Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Maya B. Faison.
Hi Dr. Maya B., please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I remember at some point back in 2018 staring at my bank account and then looking at my bills and then back at my bank account and thinking… the math ain’t mathing (as the young folks say). I was married at the time but my spouse refused to work, so it was all on me. Around that time I had just wrapped up a quasi-consulting project that was a part of my dissertation for my doctorate degree. I decided “perhaps I need to find a couple more contracts to bring in some additional income?” A few weeks later I went to lunch with a good friend, Herman Hicks, a local investment banker and wealth-manager. He asked me a question that day that would change my life and my perspective… “Maya, what kind of business will this be? Half million? Two million? Three million a year in revenue?” My faced screwed up in confusion and slight embarrassment, I hadn’t considered I’d be launching a business, I was just hoping to have a small side hustle that brought in some extra dollars. And it was at that lunch where my official consulting firm was birthed. In the first year of business, I thought I might be able to get 1-2 contracts. Instead, I secured over 15 major contracts with clients across the country. That first year of business, from conception to launch taught me I needed to “think bigger” and raise my expectations of what was possible.
Fast forward seven years later, I have provided consulting to for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations, helping leaders and organizations move past challenges, uncovering growth opportunities, cultivating joy, and fostering innovation through strategic solutions. We create mission-aligned, values-based strategies and initiatives that propel impact, facilitate growth and accelerate each organization’s reach. I’ve worked with organizations such as Tory Burch, Kate Spade, IDEO, Farmer’s Dog, United Way, Redlich Foundation, FedEx Office, CHIEF, Family & Children’s Aid, U.S. House of Representatives, Shine Early Learning, National Center for Youth Law, Surfrider and dozens more.
Along the way, I discovered that there is a particular component of my work that feels incredibly aligned to my purpose and passion: helping women to lead, grow and take up space. Specifically, I coach and convene women while curating spaces of joy, impact, growth & vulnerability. I support a wide range of women (from C-suite executives to stay at home moms to emerging leaders) who are looking to learn how to (re)claim their rightful space, amplify their voice, navigate transition, re-prioritize their personal lives and/or lead with both confidence and grace. I want women to know it is not just “ok” but it’s actually essential to invest in ourselves, our growth, development and peace. This goes well beyond a spa treatment or a girls’ trip! Some women are afraid to invest in coaching because they don’t think they deserve it. Part of my mission is to make coaching more accessible to women of color in particular; I am working to normalize it. I work to help women know they earned this, they deserve this AND they are well worth the investment.
Additionally, I am an author, creating publications that amplify the voices of women, prioritizing their ability to heal, grow and reclaim their joy. “Worthy of Wholeness: A 21-Day Devotional Journey for Women Seeking Wholeness While Healing” (2025), my first book (available at www.mayafaison.com), encourages women to understand that becoming whole isn’t about finding what was missing. It’s about remembering what was always there. Also, check out my LinkedIn newsletter “Lead. Grow. Take Up Space” for truths, strategies & insights for professional women ready to stop the grind & reclaim their joy. I also serve as guest speaker and panelist across the country, speaking on concepts of leadership & organizational theory, work/life “balance”, entrepreneurship, faith, and relationships.
I’m excited about what’s ahead for my work, as I get closer and closer each day to walking in my purpose. I am in my joy era and it’s my hope to help as many women as possible step into their era of joy as well.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
While I have worked with dozens and dozens of clients across the country, building a very successful consulting business focused on strategic planning and leadership coaching, if I’m honest, I’d have to admit that I’ve received more rejections than signed contracts along the way. It would have been easiest to quit, walk away from this entrepreneurship adventure but instead I kept going. I recently read a book called “The Gift of Rejection” by Nona Jones. This gem outlines the concept of rejection as divine redirection: meaning, we need not mourn what we perceive to be a loss when we are rejected by someone we love, by a client, an employment opportunity. Instead, we should receive the rejection as a redirection to the path that we are meant to walk and the purpose we are meant to fulfill. Of course to consider “rejection” a gift can be difficult in the moment, however, I have internalized this message of rejection as a gift and it has greatly impacted how I approach work and relationships (both professional and personal). So as an entrepreneur, rejection is simply a part of the job— we typically get more “no’s” than “yes’s”. If I were to dwell in the rejection, I’d not be able to sit in this place of joy I currently occupy. And it is critical that I remain in my joy because part of my work is to coach individuals on how to reclaim their own joy while redefining what excellence professionally and personally means in their lives. I am inspired by knowing I am responsible for choosing and sustaining my own joy. Once I realized that no one else held that power, my life changed. So now I try to live a life that exudes joy so as to inspire others around me to choose joy as well.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love the energy of all the various neighborhoods and the vibrancy of the restaurants and entertainment throughout the city. We have some of the best rooftops to enjoy on a beautiful spring day. I appreciate the diversity of our city (economic, racial, geographic, industry, etc.). I thoroughly enjoy the people of our city, I have been able to develop a variety of networks of support (personally and professionally).
My least favorite aspect of our city is that we don’t seem to be concerned enough with helping the high number of unhoused people– what are we doing to address their needs, help them to become reestablished and support their ability to thrive? Additionally, the city has become too expensive to live within the city limits for people who help keep our city running: teachers, hospitality professionals, medical techs, etc. What will the city do to make housing more affordable for our citizens?
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mayafaison.com
- Instagram: @MayaBFaison
- LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/mayabfaison
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow
