or opportune moment. The biblical meaning is “the appointed time in the purpose of God.”)
It wouldn’t have been done if I did not move forward at that time – January 1, 2014. Following my email from Dr. Wood, I created an estimated budget of $6000 but it is ended costing about $10,000 (My American Express credit line was used as the funding source to pay for the startup and business launch costs – attorney and accountant fees for incorporation and non-profit application, rental of event spaces (launch and follow-up), rental of shared corporate office for business address required by NJ. office mailing address, website, hotel for speaker, event advertisement and refreshments, Other expenses incurred: cost to self-publish and promote book. Two friends, along with my husband became corporate officers. One of them is on the advisory board today. Some income was generated with my in-person book sales and a couple speaking engagements, but most of the loan was reimbursed from personal expenses. Today, while we await grant funding, we are blessed to be funded by generous donations from our volunteers, friends, and family.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I already had a stellar reputation in the church world; initially we targeted that market for the launch, followed by a 3-day conference engagement in Florida where I grew up. My parents were pillars in the community and all we had to do was use our name to be accepted. Gratefully, comments from attendees were posted on social media and leaders of various organizations contacted me wanting to know more about the organization; some even asked how they could help. Momentum had started: invitations came for conference speaking engagements and book signings for my book Meditation Moments: It’s Kairos Time; some churches purchased books for their women Bible studies; a few women’s clubs used it for their book of the month; followed by the NJ-wide scholarship awards launched in 2016 introduced us to a wider audience.
However, aligning our organization with the John Maxwell organization by becoming a Maxwell Certified Leadership Coach/Trainer/Speaker and participating in mentorship has given us tremendous resources and credibility. To that end, during the March 2022 International Maxwell Conference, KAIROS was spotlighted by the Maxwell Family and Youth Division for the work we do with youth and in December 2022, I had the opportunity to go on my first Maxwell transformation trip to Papua New Guinea, with 70 Maxwell Coaches: the stories on my social media timelines brought attention and recognition from people all over the country. During a recent community event, It’s Kairos Time was introduced as a “hidden gem” providing leadership training to youth and I’m currently writing proposals in response to requests. To summarize, we do not rest on past accolades; we’re still intentionally looking for opportunities to add value to others. Our consistency has given us additional credibility, even during the pandemic, but our reputation was built by continuously exceeding expectations & ALWAYS keeping our word (My word is my BOND!)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://iktinc.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram/itskairostime
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itskairostime
- Linkedin: Dr. Loucille Black Hollis
- Twitter: https://www.twitter/itskairostime
Image Credits
I own the rights to all photos.