We were lucky to catch up with Marcia Thomas recently and have shared our conversation below.
Marcia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Looking back, what’s an important lesson you learned at a prior job?
One of the most important lessons i have learnt from my 25+ years as an instructional leader is the value of knowing your purpose and aligning it with God’s agenda as a servant leader. This principle has profoundly shaped my approach to running my own consulting and coaching business and guiding other christian career professionals in their career.
I have learnt the importance and far reaching effect of prioritizing people over processess. In my previous roles, I discovered that truly effective leadership involves putting the needs of others first and empowering them to become masters of their own destiny – confident and capable. This approach has translated into my business by ensuring that I prioritize building strong, meaningful relationships with my clients, understanding their unique needs and helping them achieve their personal and professional goals.
I have also learnt the importance of knowing your core values and leading by example. If you keep having to tell people what you stand for, it means you are not standing. If you’re standing they will see. As an instructional leader, I learned that actions speak louder than words.You must say what you mean and mean what you say. Demonstrating integrity, personal accountability, authenticity, being open and transparent, believing in yourself, sharing trust and responsibility inspired those around me to do the same. In my business, I consistently embody these principles. Setting a standard of excellence and authenticity is important to me and resonates with my clients.
Just as I mentored and coached educators and team members in my previous role. I now focus on mentoring and coaching my clients by provideing guidance, brainstorming soultions and supporting them in crafting personalised actions plans for their personal and professional success.
My experience also taught me the power of having a clear mission and set of values that guide my offerings and decision making and the superpower of staying informed, relevant and futuristic. In my business, I ensure that every aspect aligns with my core beliefs, creating a cohesive and purpose driven setting as a SME. My mindset of continuous improvement is crucial in business as well. Staying ahead of industry trends and continuously enhancing my skills allow me to provide the best possible service to my clients.
As an instructional leader, strategic planning and effective communication were the game changers for achieving long term goals. I have applied this skill to my business as a lot depends on me, setting clear objectives, supporting my clients in developing personal and professional strategic plans and regularly reviewing my progress to ensure alignemnt with my vision and God’s plan.
Finally I learnt that your network is your networth. Building connections with other professionals was essential in my previous role and is even more vital as a SME. Collaborating with like minded individuals not only expands my reach but also enriches the services I can offer through shared knowledge and resources.
By integrating these lessons into my business, I am gradually creating a thriving consultancy that not only supports clients in achieving their goals but also reflects the value of faith based leadership
Marcia, 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?
With over 20 yrs of experience as an instructional leader and administrator in the Education sector, trainer, motivational speaker and international best selling author, I have dedicated my career to empowering individuals and organizations to reach their fullest potential, become masters of their own destiny and fulfill their divine purpose. Thus, my transition into the role of Christian leadership consultant, life and career coach was fueled by a passion for helping others navigate their personal and professional journeys with integrity and purpose.
How I Got Into This Industry
My journey started by default in 2015 when I completed a compulsory professional life coaching course for designated school leaders. I was highly intrigued because it resonated so much with all the support I was offering to my team members, family members, community members and colleagues. After numerous personal and professional challenges and the difficulty I had getting the required support as an introverted faith – based career professional to navigate and balance these issues without feeling guilty, I developed a deep and persistent desire to extend the impact I had in educational settings to a targeted and broader audience beyond the walls or academia. This led me in 2021 to establish my own business, where I could focus on guiding others through their unique challenges and setbacks and help them to find the hidden opportunities and align it to God’s agenda, a service that was offered free from 2015.
Products and Services
I presently offer a range of services designed to support individuals and organizations in their growth. these include:
Leadership & Life Coaching : Personalized coaching sessions that focus on developing leadership, career and life skills grounded in purpose and divine alignment.
Career Development: Guidance for individuals seeking to advance or transition their career, with an emphasis on aligning professional and personals values and goals with God’s agenda.
Workshops & Seminars : Interactive sessions on topics such as Self Care, Mindset, Leadership, Resilience, Team building and Career transition and Purpose
Organizational Consulting – tailored solutions for organizations and non-profits looking to enhance their organizational culture and effectiveness.
