We were lucky to catch up with Michelle Holmes recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Michelle thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had started you own firm sooner?

If I could go back, I would’ve started sooner as a side hustle while still working in corporate America. I didn’t fully grasp the freedom, fulfillment, and responsibility that come with building something of your own until I had to.

I started my business during a pivotal time in life.
I wasn’t chasing entrepreneurship, I was answering a call, because the truth was no one was calling after applying for countless entry-level to senior-level positions and hearing nothing back, I realized the door I was knocking on wasn’t mine. So I built one. I had spent years leading operations, customer service, ecommerce fraud, managing mergers and acquisitions, and stabilizing multimillion-dollar teams and departments. But when I launched, I didn’t acquire a business; I built one from scratch. And there’s a difference when you start because you have to, versus when you choose to.

Starting from the ground taught me things no executive table ever could:

How to stretch every dollar.

How to steward every gift.

How to see opportunity in adversity.

If I were to start again, I’d consider acquiring a business because that’s my zone of genius. But no matter how you start, clarity, grit, and humility matter most.

Looking back, I don’t regret the timing. It shaped my leadership, sharpened my faith, and gave me a deeper understanding of the people I serve. But yes, starting sooner, with a strategic plan and steady income, would’ve changed the pace, not the purpose.

Michelle, 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?

I’m Michelle Holmes, Founder and CEO of Flourish & Thriving Solutions, where we bring operational clarity, leadership strategy, and people-centered solutions to businesses and communities ready to grow with purpose.

I didn’t set out to be an entrepreneur. I set out to lead.
For over 10 years, I served in leadership role across customer service, call centers, eCommerce, fraud operations, mergers and acquisitions, and business operations. I’ve built and led high-performing teams across the U.S. and internationally, helping scale companies, stabilize operations, and streamline systems that actually work. But after applying to job after job with no response, I stopped waiting for someone to open the door, and created my own door. That’s how Flourish & Thriving Solutions was born.

We help growing companies in seasons of transition or pivot get unstuck, align their vision, and lead with clarity, capacity, and confidence.
Our services include:

Fractional COO & Executive Leadership

Customer Experience & Operations Consulting

Event Strategy & Leadership Retreats

My husband, Maurice Holmes, serves alongside me as a fractional executive. With a background in health services, behavioral health, communications, and nonprofit leadership, he brings a deep understanding of people, systems, and visibility. Together, we serve clients with both strategic insight and soul-centered care.

We’re also pastors—and we’re raising six amazing children—so when we talk about balance, systems, and sustainability, we live it daily.

What sets us apart?

We believe businesses should be part of their local community ecosystem, not operate outside of it.

We believe integrity matters, especially behind the scenes.

And we believe faith matters, no matter where you are on your journey.

What I’m most proud of:

Founders who can finally breathe again

Teams that are no longer surviving but thriving

Communities and families are strengthened through our business and our ministry, as we are Pastors.

Businesses that now operate with clarity, structure, and purpose

At Flourish & Thriving, we don’t just fix systems, we align vision, people, and operations.
Because when you lead with faith, integrity, and a heart for impact, your business won’t just function.
It will flourish.

Have you ever had to pivot?

A Time I Had to Pivot

At first, I thought my expertise was linear—I figured I’d just stay in my lane and keep working in call centers. That’s what I knew. That’s what I was great at.

But when I looked into starting my call center, reality hit fast. The capital investment was no joke—the tech, the infrastructure, the staffing. And the truth is, I had already used my savings and leveraged my assets. I was at a critical moment, sink or swim.

And I’m from Mississippi, raised by a single mom who always figured it out, so…..Sinking was not an option.

So I pivoted. I realized I wasn’t just a call center leader—I was an operations strategist. I had built systems, led departments, stabilized chaos, and trained teams across multiple industries. My expertise wasn’t narrow—it was overarching.

That mindset shift changed everything.
Instead of trying to recreate what I left, I leaned into what I knew.

That pivot taught me to:

Trust my expertise

Steward my story

Build from what I already had

Don’t box your brilliance in

You can pivot and provide

And that’s how Flourish & Thriving Solutions was born—from a place of clarity, not comfort.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Absolutely. I believe in always learning through study, reflection, and real-life conversations. Here are the resources that have shaped my leadership, management, and entrepreneurial journey:

Books
Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne
Taught me how to build in uncontested space, not just compete. I stopped chasing what everyone else was doing and focused on value innovation.

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell
A leadership cornerstone. I revisit it often to check how I’m growing, leading, and lifting others.

The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber
Shifted my mindset from doing the work to building the business. Systems matter.

Real-Life Investments
Having an Executive Coach
Helped me expand my vision, challenge my patterns, and lead from a deeper place of clarity and courage.

Having a Business Mentor
Kept me accountable, strategic, and grounded—especially in seasons where I needed to pivot or scale.

Podcasts & YouTube (Spiritual & Insight-Focused)
Sarah Jakes Roberts / Woman Evolve Podcast
For spiritual alignment and bold faith in leadership.

Social Dallas / Pastor Robert Madu
Reminds me to lead with grace, authenticity, and excellence no matter the stage or setting.

Stephen Furtick / Elevation Church
Brings fire and clarity. His messages always meet me in the tension between faith and execution.

Jentezen Franklin
Keeps me rooted in spiritual discipline, especially around fasting, leadership, and calling.

Axios Today & Up First (NPR)
For staying current on news and global events. Because good leadership is also informed leadership.

For me, learning isn’t just about leadership; it’s about alignment. Faith, strategy, and wisdom walk together in everything I build. For me, learning isn’t just about leadership; it’s about alignment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://flourishandthriving.solutions/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ladymichelleholmes/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/100091062879269
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleholmesprofile/