April 13, 2025 • 30 mins
Finding Your "Purpose Power" with Markiesha E. Wilson
In this episode of Good News, Lynn Shematek and co-hosts Deacons Jon Shematek and Lauren Welch interview Markiesha E. Wilson, a change consultant, executive coach, and bestselling author. They discuss her journey since her last appearance in 2023, including her contributions to the bestselling book 'Cracking the Rich Code' and her own 'The Climb: Eight Audacious Actions to Overcome Life and Climb the Corporate Ladder with Joy.' Markiesha shares insights into finding your 'purpose power,' dealing with life's challenges, and the importance of generosity. She talks about her personal experiences with loss, faith, and the legacy of her ancestors. This episode inspires listeners to find joy by giving and to trust that they have everything they need within themselves to navigate life's changes.
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
01:17 Catching Up with Markiesha E. Wilson
01:46 The Rich Code and Bestselling Author Journey
02:51 In the Climb: Blueprint for Success
06:08 Generosity and Core Values
14:21 Navigating Personal Loss and Resilience
15:43 Faith, Ancestry, and Overcoming Despair
17:08 The Power of Purpose and Giving
28:34 Final Thoughts and Farewell
Markiesha's contact info:
Website: https://markieshawilson.com
YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/2EUHyo9N1iA
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markiesha-e-wilson-902919b/
Instagram username: wilsonchapmancoaches
Markiesha's books are available on Amazon:
In the Climb: Eight Audacious Actions to Overcome Life and Climb the Corporate Ladder with Joy
Cracking the Rich Code volume 13
About Markiesha E. Wilson:
Being an authentic leader is difficult and especially difficult if you are a woman. Even more challenging if you are a woman of color. In this talk, you will learn how forgiveness is a powerful tool in the workplace. Human Capital professional with over 15 years of proven experience in strategizing and partnering with leadership teams to design and empower dynamic workforces. Leadership coach with a unique ability to ignite growth through challenge. Expert-level facilitator and designer of highly-rated interactive leadership and communications courses for adult learners in defense and financial industries. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
Audio version of this episode is available at podcast platforms linked to https://listening-for-clues.captivate.fm/listen
The Good News! podcast series is part of the ListeningforClues portfolio. Catch us at https://listeningforclues.com/
© 2025 Listening for Clues
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Lynn Shematek (00:02):
Hello friends.
I'm Lynn Shematek with a good news team.
Let's meet Markesha E.
Wilson, change consultant, executivecoach, and bestselling author.
Join our co-host Deacons JonShematek and Lauren Welch as we
bring you another podcast episodein our second season of Good News!
(00:26):
All about people making adifference in the world.
Jon Shematek (00:29):
Welcome, Markiesha E.
Wilson, back to our podcast.
Good News!.
It's so great to have you back with us.
Lauren Welch (00:37):
We are delighted to have you with us today,
Markiesha thank you for being here.
Markiesha Wilson (00:42):
Thank you so much Jon and Lauren.
I've missed you guys.
Jon Shematek (00:47):
We've missed you too.
I don't remember when we actually recordedthe first episode, but it aired in October
23, so that's the last we've seen of you,but not the last we've heard about you.
Markiesha Wilson (00:58):
Wow.
I didn't realize it wasthat long ago, I'm back.
Jon Shematek (01:03):
Yeah.
Markiesha Wilson (01:03):
Accepting the invitation both ways.
Jon Shematek (01:05):
Thank you.
We're just getting our second seasonstarted of interviews and you are our
very first person who accepted a secondinvitation, so we're quite honored.
So Markiesha, since then,what have you been up to?
Markiesha Wilson (01:22):
Oh gosh, now that I know it's been since 2023.
So many things have changed since 2023.
Some things.
Are still the same, right?
I am still doing a good bitof human capital consulting,
still doing executive coaching.
I've taken some exciting newclients, being able to work
(01:44):
through their, strategy and such.
And I also contributed to a book,so now I'm a bestselling author.
Jon Shematek (01:53):
Wow.
That's great.
The book that you contributedto is called The Rich Code
Markiesha Wilson (02:01):
Cracking the Rich Code, and I'm in Volume 13.
Jon Shematek (02:05):
Volume 13.
Markiesha Wilson (02:06):
And
Jon Shematek (02:06):
you're in it and it's best selling.
Markiesha Wilson (02:08):
So that was such an honor I was reached out to, and who
knows, might it have been because I wason this show with you, but reached out
to me on LinkedIn and told about this.
Series called Cracking the RichCode, he asked me if I would be
willing to contribute a chapter.
After reading what it was about it's acatchy title, but it's not specifically
(02:32):
about what you might think when youhear, oh, it's, how do I get rich quick?
It's not about that.
It's really about the valuescharacteristics and behaviors of people
that live a rich life and that canbe defined so many different ways.
So I was excited to contribute my chapter.
I, it's one of the, I thinkgreatest things I've written.
Jon Shematek (02:51):
It was a logical follow on to your first book, but that
was a whole book that you wrote.
In the climb.
"Eight Audacious Actions to Overcome Lifeand Climb the Corporate Ladder with Joy."
Markiesha Wilson (03:03):
Yes.
That book is really my whole.
Heart, soul musingsadvice is in that book.
I and I mentioned this in thechapter in Cracking the Rich Code.
I was having a conversation,and this is completely true
with, my, my hairstylist son.
We were having lunch and wewere talking about being rich.
(03:27):
And I was saying, I defineit this way and that way.
And he said, for me, ifsomeone has left a blueprint.
For life, then thatmakes them rich and wise.
And I said, huh, that'sexactly what "In the Climb" is.
That's the blueprint that Ileave the earth with, right?
Is that where I talk about thesestories of my life and what I learned,
(03:49):
what I did well, what I didn't dowell, and tips on what you can do.
The Eight Audacious Actionsto Overcome Life and Climb
the Corporate Ladder with Joy.
Look how fast I said that.
Jon Shematek (03:59):
Wow.
Markiesha Wilson (04:00):
But what people tell me when they read the book is that
it is really the overcoming of life.
These eight things work for, right?
It may not even be climbing the corporateladders, climbing, whatever your climb
is, whether it's financial, spiritual,emotional, relational, but that's what
folks say I give them great wisdom around.