Problems I solve for clients
Navigating career transitions with confidence and clarity
Developing effectve leadership skills that inspire and motivate teams
Aligning personal values with professional goals for greater fulfillment
Equip leaders to foster inclusiveness, collaboration, creativity and innovation
What Sets Me Apart
What distinquishes my work is the integration of faith-based principles with practical strategies. I believe that true success is achieved when one’s actions are aligned with their core values. My approach is holistic, considering not just professional aspirations but also personal growth and spiritual well being.
What I’m Most Proud Of
I am most proud of the positive impact I’ve had on individuals’ lives, helping them discover their potential and pursue paths that are both rewarding and meaningful. Seeing clients achieve breakthroughs and grow into confident, capable achievers who are masters of their own destiny, is incredibly fulfilling.
Key Things I want My Clients To Know
Authenticity: My work is rooted in authenticity , ensuring that every interaction is genuine and meaningful.
Commitment to Excellence: I am dedicated to providing high quality services that make a real difference
Community Focus: Building a supportive community where clients feel valued and empowered .
My brand is about guiding individuals towards purposeful living aligned to God’s master plan via integrating faith- based values with actionable strategies.
How did you build your audience on social media?
When I first started my online presence it was just to talk about general topics that I felt led to share. It was only after I started my business that I became incredibly intentional about creating content that wasn’t just my thoughts , but meaningful messages related to what I do and how my clients could benefit. I understood that social media wasn’t about algorithms and metrics but about genuine impact. Thus, I used my RISE model framework . I created content that present relevant insights via audio rooms, inspirational messaging , strategic professional development tips and empowering faith based leadership perspectives. This propelled me from 307 followers to 9,750 in less than 12 months.
I used a general weekly theme and sub-themes to generate daily content such as Monday Motivation, Self care Tuesday, Wisdom Wednesday, Thoughtful Thursday and Friday Meds. The LinkedIn Platform is my professional ecosystem, Instagram is my personal connection hub, my newsletter – Christian Leadership Essentials, is my prime strategy/ resource- which I use to dive deep into my target audience pain points and facebook is my leadership community support group.
My advice for new creators be consistently authentic, share genuine experiences, pay attention to and celebrate progress, show vulnerability. Your content should solve a problem, give actionable tips and advice. Respond to comments and leave meaningful comments on other persons post. Finally, diversify your content format and use relevant hashtags.
Throughout my social media journey , I remained committed to my core mission serving others through leadership development with biblical principles. I believe that social media should be about relationships not transactions and your presence should broadcast your professional mission – build trust, provide value and support others to stay true to their calling.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
One of the most defining moments in my professional journey occurred while I was preparing to transition from my role as an instructional leader to starting my own business as a Christian Leadership consultant, life and career coach. This experience tested my personal and professional resilience in ways I never anticipated.
My challenges affected me emotionally, financially, physically and professionally. First, I lost five close family members in the space of one month, then my account was hacked, and I got injured in a minor car accident and a choice demonstration was orchestrated against me that I was not delivering to expectations . It was so surreal.
After years of being an exceptional instructional leader and trendsetter, I couldn’t imagine that my proven track record of excellence, sacrifice and service would be questioned by those who benefitted the most.
During this trying time, I persevered in prayer, meditation and reflection. I sought guidance from mentors, who had faced similar challenges and emerged stronger. This built my resilience mindset and fueled my desire and calling to branch out and create a platform where I could help individuals and organizations thrive.
It was slow going, and I questioned if I had done the right thing numerous times. I reached out to numerous entrepreneurs, joined network groups, embraced feedback and began networking more intentionality, offering free workshops to showcase my expertise. Gradually these efforts began to pay off and I began to get referrals and new clients who appreciate the value I provide.
looking back on that challenging period, I realize trhat it was a pivotal moment in my journey. It taught me invaluable lessons about resilience such as be open and reflexive must be intentional and strategic, adaptability is key, community matters and staying grounded in your mission can help you navigate challenges with grace.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://drtpmotivate2.com
- Instagram: drmarciathomas
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/marcia.thomas.5243?
- Linkedin: https://Linkedin.com/in/dr-marcia-thomas-Powell
Image Credits
canva.com