Influential Woman · Transformation Coach
TheRessa James
Transformation Strategist, --
Lynchburg, VA
Her Story
About TheRessa
I have been in the coaching and manufacturing space for a long time, but the last 10 years I really understood it was about the transformations, not just a regular life coach. My 9-to-5 has been in the manufacturing environment in which I have had high-level quality leadership roles. I got into Six Sigma, which is about change and evolution. People constantly came to me saying that I want to make a change, because I've also made several changes within myself, for my health, my wellness, my way of thinking, way of life. I went to school to get a holistic health certification because I've had a lot of different health complications and was tired of taking 30 to 40 pills from Western medicine. About 12 years ago when my dad died about 15 years ago, I started to come under the fog of his death and that's kind of how the transformation coaching started. The strategist part came from professionally going all over the world to look at facilities who were not performing to make them performing, taking on roles where there was no quality leader and I had to transform the facility.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with TheRessa
01What do you attribute your success to?
I come from a strong lineage of family and strong family units. We were told as children wherever we let your parents land you have to be greater. My grandfather worked in a foundry and said I'm doing this so you guys don't have to. My career has afforded me to be able to financially take care of my mother and grandmother. Being able to give back is key.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Best career advice I've ever received is always look for what's next. Never get comfortable in one role. You can always reinvent yourself.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Learn to stay calm. Learn to balance your emotions. And always lead with truth.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Biggest challenge is finding human workers that care because manufacturing is very difficult and strenuous. The opportunity is leveraging AI and robotics operations to assist humans without eliminating them, presenting it as assisting not replacing.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity and honesty are the two for me.
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