We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr. Trenese McNealy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Growing up, my parents always instilled the core values of respect, honesty, kindness, hard work, confidence, thankfulness, and knowledge within me and my three siblings. When it came to respect, we were taught to always respect our elders by saying, “Yes, sir or No, mam”, and by following the rules that our elders had in place. Thus, to this day, I have taught my own children to be respectful not only to their elders, but anyone in general. I tell them to say good morning/good afternoon or speak when they walk into a room. Respect goes a long way. If you want to get respect, you must show respect.

When it came to honesty, we were taught to always be honest and never lie. Of course, as kids we would tell a lie and hope for the best. But my parents were always there to reinforce their principles because honesty will lead to integrity. When it came to kindness, my parents would take us to feed the elderly and pass out groceries to those who were in need; thus, as I got older, I would do the same. I would cook meals for my late grandmother and buy her groceries. I would also buy other people groceries who needed help. I currently send monetary donations to organizations and people in need. I send gifts to people and always try to support new businesses. At work, my door is always open for anyone who has questions or need assistance with anything. Like I tell everyone, “I’m here to help”.

My parents showed us how to be hard workers in life by starting their own businesses while working in their careers and maintaining the household. They taught us how to work and not be lazy not only on the job, but in our home. Their guidance has allowed me and my siblings to put 110% into everything that we do. We are hard workers and once one project is completed, we are ready to begin the next one.

When it came to being confident, my siblings and I did not have any issues in that area. No one could tell us anything negative because we knew who were, and we had the confidence to back up anything we wanted to do. I tell my children to hold their heads up and speak loudly. When it comes to kids, you must build confidence in them at a young age, so they are not easily persuaded when they are older.

Being thankful was another value that my parents wanted us to gain. We grew up poor, so we were thankful for everything we got. When it comes to my children; unfortunately, they are spoiled. However, they are learning to be thankful for the small things we give them. They are taught that in life, you will not get everything you want, but you will need to be thankful for the things you do get because there are other people who have nothing.

Finally, knowledge was major in my family. My parents made sure we got the education we needed to become the successful individuals we are today. Growing up, we never missed any days of school except when we had the chicken pops. Each year, we received our perfect attendance awards and graduated from high school with scholarships. After graduating from college and grad-school, I’m proud to have received a Bachelor of Science degree in Fashion Merchandising and Apparel Designs with a minor in Management, an MBA degree in Business Administration, and a DBA degree in Project Management. Today, I too am all about education when it comes to my kids. On the weekends, I have them to work in their workbooks or complete various educational projects. When I get home from work, we review assignments that their teachers taught that day. My kids are very smart and are learning the same values that my parents taught me. I’m very grateful to my parents, and I’m so proud to continue their values with their grandkids.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Yes, I am a wife, mom, author, entrepreneur, and life coach whose mission is to help moms maintain a healthy, work-life balance to reach their goals through successful Program and Project Management strategies. I have over 10+ years’ experience in Program, Project, and Grant Management with a Certified Associate in Project Management. Dr. McNealy’s focus derived from my company, Dr. Trenese L. McNealy, LLC., a professional service, management consultation company, established in 2020.

I have been seen on The Connect Show Texas, Black Connections, LLC, Business Talk Library, ShaibabyTV, and WTOC 11 Mid-Morning Live. She has been featured in Women’s Health, The Chicago Journal, New York Weekly, Entertainment Monthly News, New York Wire, US Reporter, ABC Affiliate KAKE.com, and many other publications. In addition, Dr. McNealy has been heard on The Legendary KYOK 1140AM/92.3 Gospel Radio Station, the VoyageATL Podcast, and The Joseph Bonner Show Podcast.

I earned my Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia Southern University, my MBA from the University of Phoenix, and completed my doctoral program at Walden University.

I am also the CEO of LaShay’s DESIGNS, an online fashion boutique in which women are provided with high-quality, retail merchandises at reasonable prices under $39.95. I’m the author of Mommy’s Goals vs. Reality: Managing School, Work, and Family, the co-author of The Glambitious Guide to Being a Mompreneur in 2020, and I’m currently working on a new book, A Mother’s Struggle to Success.

I’m a Riceboro, Georgia native, currently residing in Hampton, Georgia. I’m married to Mr. Brian McNealy, and we have three beautiful children: Brielle, Bryce, and Brayden McNealy.

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

The lesson I had to unlearned was, “If you work hard for it, you will get it”, which is not always true. Yes, in life one needs to work hard to achieve success; however, through my past experiences, I have learned that no matter how hard you may work, the success you are looking for may not always come. There will always be some type of hinderance that will prevent you from achieving certain goals you are looking to achieve.

For me, I had to cancel my in-person Mommies and Mimosas Mother’s Day Luncheon; not once, but twice. The first cancellation occurred due to COVID-19 in 2020. The luncheon was successfully held virtually in 2021; however, it was again cancelled in 2022 as an in-person event. I lost so much money in both processes, no matter how much time was spent planning and marketing the events, only to make the hard decision in the end to cancel and avoid losing more money.

Yes, working hard, will reap its reward; however, please note that things will not always work out how you plan them. Be prepared to find an alternative route towards achieving your goals.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

My favorite marketing story is when I mailed a copy of my book, Mommy’s Goals vs. Reality: Managing School, Work, and Family, to Porsha Williams’s company. When I mailed the book, I knew Porsha would not get it, but I wanted to at least try and make the effort. Well, a few weeks later, my little sister calls me in the middle of the night and tells me to get on Instagram. To my surprise, Porsha posted a thank you video with my book. I was so happy for the video and even more happy from the book sales I received that night.

A few months later, I was one of the vendors at the Atlanta Women’s Expo and learned that Porsha was going to be a keynote speaker. At that event, I was able to thank her again for posting the video, and I got to take a few pictures with her holding my book. This experience was one of my most memorable marking stories.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://drtrenesemcnealy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.trenesemcnealy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dr.trenesemcnealy/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-trenese-mcnealy-40ba1051
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/LTrenese
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVXz8A7AMqB2IGM6Eq5dfVg
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/Drtrenesemcnealy/

Image Credits
Shots by Sheena and Dr. Trenese L. McNealy