And so that's my blueprint, myturquoise blueprint, if you will.
Jon Shematek (04:24):
That's a great way to look at it.
We've actually just, completed, an eightpart, discussion series between Lauren and
me, primarily, called, on the Beatitudes.
There are eight AudaciousBeatitudes and we called it the
Blueprint for the Christian Life.
Markiesha Wilson (04:39):
I did not know that.
But yeah, and actually, oh my gosh, be sodisappointed if I were to say out loud,
I didn't know there were 8 beatitudes.
Jon Shematek (04:48):
It depends on which book of the read you different numbers.
Markiesha Wilson (04:52):
Then I'm safe.
Jon Shematek (04:53):
You're safe.
We know there are 10 commandments,but there might be 8 beatitudes.
There might be nine.
Who knows?
One.
Someone said one thing, another saidanother, but anyway, one's, yeah.
Your book, your first bookhas done well, I take it.
Is that right?
Markiesha Wilson (05:09):
Yes, it's done.
And when people ask me for the numbers,it's not something that I keep track of.
I keep track of impact andthe stories that I get.
I keep track of the people that cometo me to say, I read your book and it
did this for me, but it has done well,meaning that the impact it does sell well.
(05:30):
Everyone knows that, crackingthe rich code doesn't necessarily
mean that, I sold a lot of books,for me it's about the impact.
And people ask for it.
once they read it, they askto give it to other people.
And so that is when I know it'shaving real impact, is that
people read it and say, oh no.
My brother needs to read this.
My uncle needs to read this.
(05:50):
My sister's gotta read thisI wish my boss would read it.
Jon Shematek (05:55):
Yeah.
Lauren Welch (05:55):
Markiesha, your article in the, cracking the Rich code is the
surprising answer to big questions.
can you share some ofwhat you wrote in that?
Markiesha Wilson (06:06):
Oh, I absolutely can.
Giving is my core value.
That is my number one core value.
It's in the eightaudacious actions, right?
I say exhibit generosity,it's one of the eight.
because it's so much me.
It is my core and I wanted to talk moreabout it, but if you wanna know behind
(06:28):
the scenes, I accidentally discoveredthis to be my chapter no one knows this.
Only Jon and Lauren and a coupleof close friends know this, but.
After the climb, I had been askedto speak different places it was
at the height of Covid and I waspreparing myself for a keynote speech.
(06:48):
So I started to write my keynote speech.
I might have, I'm not sure if I had donethe TED Talk, by the time I interviewed
with all of you last time, but I did aTEDx talk in South Africa on forgiveness.
I was going through the process ofpreparing the same way for my keynote
speech I was trying to figure outwhat nuggets if in 45 minutes I had
(07:08):
to share my blueprint and my wisdomand my everything, what would I say?
And I kept circling around my core values.
Generosity.
it's what I wanna say.
I wanna talk a little bit about my life,but I want my call to action at the
end to be that folks need to give more.
it's how I figured things out.
So I was working on that and I.
Knew I had to write this chapter,but believe it or not, they were two
(07:30):
completely separate things in my head.
They were completely different.
I was working on a keynote speech andthen I was beginning the work on the
chapter, and as I was speaking witha friend who's in publishing and so
on, she was like read me this speech.
And I was like, sure.
So I started reading the speech to herand she's I don't understand why that's
(07:52):
not the chapter It's the same thing.
it really didn't click to me, and Iconsider myself relatively smart, a 4.0
in graduate school, I think it wasdivine alignment that I was talking
about the essence of who I wasgenerosity is the essence of who I am.
And I did have all these life questions,and so once I really synthesize it,
that's why the title is so long isI discover it in the writing of this
(08:16):
as I'm asking myself these questions.
How am I gonna get it over?
How am I gonna get through?
How am I gonna live this?
For me, it was giving.
Yeah.
As I remember Markiesha, thelast time we talked, you said you
wanted to be a philanthropist,
That's what I'm saying and that's why it's so interesting
because it is my core value, which iswhy I knew I was going to weave it in
(08:38):
here since 2023, I've been able to give.
Two or three book scholarships each year.
Just yesterday, I was able to givea very large donation to my church.
My pastor is retiring after 50 years.
Jon Shematek (08:54):
Wow.
Markiesha Wilson (08:55):
Yes.
And I was able to give a verylarge donation that they're gonna
use toward the refurbishing ofthe, video and sound system.
So I'm doing it, Lauren.
Lauren Welch (09:04):
there was never any question
Markiesha Wilson (09:08):
it was for me.
'cause I was like, where's this moneycoming from that I'm gonna be giving away?
I've been thrilled to beable to do those things.
Jon Shematek (09:16):
that is, great because when you talk about being generous,
where I've appreciated your generosityis in your wisdom and what you give to
all of us in your writings and when wetalk with you it's so deep and genuine.
you said, I wonder where'sthe money gonna come from?
I know you're a person ofgreat faith and the money just
comes when it needs to come.
Markiesha Wilson (09:38):
I think also when you give to people that are
in need, it always comes back toyou in the way that you need it.
And when you give, like you'resaying, Jon, it's not just money.
'cause that's the big thing.
People are like I'd be agiver if I had more money.
You have time, you have talent,you have expertise, you have.
Skill, you probably cancut the grass for somebody.
(09:59):
There's so many things that peoplecan give other people I think
money is the great excuse, right?
Honestly, I can't help itbecause I don't have money.
But there, it's time,it's wisdom, it's support.
It's a smile.
I've made this a practice.
Since I was a server at 17 years old,I don't leave a restaurant without
(10:23):
that server feeling appreciated.
Even if the food wasn't good, even iftheir service wasn't the best, I will
give them some type of encouragement.
And I believe that's a gift as well.
Oh
Jon Shematek (10:38):
it's for sure, I don't want to give away your, chapter.
for, 'cause I want people to get yourbook and read the whole thing or read
the chapter But I can tell you one thingthat really did capture my imagination
is you started talking about superpowers.
Lot of us use that allthe time in our languages.
Say if I had a superpower,what would I want it to be?
(11:02):
And you had a completely differentspin on that in your chapter.
Markiesha Wilson (11:07):
Absolutely.
Jon Shematek (11:08):
Oh Yeah.
