Her Story
About Ersula
Ersula K. Odom is an accomplished publisher, entrepreneur, cultural historian, and nonprofit leader dedicated to preserving personal and African American history through publishing, storytelling, and community engagement. As the founder and CEO of Sula Too LLC, founder of Ersula's History Shop, and founder of the nonprofit Rescuing History, Inc., she helps individuals, families, and communities preserve their legacies through books, legacy projects, historical research, and educational initiatives. Her work combines publishing expertise with historical preservation to ensure important stories are documented for future generations.
Before transitioning into entrepreneurship, Odom built an accomplished career spanning nearly three decades in corporate leadership and financial services. She advanced through numerous technical and management positions at GTE Data Services, ultimately leading large documentation and training teams while overseeing complex systems development initiatives. She later became a Regional Vice President at Primerica Financial Services, where she earned multiple professional licenses in financial services and developed extensive leadership experience. Her background in technology, documentation, education, and business management laid the foundation for her successful publishing and nonprofit ventures.
Today, Odom is recognized as a respected advocate for historical preservation, legacy documentation, and community education. She has authored multiple books, published numerous writers, portrayed Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune in more than 75 historical performances, and continues to lead initiatives that preserve African American history through publications, exhibits, genealogy, and community partnerships. Her dedication has earned recognition including the Harram Court Outstanding Woman Award, the Robinson Family Literary Award, and selection as one of the 2026 Influential Women, reflecting her lasting impact on publishing, cultural preservation, and community leadership.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ersula
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the encouragement and confidence my grandmother instilled in me from an early age. She constantly reminded me that I was blessed, which gave me perspective during difficult times and confidence during successful ones. As an only child, I also developed strong self-motivation and independence, and a personal poem I wrote about perseverance continues to inspire me to pursue my goals with determination.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I received was to be willing to do what others are not willing to do. I learned that success comes from working hard, becoming the expert in your field, actively pursuing opportunities, and having the confidence to ask for what you want. During my career at GTE Data Services, taking on additional responsibilities and challenging assignments helped accelerate my professional growth.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I encourage young women to embrace collaboration across generations. Younger professionals bring fresh ideas, technology skills, and new perspectives, while experienced professionals offer wisdom, mentorship, and guidance. By learning from one another, staying current with emerging technologies, and remaining open to continuous growth, you can build a meaningful and lasting career.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Our industry faces significant opportunities through innovations such as audiobooks, AI, and new digital platforms that expand access to stories and historical content. At the same time, preserving African American history has become increasingly important as historical narratives face growing challenges and physical records risk being lost. I believe communities must continue protecting books, historical artifacts, and documented stories while responsibly embracing new technologies.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I believe everyone deserves to be heard. I value kindness, authenticity, trust, and genuine communication because meaningful conversations help people heal and preserve their stories. I strive to listen carefully, communicate honestly, and build relationships based on respect, recognizing that effective communication depends not only on what we say but also on how others receive our message.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.