We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful LaQueda Ricks. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with LaQueda below.

LaQueda , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How do you think about vacations as a business owner? Do you take them and if so, how? If you don’t, why not?

Yes, Absolutely! I try to take them 3 or 4 times a year, if not more. Vacations are self-care for me and I refuse to give that up. I work hard so I deserve each vacation I go on whether it’s out of the country or in.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Whewwww, let’s see! First of all, I’m the mom of four amazing young adults! I received my MBA from Louisiana State University, and I’m currently working on my Doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership Development(pray for me). I’m a Divorce Recovery Life Coach, Professional Development Coach, and HR Consultant. Owner of Dream Fearlessly Coaching & Consulting. I’m the host of Warrior Woman Wednesday, where we celebrate the fantastic accomplishments of extraordinary women in the community and business. I also help women do AMAZING Vision Boards and manifest the heck out of them!

On the coaching side, I help female divorcees identify who they are after divorce. I help them clarify their mission and vision for their lives, embrace their new beginnings, and gain confidence to walk boldly and unapologetically in their newness and wholeness with amazing feminine energy.

Women are unique and can accomplish anything we put our minds to. Divorce is not easy, but we must realize that we’re not starting over; we’re starting with experience!

I started coaching by chance! I started as just a life coach, and the soul clients drawn to me were divorced women. We talked more about rediscovering yourself and finding purpose after divorce, which is how I found my niche and purpose.

On the HR Consulting side, I help women and businesses with professional development and HR processes. Everyone must be equipped with everything they need to be successful in the workplace. As an HR Consultant ( with over 20 years in state government)

** I assist small businesses with HR processes that range from but are not limited to:
– strategic planning
– Onboarding & staffing
– Executive Coaching
– Leadership Development
– Policy review and/or writing
– Training & Development

I got into HR many years ago. My aunt was an HR Director, and I worked a three-year appointment in her department, and that’s how I fell in love with HR. Before then, I thought HR was for old ladies hiring and doing paperwork. However, they are the faces of the agency because they are the first people employees interact with before meeting and being introduced to the organization.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I’m a divorcee that was in a horrible domestic violence marriage. I got married to the wrong person just because I decided to settle, which was the worst mistake ever. For some reason, I was attracted to a bad boy at the time, and that bad boy almost killed me. I stayed in the marriage for five years, and for five years, I was abused. I remember going to work with a busted face and being so ashamed that I was allowing myself to go through that. After I decided to leave, our director told me that she was documenting every time I came to work with a scratch, a busted lip, or any marks she could physically see. I asked her why she was doing that, and she told me that if he killed me, she wanted to tell the judge of the abuse so he wouldn’t be able to do that to anyone else. My aunt told me she used to watch the news and pray she didn’t see where he had killed me.

Was it easy starting over? Yes, I was over the marriage and him by the time I decided to leave—the most challenging part of doing everything myself. But God supplied everything I needed, and I have some fantastic people in my life.

I truly believe when you take one step, God will take several more. You have to move your feet!

How did you build your audience on social media?

My most significant following is on Facebook, and I’m currently working on Instagram and Tik Tok. For Facebook, I’m being my authentic self; what they see is who I am. And I love inviting them into my world. I post and talk to them throughout the day. I went out to dinner, and someone recognized me from Facebook and told me how much they appreciated my encouraging post and funny comments!

For people trying to build their social media presence, I would say, show up and be authentically you. I’m not a social media manager, but I know what has worked for me. People are nosy by nature, so let them into your business! A coach told me, “people follow and buy from people they know, like, and trust!” And that is so true!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thelaquedaricks
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelaquedaricks
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/laquedaricks

Image Credits
Main Picture – Naz Group picture – Derix Dugan