It's so engaging.
I loved your first book.
I did read it from cover to cover.
I enjoyed the cover.
I remember that Bird of Paradise and yourmom's callal lilies and all that stuff.
Yep.
yeah, which is very cool.
But this, I don't know, maybe it just,I needed to hear what you had to say.
Markiesha Wilson (11:27):
Do you want me to read a little bit of an excerpt from the book?
Jon Shematek (11:29):
would be awesome.
Markiesha Wilson (11:30):
Who are you?
What on earth are yousupposed to be doing?
Lately, we've begun to believe thatall humans have superpowers, right?
People are claiming every superpowerfrom empathy to telepathy.
Don't get me wrong.
I love the idea of having a superpower.
I choose to be invisible.
I think I'd be able to get aroundfaster and learn what people say and
(11:51):
do when they think they're alone.
Being invisible would be thebest way to observe my clients.
Knowing your purpose,power is far more critical.
What are you doing here?
What are you reallysupposed to be doing here?
What is your purpose, power, and howdo you find out if you don't know your
purpose, power, if you raise your hand,this is a question I can help you answer.
(12:16):
When you take a self inventory andidentify that thing, service, talent or
expertise that you love to give away,that is where you and your purpose.
So that's my take on it.
So I believe it's far more important.
to find your purpose, powers that thingthat energizes you over and over again,
that you love to do, that you literallycan't not do, You can't stop it.
(12:40):
That is what I believeis your purpose, power,
Jon Shematek (12:44):
and it is related to giving.
Giving something away.
Giving.
exercising your gifts, Ithink is one of the ways.
Markiesha Wilson (12:51):
Yes.
And you all are in the spiritual.
So you know that like you saidabout the beatitudes, right?
there's, anywhere from 12 to 25or so, spiritual gifts, right?
Yeah.
That we've all been given and Ibelieve mine are encouragement,
teaching, giving, and faith.
when I take the spiritual gifts inventory.
it's about figuring outhow you're using that.
(13:13):
How does that manifest for you?
So if it's in teaching, I'm always,going to be, teaching or encouraging some
server, teaching them how to do it betternext time if I've gotten bad service.
Or encouraging them to continuedoing what they're doing.
when you find out what the gift is andyou're finding a way to operate or it
(13:33):
finds you, because a lot of times youfind your purpose because people keep
coming to you asking you for that thing.
Sometimes people are probably like,Lauren, you make the best this, or,
Lauren, can you help me with this problem?
And the more people do that's when youstart to ask yourself and take inventory.
(13:53):
What do people consistently ask me for andhow does it feel when I give it to them?
That's a way to discoveryour purpose, power,
Jon Shematek (14:06):
Markiesha, I'm thinking that where you're leading with that is when you
think of how do I feel when I'm exercising
Markiesha Wilson (14:13):
yes,
Jon Shematek (14:13):
it's the right purpose if, fill in the blank, right?
If you're feeling.
Markiesha Wilson (14:21):
yes, I absolutely, if you're feeling joy, and I could even go so
far as to take it to the dark side becauseyou asked what's happened since 2023.
Everything hasn't been wonderful.
It has not been wonderful.
Since 2023.
I lost my brother just this October.
you might recall on our lastcall, I had already lost a sister.
(14:43):
I had already lost my mother,and I already lost my father.
So from 2023 to where we stand today,I was taking care of my brother.
he was in a facility in Pennsylvania.
I'd become the primary caregiver,and then I lost him in September.
He had a number of medical issues,Jon, this is your power when you
are low and dark, but you do thisthing and you feel bright and joy.
(15:10):
Yes.
Yes.
my brother was.
I think some kind of angel.
he taught me so much aboutloving the simple things in life.
He loved two Boston Cream chocolatecovered donuts from Dunkin'.
That's what he wanted all the time.
That brought him joy and it broughtme great joy to bring it to him.
And even in losing him, figuringout how I can give and do for others
(15:35):
brought me great joy And you're rightthat is a big way of knowing that this
is what you're supposed to be doing.
Jon Shematek (15:43):
And Markiesha, would you say, your faith must have been
part of what sustained you through allthat also was one of the aspects of
that, this joy that you felt even inthe midst of a really bad situation
where there was suffering and you werestill able to exercise a gift there.
Markiesha Wilson (16:01):
Absolutely.
I'm a woman of faith and so was mybrother, he knew where he was going
when he closed his eyes, and I alsoknew that my faith was sustaining me,
supporting him, going every two weeks,jumping on the train, all those things.
faith was my source to be able to do it.
And it's also the joy that feltwhen I could see his face and
(16:26):
he just lit up to see those twochocolate cover Boston Creme donuts.
Giving gives me great joy.
Jon Shematek (16:34):
Markiesha, I know you, this is you're so integrated that your whole
philosophy of life, your faith, your,understanding of generosity is totally
part of what you do professionally aswell in your, coaching and, writing,
has something changed about that?
the world is very different in many ways.
(16:56):
the big world in addition toour own families and what we're
going through personally is thisa harder message to deliver?
Is it heard?
Are people ready to hear this?
Markiesha Wilson (17:08):
this is such a great question, The time that we're living
in, Is unprecedented in so many ways.
the world today is changing every day.
It's rapidly changing.
It's changing in waysthat you don't expect.
It's changing for people that youdon't expect it to change for.
I am a change consultant.
(17:28):
I've been doing changemanagement for years.
So when you ask, is themessage harder to hear?
I think that people are a little bitnumb and a little bit deaf right now,
but I think the message is more necessaryto hear right now, which is that.
change, whether it's your job, which alot of people are experiencing right now,
(17:49):
even just the way that it's changed, tojust do it or to show up at it physically.
the energy that it takes to show up asyour authentic self when you're going
through stressors with potential jobloss and all of these changes are.
Critically important for people to hearnow, and get tools to work through them.
(18:11):
the message around, positivity is harderfor people to receive right now, but the
message around my need to understand thechange that I find myself in and tools
that I can use to manage how it feels andhow I show up at work at home, or in my
organizations that I support, I think is.
(18:33):
Critically it's more important nowthan ever that people understand
how change feels the cycle of it thepsychology of it and what it does
to you how fear can paralyze youin a change situation if you don't
consider the possibility of positivity.
So now where I start with people is.
(18:57):
Let's just talk about how thisfeels to you, and then we can get
to those eight audacious actionsThat help you get through the thing.
Jon Shematek (19:07):
Yeah.
I'm struck by that, actually, that answersurprised me a bit and I'm delighted
to hear it because I've met so manypeople that have sunk into a deep valley
of despair almost, which is that's
Markiesha Wilson (19:21):
Oh yeah.
Jon Shematek (19:22):
the other hand, I was
Markiesha Wilson (19:23):
I went there.
Jon Shematek (19:24):
Okay.
Markiesha Wilson (19:24):
them there.
Jon Shematek (19:25):
Yeah.
Markiesha Wilson (19:25):
I was in that valley called despair, but I had
to make a conscious decision toget out of that valley of despair.
I had to fight for that.
I'm not gonna lie to you.
September lost my brother October.
My relationship got bad.
November.
I lost a contract, pushedthrough Christmas because you
have to, and it's wonderful.
(19:47):
January lost another contract.
So yes, when I tell you I'mnot just coming to You like
Pollyanna, but it is because Iwent through the valley of despair.
I saw people there and I made a consciousdecision and I crawled out of it.
I still have dirt under myfingernails from crawling out
of that valley of despair.
Jon Lauren.
(20:08):
We have to make a decision todo that, and people have to
find whatever you can draw on.
For me, it's faith, and for me, it'salso my ancestors because I haven't
told you this, but most people assumewithout me saying that I'm black.
Because I'm a black woman.
Jon Shematek (20:26):
we did notice that.
Markiesha Wilson (20:28):
You noticed, right?
I'm a little bit, it's St.
Patrick's Day today.
I don't know when this will air,but I am also a quarter Irish.
But my grandfather halfIrish, half Puerto Rican.
But because I have someancestors who lived.
A worse day than I did.
You notice my company's name is WilsonChapman, Chapman is the Name of my
(20:50):
great grandparents, Elizabeth Chapman,and I named it for her because when I
grew up, Chapman's was a grocery store.
She also had owned a fishmarket and a dance hall.
And so Chapman, for me was pullingmy ancestors legacy forward.
And now I lean in on ElizabethChapman's resilience.
(21:12):
She had been born in 1900and she owned businesses all
the way into the early 1980s.
So that tells you she livedthrough Jim Crow, she lived
through the Civil Rights movement.
She lived with knowing her grandparents.
Surely slaves and she had less than I did.
(21:34):
I have a master's degree.
She probably finished high school.
So if I can't draw on my ancestors and myfaith to get through this dark valley of
despair, What am I really doing out here?
for that, yes, Jon and Lauren, Iwas in the valley of despair, but I
had to make a conscious decision todraw on my faith and my ancestors
and the wisdom of others to get out
(21:56):
. This is, for a history lesson onwhat people have done through time,
when they were feeling oppressed ormiserable or hopeless for a history
lesson on how they got through it.
There's this book, it's called The Bible.
(22:17):
Yes, exactly.
That's it.
Jon Shematek (22:19):
Yeah, that's it.
It's very contemporary, isn't it?
Very contemporary.
I'm just so struck Markiesha by, peopleI think are so hungry for purpose.
That's why I just loveyour purpose, power analogy
(22:41):
Yeah.
I'm struck again by how, in yourprofessional life and personal
life, and I know that they're notseparate at all really, but, how?
No, not
Markiesha Wilson (22:50):
anymore.
Jon Shematek (22:50):
you're Markiesha no matter what.
You mentioned vulnerability.
To be vulnerable with someone,you do have to trust them.
So there's gotta be someonethat you're trusting when
you're asking, hypothetically,ask Lauren how she's doing.
I bet when you ask, you looklike you care about the answer.
It's not like, how you doing?
But don't tell me 'causeI'm busy, type of thing.
(23:13):
That's absolutely, that's a gift.
That is a gift.
Markiesha Wilson (23:16):
Thank you.
it's interesting becauseI'm a trainer also, right?
And we're taught when you become a trainerof adults to wait 10 seconds after you ask
a question because people need to process.
So I'm trained to wait 10 seconds.
So when I say, how are you doing?
I'm gonna wait.
And that pause givespeople time to decide.
(23:38):
How I wanna answer, but it does alsomean I've held space and even it's,
even if it's 10 seconds, sometimesI might have been the only person
that day that held space in this 10seconds, like the service culture
is where I do my daily work, right?
Like preachers, they show up on Sundays.
But as a person, I do my daily workin service, If I am in a grocery
(24:01):
store, the line has been long.
The people have been rude, andI've waited in line a long time.
I will always say to thatcashier, hang in there.
how are you doing?
This line has been going on,sometimes they're, shocked that
someone actually cared enough askthe question and wait the 10 seconds.
I do actually care about the answer.
I actually like people.
There are people that don't like people.
(24:22):
I actually like people.
Lauren Welch (24:24):
There are, and giving that 10 seconds Markiesha,
you're creating sacred space.
people, might not name that sacredspace, but they can feel it.
And that's why many times, theycan respond to You vulnerably?
Markiesha Wilson (24:38):
I think what has made me a successful professional
and executive coach, right?
I was already an executive coachbefore Georgetown certified me, right?
he had already found me.
I was already doing it.
I've always had this ability to.
Discover or see the stress in a person.
(24:58):
And give them.
A relief vow.
Like whether that has been a joke, likegoing to my top executives like, goodness
gracious, what is going on around here?
You must wanna chokeeverybody in this building.
just giving them something to saythat they can never say that's been
a way of giving, leaders relief.
(25:19):
or just holding that space.
But I think what has made mesuccessful is that I do actually care.
I actually like people,and I have a disarming way.
I'm not five feet tall.
I think that's part of it too.
Jon Shematek (25:36):
See, we can't tell that on Zoom
. Markiesha Wilson (25:38):
But so
Jon Shematek (25:38):
we just see, boom, that's it.
She could be 10 feet tall.
Markiesha Wilson (25:43):
People say, I have a tall personality, but something
about my stature and personality isdisarming because I try to create a
comfortable space for you to share.
last year.
I closed out with one CEO, this CEO hada very powerful position in Baltimore
and everybody was after this person.
