We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dr. Monica S. Hall. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dr. Monica S. below.
Dr. Monica S., looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
If I were to look up the phrase “work ethic” in the dictionary of my life, the definition would read “Dexter and Deborah;” namely, my mom and dad. They both were raised in small segregated towns with two traffic lights a piece. Dirt and gravel roads trim the homes they were raised in and most of their familymembers were within a rock throw’s distance from their porches. Essentially, your stereotypical 1950’s and 60’s picture of southern and county living post-emancipation. My mother was the youngest girl of 10 children and the first to attend the newly integrated Ringgold High School in Ringgold, LA where she starred on the basketball court and track. My dad, a football star in his hometown of Catawba, SC, had his mind set on joining the military as a means to provide for himself and to secure a productive future.
Both of my parents enlisted in the Army right after graduation and ventured outside of their comfort zones in pursuit of new adventures, financial reprive and success. They found just that! They served diligently and earned promotions quickly, ahead of their peers and faster than they expected. Their leadership skills and ethics merged when they met and were wed at Ft. Jackson, SC. They have always molded a strong work ethic in us led by their example first; comprised of dedication, reliability, sound leadership, God-centered decision making and community fostering. I recall growing up overseas and all the Soldiers who were separated from their families would be at our home for all traditional “family” holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas meals, etc. That’s a simple example of how their work ethic never turned off; at work and at home – they were always serving selflessly, prioritizing the greater good of the community around us and encouraging us to finish any and everything that we committed to. Whether sports, relationships or academics – we knew the expectation was to be a servant leader, work hard and put our best forth at every opportunity.
Between the two of them, my parents served for over 50 years in the US Army and both retired at the highest enlisted rank and honor in the military. Although, they retired from the Army, their work ethics and call to serve others didn’t! They both acquired new careers after retiring and have retired two times over since then! They just don’t stop leading, serving and empowering. My work ethic is rooted in their example that “hard work, really does, pay off!” Every day they remind me via word and action, that “we are blessed in order that we may be a blessing to others.” That mentality is what makes my work ethic the caliber it is today.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I do ministry! Not in a tradtiional church setting, but in a school context. Working with, serving and empowering my students is my daily ministry; literally, seven days a week! I am a licensed and ordained minister; degreed with a Master of Divinity from Emory University Candler School of Theology. Coupled with a Doctorate of Education from the University of Miami. Many would assume those degrees equipped me for my role as Founder and educator at T.H.R.I.V.E. Christian Academy (TCA), but it was really my undergraduate experiences at Howard University that mold my ministry and leadership ethics. My HBCU experience is so infused into TCA that our most quoted motto has become, “T.H.R.I.V.E., where your HBCU experience begins!” We not only celebrate all shades of learners and the unique narratives they bring into the educaitonal context, but also affirm their cultures and communites via culturally-responsive curriculum and intentional enrichment experiences led by our Office of Student Life.
I’m most excited to drive onto our campous to see genuine smiles on the faces of the faculty, staff, students and parents alike. At T.H.R.I.V.E., people actually want to come to school! They desire to be here, in this community, garnering the enrgy, love and motivation they need to succeed in the classroom, in their contexts outside of TCA and in the world at large. The way we do education infuses each person that walks through our doors with Joy, resiliency, hopefulness and a swag that unites! It’s simply, “the THRIVE way!”
I started my school in 2013 with two first grade students in an 800sq ft home in downtown Lithonia, GA. Eleven calendar years and twelve school years later, I hold the key to the city of Lithonia; we educate over 250 minority Title I students on a 23-acre campus in Tucker with a faulty and staff of 30 leaders who are committed to educate, empower, and equip this generation of scholars and the next generation of good Samaritans. At T.H.R.I.V.E. we, literally, thrive academically, mentally and spiritually.
The challenges of growing from two students to over two hundred have diversified my leadership, entrepreneur and education portfolio beyond what I could have learned in any textbook. I’m a people person; when I add that to the degrees, the military brat experiences of moving and handling transition every 2-3 years, along with my narratives as mother, wife, sibling, Black and Christian – Favor has to be my portion! Hence the inception of Full Count Consulting, my much-anticipated entrepreneurial pursuit to consult schools, churches and leaders on how to get to success when the odds may be against them. A “full count” is a baseball/ softball term meaning the batter has 3 balls and 2 strikes – which applies all the pressure on the next pitch. Often, the question for the batter is should they swing and take a shot at getting on base or possibly a homerun; or not swing and hope that the pitcher throws a ball and walks them. I say, “Take the SWING!” I’ll take God’s Favor over any odds, on any given day! I partner with clients and offer strategy, training and advocacy; essentially becoming that #1 fan that every batter needs when up against a “full count.” From funding setbacks, to lack of access to resources, or even overcoming lack of motivation – Full Count clients receive a quality of tailored service that equips them to step back up to the plate and to swing with confidence. I see grand slams on the horizon!
On the T.H.R.I.V.E. side of the house – stay tuned for our Inaugural “Galation 6:9” Gala coming up on Juneteenth. Purchase tickets to contribute to our teacher’s salaries as we encourage them, and educators nationwide, to not become weary in well-doing! On the Full Count movement – be sure to register for our upcoming conference to get the tools and strategy needed to get you back up the plate, bat in hand with the confidence and the favor you need to hit a grand slam!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
My faith, intergenerational people skills and problem solving abilities have been the most impactful attributes along my journey. As it pertains to developing your faith and confidence through God, you should set spiritual challenges for yourself. One such challenge that I set for myself early on when I was getting so busy with starting my school was to read a Bible verse every morning and every evening. I utilized mobile apps to help me. As time progressed, the one verse in the morning would spark my curiosity so I would go back and read the chapter for context. Before I knew it, my business handbook and decision making were being informed by the very verses and chapters that I was reading. This is just one example of how to build your faith via arming yourself with the Word of God. The times I was facing challenges and unable to reach anyone, or had a problem that I could not solve and had no mentor to coach me through it – I was able to use the Word to keep me encouraged and to advise my decision making. Now, over a decade later – the Bible is my FIRST go to when making business decisions ranging from HR matters to discipline to expansion, etc.
Intergenerational people skills is of the utmost importance in any industry. The ability to provide superior customer service to your clients, to your members, to your employees, to your stakeholders, and to people in general is vital to success. People skills, not only encompasses how you communicate with people, but also encompasses your ability to be humble with those same people even when they are wrong and/or have wronged you. Whether at my school or when serving at church, the expectation to be imperfect forces me to constantly empathize, and sometimes sympathize, in order to remain a servant leader. The best way to practice this skill is to find people that you would normally disassociate with, or have trouble communicating with, even people that have different opinions than yours – and challenge yourself to be kind, respectful and engage in communication with them until it becomes easy for you to hold a stance and/or enforce a standard, without being disrespectful or unprofessional towards them; regardless of their age, gender, sexual-orientation, religious beliefs, etc. Practicing how to communicate professionally and with character is a skill that will take your business far.
Lastly, problem-solving is a part of any successful journey. Whether it be a personal trial or professional hurdle, the ability to devise a method to still conquer and “get over the wall” is essential. It requires innovation, the ability to think outside the box, and the capacity to engineer and devise alternatives when necessary. These skills are best developed live and in real time out of necessity. A way to refine your problem-solving skill set is to constantly evaluate how you’ve conquered problems in the last; even when you come out victorious – still critique it for feedback on tools to add to your leader toolbox or to remove. Take the time to weigh out the pros and cons and learn from them both alike. Even consider why or how the problem came into existence so that you can avoid it in the future when applicable. This practice builds your resiliency and strategizing skills simultaneously.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am looking to partner with churches and HBCUs who have the space to house K12 schools. Historically, both churches and universities with school-aged programs have done well to have the supplemental profit and free marketing/recruiting opportunities that come along with housing a school. I would also like to collaborate with property owners who are looking for tax write-offs via donating space and/or land to nonprofit private schools. Christian private schools do not always have the resources that charter schools do, yet they serve the most marginalized populations. No matter his large or small the property of space – we can make good use of it in servicing students who are in need of genuine care and culturally relevant education.
Let’s connect via @fullcountllc or @the.thrive.way
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thethriveway.org
- Instagram: @the.thrive.way
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thethriveway
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thrivestrong
- Twitter: @thethriveway
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thethriveway2013
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
