We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr. Marissa Layton a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Dr. Marissa, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
This is a great question! Over the years, I’ve really struggled a lot with dimming my light to make others feel more comfortable. I have been in rooms where I could sense the intimidation and have experienced people doing minor things to discredit me or not give me the respect I deserve. In all of those instance, I was either the youngest, the only Black person, the only woman, or a combination of all of the above.
Since then, I’ve learned to take up space. I walk in rooms confidently and allow my work to speak for itself. I’ve shifted my perspective to realize that someone’s behavior or attitude towards me has much more to do with them than me. Plus I’ve worked way too hard to get to where I am to ever dim my light again.
I make sure there is absolutely no reason for anyone to doubt me, my work, or my position in the room.
I’ve also learned to see a bigger picture. In everything I do, I try to create opportunities and forge a path to make it easier for a young, Black woman to get to where I am. To me, success is making a a way for others so everyone has a seat at the table.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I would love to! I am an organizational developer through and through. I fell in love with consulting in 2014 and since then I’ve built my own business, had the opportunity to work with some of the top companies in the world, and have been seen as a business advisor to senior leaders of notable non-profit organizations, local businesses, mid-size companies across the country, and a few Fortune 1000 companies.
In 2019, I started business coaching and creating digital products as a way to service new and aspiring entrepreneurs. I utilize my experiences as a consultant and serial entrepreneur to equip faith-based, millennial women with the skills to transform their passion-filled idea to a purpose-filled and profitable business unit.
Working with women to build out the business of their dreams has been so fulfilling. I’ve helped women build 6-figure businesses, experience 5-figure months, and transition to full-time entrepreneurship. I offer 1-on-1 business coaching programs, strategy sessions, VIP intensives, and a recurring monthly service called Business Doctor in Your Pocket.
In addition to business development, I am passionate about community engagement and enrichment. I serve as the Director of Development for an Atlanta based non-profit and help to orchestrate their program initiatives. I also create leadership development content for students of all ages and enjoy any opportunity to encourage youth to strive for excellence.
Every single day I wake up excited about working – that’s the cheat code – finding a way to make income while making an impact.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The first thing that comes to mind is being a continuous learner. I truly believe that is a key to success. Never feel like you are “too good” to learn something. Invest your time, energy, and resources into continuous improvement. Join that group coaching program, read a book a month, attend industry workshops – find different ways to grow and expand and it will pay off.
That leads me to my next point – business acumen. Truly knowing business is one reason I have been successful in business and more importantly been successful at helping others build their business. You can be extremely skilled in your craft but without the business acumen, building a business in your craft will have you in the 50% of businesses that fail within 5 years. I encourage everyone to invest in a business coach, consultant, strategist, or mentor – all serve different purposes so make sure you start by identifying what role you need this person to play then do your due diligence to find the perfect fit for you and your business.
Lastly, entrepreneurship is already hard enough, don’t take the leap if it is not something you are passionate about. The unfortunate reality is, you will want to quit, very frequently I might add, so you need a why that is deeper than money.
And a bonus piece of advice I would like to share – build a solid tree. Naturally, entrepreneurs are creative and full of ideas, but if your creativity is misplaced it can negatively affect you successfully building your business. Decide what your tree is (a.k.a your main source of income). Once your tree is firmly planted in the ground, then begin to build branches off of that tree before building another. This way you are establishing multiple income streams from a consistent income source before launching a new idea.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
The first that comes to mind is “The Secret,” a self-help book by Rhonda Byrne that focuses on the Law of Attraction and the power of positive thinking. I read it several years ago but recently have been listening to the audio book. Here are three key principles you can take away from the book:
1. The Law of Attraction: The central idea of “The Secret” is the Law of Attraction, which suggests that like attracts like. In other words, if you focus on positive thoughts and visualize what you want, the universe will respond by bringing those things into your life. The principle here is that your thoughts and emotions have the power to shape your reality. However, I am a true believer that we attract what we are ready to receive. Every single thing I have, I attracted, but I am living a life I dreamed of several years ago. I was not ready to attract all I was visualizing at that time, but all of those things did in fact come to me so don’t give up!
2. Positive Thinking: “The Secret” emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive attitude and mindset. It argues that by thinking positively, you can attract more positive outcomes into your life. Many self-help and personal development philosophies stress the importance of optimism and maintaining a positive outlook on life, and I’ve witnessed this first-hand.
3. Visualization and Goal Setting: The book encourages you to visualize your goals and desires as if they’ve already been achieved. By vividly imagining your goals, “The Secret” asserts that you can manifest them into reality. Now of course we all know faith without works is dead, but if you believe it, see it, and put your all into it achieving it, it can be yours.
“The Secret” has been so encouraging on my journey and it is definitely work a read!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.marissalayton.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.layton_/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-marissa-layton/