(26:05):
I won't say the gender, thatmakes it easier to discover,
but, they just had no safe space.
even that time together, in thebeginning I had no trust, Jon, I had
to work to build that trust becausethey were stuck in feeling there.
(26:26):
me just being able to spend thattime and help them quiet their
spirit and thoughts long enough,share what the challenges, were.
Gave me time to help themdiscover they already knew.
That's why when people ask me, a lotof times, what do you do for a living?
(26:48):
My first answer, and peopletold me, this sounds arrogant,
but I don't think it does.
I say nothing and they say nothing.
I said, yeah, I tell peoplewhat they already know.
And people call it consulting.
Jon Shematek (27:01):
That's beautiful.
Markiesha Wilson (27:02):
Tell you what you know.
Jon Shematek (27:03):
Yeah.
Markiesha, you've given us so much wisdomtoday, and I know Lauren always has
her one last question, but before shedoes, I'm gonna ask your permission if
I can read a sentence from your chapter
Give more of the surprisinganswer to life's big questions
and cracking the richer of life.
13, because this hasstruck me, Very close.
It might have been right atthe very end of your chapter.
(27:24):
But I want, I just wanna read it.
'cause this is actually,this is what you mean to me.
Markiesha Wilson (27:29):
Oh.
Jon Shematek (27:29):
it goes like this.
50 years from now when someoneasks, who was Markiesha e Wilson?
The answer is that she was a ChristianBlack woman who inspired everyone
and gave everything she could.
amen to that.
Amen.
Markiesha Wilson (27:50):
Amen.
It's very tears through myeyes reading my own words.
Jon Shematek (27:56):
Yeah.
Everybody, people go and buy this book.
that's the only chapter I've readin it so far, but it's powerful.
And as is your first book,these are great reads.
We highly recommend them.
we'll have the links in the shownotes, Markiesha, as well as the link
Markiesha Wilson (28:10):
to your
Jon Shematek (28:11):
website if anybody needs to get in touch with you professionally
Markiesha Wilson (28:14):
Thank you,
Jon Shematek (28:14):
Lauren, let me ask, do you have any last, item you would
like to check in with Markiesha?
Yeah.
we'll give Markiesha, one morechance because I know she has
more inspiration to share with us.
what would you like to leave us with tothink about until we see you next time?
Markiesha?
Markiesha Wilson (28:34):
Yes.
Oh, that's a great question and I thinkwhat I wanna leave you and your viewers
with is just, Knowing that no matterwhat your eyes may see, no matter what
you're going through in this day and time.
(28:55):
you have everythingyou need inside of you.
if you believe in God, believethat, God put everything you need
for this moment, it's no accidentthat you're living in this moment.
You have everything you need insideof you to move your life forward in
the direction that you need it to go.
You want it to go, and God has said forit to go, it's all inside of you already.
(29:19):
Be very careful not to let thedistractions of this time keep you
from going where you need to go.
Be careful not to let fear,anxiety, stress, or other
people's fear, anxiety or stress.
keep you from going whereyou know God wants you to go.
Lauren Welch (29:40):
That's, Very good advice for all of us, I need to remember that often.
Thank you.
Markiesha Wilson (29:46):
Yeah.
and I want to thank all who arewatching and listening today.
Until next time, peace and blessings.
Lynn Shematek (29:54):
This episode of Good News has been brought
to you by Listening for Clues.
For more podcasts, check outour YouTube channel or our
website listening for clues.com.
Hello friends.
I'm Lynn Shematek with a good news team.
Let's meet Markesha E.
Wilson, change consultant, executivecoach, and bestselling author.
Join our co-host Deacons JonShematek and Lauren Welch as we
bring you another podcast episodein our second season of Good News!
(00:26):
All about people making adifference in the world.
Jon Shematek (00:29):
Welcome, Markiesha E.
Wilson, back to our podcast.
Good News!.
It's so great to have you back with us.
Lauren Welch (00:37):
We are delighted to have you with us today,
Markiesha thank you for being here.
Markiesha Wilson (00:42):
Thank you so much Jon and Lauren.
I've missed you guys.
Jon Shematek (00:47):
We've missed you too.
I don't remember when we actually recordedthe first episode, but it aired in October
23, so that's the last we've seen of you,but not the last we've heard about you.
Markiesha Wilson (00:58):
Wow.
I didn't realize it wasthat long ago, I'm back.
Jon Shematek (01:03):
Yeah.
Markiesha Wilson (01:03):
Accepting the invitation both ways.
Jon Shematek (01:05):
Thank you.
We're just getting our second seasonstarted of interviews and you are our
very first person who accepted a secondinvitation, so we're quite honored.
So Markiesha, since then,what have you been up to?
Markiesha Wilson (01:22):
Oh gosh, now that I know it's been since 2023.
So many things have changed since 2023.
Some things.
Are still the same, right?
I am still doing a good bitof human capital consulting,
still doing executive coaching.
I've taken some exciting newclients, being able to work
(01:44):
through their, strategy and such.
And I also contributed to a book,so now I'm a bestselling author.
Jon Shematek (01:53):
Wow.
That's great.
The book that you contributedto is called The Rich Code
Markiesha Wilson (02:01):
Cracking the Rich Code, and I'm in Volume 13.
Jon Shematek (02:05):
Volume 13.
Markiesha Wilson (02:06):
And
Jon Shematek (02:06):
you're in it and it's best selling.
Markiesha Wilson (02:08):
So that was such an honor I was reached out to, and who
knows, might it have been because I wason this show with you, but reached out
to me on LinkedIn and told about this.
Series called Cracking the RichCode, he asked me if I would be
willing to contribute a chapter.
After reading what it was about it's acatchy title, but it's not specifically
(02:32):
about what you might think when youhear, oh, it's, how do I get rich quick?
It's not about that.
It's really about the valuescharacteristics and behaviors of people
that live a rich life and that canbe defined so many different ways.
So I was excited to contribute my chapter.
I, it's one of the, I thinkgreatest things I've written.
Jon Shematek (02:51):
It was a logical follow on to your first book, but that
was a whole book that you wrote.
In the climb.
"Eight Audacious Actions to Overcome Lifeand Climb the Corporate Ladder with Joy."
Markiesha Wilson (03:03):
Yes.
That book is really my whole.
Heart, soul musingsadvice is in that book.
I and I mentioned this in thechapter in Cracking the Rich Code.
I was having a conversation,and this is completely true
with, my, my hairstylist son.
We were having lunch and wewere talking about being rich.
(03:27):
And I was saying, I defineit this way and that way.
And he said, for me, ifsomeone has left a blueprint.
For life, then thatmakes them rich and wise.
And I said, huh, that'sexactly what "In the Climb" is.
That's the blueprint that Ileave the earth with, right?
Is that where I talk about thesestories of my life and what I learned,
(03:49):
what I did well, what I didn't dowell, and tips on what you can do.
The Eight Audacious Actionsto Overcome Life and Climb
the Corporate Ladder with Joy.
Look how fast I said that.
Jon Shematek (03:59):
Wow.
Markiesha Wilson (04:00):
But what people tell me when they read the book is that
it is really the overcoming of life.
These eight things work for, right?
It may not even be climbing the corporateladders, climbing, whatever your climb
is, whether it's financial, spiritual,emotional, relational, but that's what
folks say I give them great wisdom around.
And so that's my blueprint, myturquoise blueprint, if you will.
Jon Shematek (04:24):
That's a great way to look at it.
We've actually just, completed, an eightpart, discussion series between Lauren and
me, primarily, called, on the Beatitudes.
There are eight AudaciousBeatitudes and we called it the
Blueprint for the Christian Life.
Markiesha Wilson (04:39):
I did not know that.
But yeah, and actually, oh my gosh, be sodisappointed if I were to say out loud,
I didn't know there were 8 beatitudes.
Jon Shematek (04:48):
It depends on which book of the read you different numbers.
Markiesha Wilson (04:52):
Then I'm safe.
Jon Shematek (04:53):
You're safe.
We know there are 10 commandments,but there might be 8 beatitudes.
There might be nine.
Who knows?
One.
Someone said one thing, another saidanother, but anyway, one's, yeah.
Your book, your first bookhas done well, I take it.
Is that right?
Markiesha Wilson (05:09):
Yes, it's done.
And when people ask me for the numbers,it's not something that I keep track of.
I keep track of impact andthe stories that I get.
I keep track of the people that cometo me to say, I read your book and it
did this for me, but it has done well,meaning that the impact it does sell well.
(05:30):
Everyone knows that, crackingthe rich code doesn't necessarily
mean that, I sold a lot of books,for me it's about the impact.
And people ask for it.
once they read it, they askto give it to other people.
And so that is when I know it'shaving real impact, is that
people read it and say, oh no.
My brother needs to read this.
My uncle needs to read this.
(05:50):
My sister's gotta read thisI wish my boss would read it.
Jon Shematek (05:55):
Yeah.
Lauren Welch (05:55):
Markiesha, your article in the, cracking the Rich code is the
surprising answer to big questions.
can you share some ofwhat you wrote in that?
Markiesha Wilson (06:06):
Oh, I absolutely can.
Giving is my core value.
That is my number one core value.
It's in the eightaudacious actions, right?
I say exhibit generosity,it's one of the eight.
because it's so much me.
It is my core and I wanted to talk moreabout it, but if you wanna know behind
(06:28):
the scenes, I accidentally discoveredthis to be my chapter no one knows this.
Only Jon and Lauren and a coupleof close friends know this, but.
After the climb, I had been askedto speak different places it was
at the height of Covid and I waspreparing myself for a keynote speech.
(06:48):
So I started to write my keynote speech.
I might have, I'm not sure if I had donethe TED Talk, by the time I interviewed
with all of you last time, but I did aTEDx talk in South Africa on forgiveness.
I was going through the process ofpreparing the same way for my keynote
speech I was trying to figure outwhat nuggets if in 45 minutes I had
(07:08):
to share my blueprint and my wisdomand my everything, what would I say?
And I kept circling around my core values.
Generosity.
it's what I wanna say.
I wanna talk a little bit about my life,but I want my call to action at the
end to be that folks need to give more.
it's how I figured things out.
So I was working on that and I.
Knew I had to write this chapter,but believe it or not, they were two
(07:30):
completely separate things in my head.
They were completely different.
I was working on a keynote speech andthen I was beginning the work on the
chapter, and as I was speaking witha friend who's in publishing and so
on, she was like read me this speech.
And I was like, sure.
So I started reading the speech to herand she's I don't understand why that's
(07:52):
not the chapter It's the same thing.
it really didn't click to me, and Iconsider myself relatively smart, a 4.0
in graduate school, I think it wasdivine alignment that I was talking
about the essence of who I wasgenerosity is the essence of who I am.
And I did have all these life questions,and so once I really synthesize it,
that's why the title is so long isI discover it in the writing of this
(08:16):
as I'm asking myself these questions.
How am I gonna get it over?
How am I gonna get through?
How am I gonna live this?
For me, it was giving.
Yeah.
As I remember Markiesha, thelast time we talked, you said you
wanted to be a philanthropist,
That's what I'm saying and that's why it's so interesting
because it is my core value, which iswhy I knew I was going to weave it in
(08:38):
here since 2023, I've been able to give.
Two or three book scholarships each year.
Just yesterday, I was able to givea very large donation to my church.
My pastor is retiring after 50 years.
Jon Shematek (08:54):
Wow.
Markiesha Wilson (08:55):
Yes.
And I was able to give a verylarge donation that they're gonna
use toward the refurbishing ofthe, video and sound system.
So I'm doing it, Lauren.
Lauren Welch (09:04):
there was never any question
Markiesha Wilson (09:08):
it was for me.
'cause I was like, where's this moneycoming from that I'm gonna be giving away?
I've been thrilled to beable to do those things.
Jon Shematek (09:16):
that is, great because when you talk about being generous,
where I've appreciated your generosityis in your wisdom and what you give to
all of us in your writings and when wetalk with you it's so deep and genuine.
you said, I wonder where'sthe money gonna come from?
I know you're a person ofgreat faith and the money just
comes when it needs to come.
Markiesha Wilson (09:38):
I think also when you give to people that are
in need, it always comes back toyou in the way that you need it.
And when you give, like you'resaying, Jon, it's not just money.
'cause that's the big thing.
People are like I'd be agiver if I had more money.
You have time, you have talent,you have expertise, you have.
Skill, you probably cancut the grass for somebody.
(09:59):
There's so many things that peoplecan give other people I think
money is the great excuse, right?
Honestly, I can't help itbecause I don't have money.
But there, it's time,it's wisdom, it's support.
It's a smile.
I've made this a practice.
Since I was a server at 17 years old,I don't leave a restaurant without
(10:23):
that server feeling appreciated.
Even if the food wasn't good, even iftheir service wasn't the best, I will
give them some type of encouragement.
And I believe that's a gift as well.
Oh
Jon Shematek (10:38):
it's for sure, I don't want to give away your, chapter.
for, 'cause I want people to get yourbook and read the whole thing or read
the chapter But I can tell you one thingthat really did capture my imagination
is you started talking about superpowers.
Lot of us use that allthe time in our languages.
Say if I had a superpower,what would I want it to be?
(11:02):
And you had a completely differentspin on that in your chapter.
Markiesha Wilson (11:07):
Absolutely.
Jon Shematek (11:08):
Oh Yeah.
It's so engaging.
I loved your first book.
I did read it from cover to cover.
I enjoyed the cover.
I remember that Bird of Paradise and yourmom's callal lilies and all that stuff.
Yep.
yeah, which is very cool.
But this, I don't know, maybe it just,I needed to hear what you had to say.
Markiesha Wilson (11:27):
Do you want me to read a little bit of an excerpt from the book?
Jon Shematek (11:29):
would be awesome.
Markiesha Wilson (11:30):
Who are you?
What on earth are yousupposed to be doing?
Lately, we've begun to believe thatall humans have superpowers, right?
People are claiming every superpowerfrom empathy to telepathy.
Don't get me wrong.
I love the idea of having a superpower.
I choose to be invisible.
I think I'd be able to get aroundfaster and learn what people say and
(11:51):
do when they think they're alone.
Being invisible would be thebest way to observe my clients.
Knowing your purpose,power is far more critical.
What are you doing here?
What are you reallysupposed to be doing here?
What is your purpose, power, and howdo you find out if you don't know your
purpose, power, if you raise your hand,this is a question I can help you answer.
(12:16):
When you take a self inventory andidentify that thing, service, talent or
expertise that you love to give away,that is where you and your purpose.
So that's my take on it.
So I believe it's far more important.
to find your purpose, powers that thingthat energizes you over and over again,
that you love to do, that you literallycan't not do, You can't stop it.
(12:40):
That is what I believeis your purpose, power,
Jon Shematek (12:44):
and it is related to giving.
Giving something away.
Giving.
exercising your gifts, Ithink is one of the ways.
Markiesha Wilson (12:51):
Yes.
And you all are in the spiritual.
So you know that like you saidabout the beatitudes, right?
there's, anywhere from 12 to 25or so, spiritual gifts, right?
Yeah.
That we've all been given and Ibelieve mine are encouragement,
teaching, giving, and faith.
when I take the spiritual gifts inventory.
it's about figuring outhow you're using that.
(13:13):
How does that manifest for you?
So if it's in teaching, I'm always,going to be, teaching or encouraging some
server, teaching them how to do it betternext time if I've gotten bad service.
Or encouraging them to continuedoing what they're doing.
when you find out what the gift is andyou're finding a way to operate or it
(13:33):
finds you, because a lot of times youfind your purpose because people keep
coming to you asking you for that thing.
Sometimes people are probably like,Lauren, you make the best this, or,
Lauren, can you help me with this problem?
And the more people do that's when youstart to ask yourself and take inventory.
(13:53):
What do people consistently ask me for andhow does it feel when I give it to them?
That's a way to discoveryour purpose, power,
Jon Shematek (14:06):
Markiesha, I'm thinking that where you're leading with that is when you
think of how do I feel when I'm exercising
Markiesha Wilson (14:13):
yes,
Jon Shematek (14:13):
it's the right purpose if, fill in the blank, right?
If you're feeling.
Markiesha Wilson (14:21):
yes, I absolutely, if you're feeling joy, and I could even go so
far as to take it to the dark side becauseyou asked what's happened since 2023.
Everything hasn't been wonderful.
It has not been wonderful.
Since 2023.
I lost my brother just this October.
you might recall on our lastcall, I had already lost a sister.
(14:43):
I had already lost my mother,and I already lost my father.
So from 2023 to where we stand today,I was taking care of my brother.
he was in a facility in Pennsylvania.
I'd become the primary caregiver,and then I lost him in September.
He had a number of medical issues,Jon, this is your power when you
are low and dark, but you do thisthing and you feel bright and joy.
(15:10):
Yes.
Yes.
my brother was.
I think some kind of angel.
he taught me so much aboutloving the simple things in life.
He loved two Boston Cream chocolatecovered donuts from Dunkin'.
That's what he wanted all the time.
That brought him joy and it broughtme great joy to bring it to him.
And even in losing him, figuringout how I can give and do for others
(15:35):
brought me great joy And you're rightthat is a big way of knowing that this
is what you're supposed to be doing.
Jon Shematek (15:43):
And Markiesha, would you say, your faith must have been
part of what sustained you through allthat also was one of the aspects of
that, this joy that you felt even inthe midst of a really bad situation
where there was suffering and you werestill able to exercise a gift there.
Markiesha Wilson (16:01):
Absolutely.
I'm a woman of faith and so was mybrother, he knew where he was going
when he closed his eyes, and I alsoknew that my faith was sustaining me,
supporting him, going every two weeks,jumping on the train, all those things.
faith was my source to be able to do it.
And it's also the joy that feltwhen I could see his face and
(16:26):
he just lit up to see those twochocolate cover Boston Creme donuts.
Giving gives me great joy.
Jon Shematek (16:34):
Markiesha, I know you, this is you're so integrated that your whole
philosophy of life, your faith, your,understanding of generosity is totally
part of what you do professionally aswell in your, coaching and, writing,
has something changed about that?
the world is very different in many ways.
(16:56):
the big world in addition toour own families and what we're
going through personally is thisa harder message to deliver?
Is it heard?
Are people ready to hear this?
Markiesha Wilson (17:08):
this is such a great question, The time that we're living
in, Is unprecedented in so many ways.
the world today is changing every day.
It's rapidly changing.
It's changing in waysthat you don't expect.
It's changing for people that youdon't expect it to change for.
I am a change consultant.
(17:28):
I've been doing changemanagement for years.
So when you ask, is themessage harder to hear?
I think that people are a little bitnumb and a little bit deaf right now,
but I think the message is more necessaryto hear right now, which is that.
change, whether it's your job, which alot of people are experiencing right now,
(17:49):
even just the way that it's changed, tojust do it or to show up at it physically.
the energy that it takes to show up asyour authentic self when you're going
through stressors with potential jobloss and all of these changes are.
Critically important for people to hearnow, and get tools to work through them.
(18:11):
the message around, positivity is harderfor people to receive right now, but the
message around my need to understand thechange that I find myself in and tools
that I can use to manage how it feels andhow I show up at work at home, or in my
organizations that I support, I think is.
(18:33):
Critically it's more important nowthan ever that people understand
how change feels the cycle of it thepsychology of it and what it does
to you how fear can paralyze youin a change situation if you don't
consider the possibility of positivity.
So now where I start with people is.
(18:57):
Let's just talk about how thisfeels to you, and then we can get
to those eight audacious actionsThat help you get through the thing.
Jon Shematek (19:07):
Yeah.
I'm struck by that, actually, that answersurprised me a bit and I'm delighted
to hear it because I've met so manypeople that have sunk into a deep valley
of despair almost, which is that's
Markiesha Wilson (19:21):
Oh yeah.
Jon Shematek (19:22):
the other hand, I was
Markiesha Wilson (19:23):
I went there.
Jon Shematek (19:24):
Okay.
Markiesha Wilson (19:24):
them there.
Jon Shematek (19:25):
Yeah.
Markiesha Wilson (19:25):
I was in that valley called despair, but I had
to make a conscious decision toget out of that valley of despair.
I had to fight for that.
I'm not gonna lie to you.
September lost my brother October.
My relationship got bad.
November.
I lost a contract, pushedthrough Christmas because you
have to, and it's wonderful.
(19:47):
January lost another contract.
So yes, when I tell you I'mnot just coming to You like
Pollyanna, but it is because Iwent through the valley of despair.
I saw people there and I made a consciousdecision and I crawled out of it.
I still have dirt under myfingernails from crawling out
of that valley of despair.
Jon Lauren.
(20:08):
We have to make a decision todo that, and people have to
find whatever you can draw on.
For me, it's faith, and for me, it'salso my ancestors because I haven't
told you this, but most people assumewithout me saying that I'm black.
Because I'm a black woman.
Jon Shematek (20:26):
we did notice that.
Markiesha Wilson (20:28):
You noticed, right?
I'm a little bit, it's St.
Patrick's Day today.
I don't know when this will air,but I am also a quarter Irish.
But my grandfather halfIrish, half Puerto Rican.
But because I have someancestors who lived.
A worse day than I did.
You notice my company's name is WilsonChapman, Chapman is the Name of my
(20:50):
great grandparents, Elizabeth Chapman,and I named it for her because when I
grew up, Chapman's was a grocery store.
She also had owned a fishmarket and a dance hall.
And so Chapman, for me was pullingmy ancestors legacy forward.
And now I lean in on ElizabethChapman's resilience.
(21:12):
She had been born in 1900and she owned businesses all
the way into the early 1980s.
So that tells you she livedthrough Jim Crow, she lived
through the Civil Rights movement.
She lived with knowing her grandparents.
Surely slaves and she had less than I did.
(21:34):
I have a master's degree.
She probably finished high school.
So if I can't draw on my ancestors and myfaith to get through this dark valley of
despair, What am I really doing out here?
for that, yes, Jon and Lauren, Iwas in the valley of despair, but I
had to make a conscious decision todraw on my faith and my ancestors
and the wisdom of others to get out
(21:56):
. This is, for a history lesson onwhat people have done through time,
when they were feeling oppressed ormiserable or hopeless for a history
lesson on how they got through it.
There's this book, it's called The Bible.
(22:17):
Yes, exactly.
That's it.
Jon Shematek (22:19):
Yeah, that's it.
It's very contemporary, isn't it?
Very contemporary.
I'm just so struck Markiesha by, peopleI think are so hungry for purpose.
That's why I just loveyour purpose, power analogy
(22:41):
Yeah.
I'm struck again by how, in yourprofessional life and personal
life, and I know that they're notseparate at all really, but, how?
No, not
Markiesha Wilson (22:50):
anymore.
Jon Shematek (22:50):
you're Markiesha no matter what.
You mentioned vulnerability.
To be vulnerable with someone,you do have to trust them.
So there's gotta be someonethat you're trusting when
you're asking, hypothetically,ask Lauren how she's doing.
I bet when you ask, you looklike you care about the answer.
It's not like, how you doing?
But don't tell me 'causeI'm busy, type of thing.
(23:13):
That's absolutely, that's a gift.
That is a gift.
Markiesha Wilson (23:16):
Thank you.
it's interesting becauseI'm a trainer also, right?
And we're taught when you become a trainerof adults to wait 10 seconds after you ask
a question because people need to process.
So I'm trained to wait 10 seconds.
So when I say, how are you doing?
I'm gonna wait.
And that pause givespeople time to decide.
(23:38):
How I wanna answer, but it does alsomean I've held space and even it's,
even if it's 10 seconds, sometimesI might have been the only person
that day that held space in this 10seconds, like the service culture
is where I do my daily work, right?
Like preachers, they show up on Sundays.
But as a person, I do my daily workin service, If I am in a grocery
(24:01):
store, the line has been long.
The people have been rude, andI've waited in line a long time.
I will always say to thatcashier, hang in there.
how are you doing?
This line has been going on,sometimes they're, shocked that
someone actually cared enough askthe question and wait the 10 seconds.
I do actually care about the answer.
I actually like people.
There are people that don't like people.
(24:22):
I actually like people.
Lauren Welch (24:24):
There are, and giving that 10 seconds Markiesha,
you're creating sacred space.
people, might not name that sacredspace, but they can feel it.
And that's why many times, theycan respond to You vulnerably?
Markiesha Wilson (24:38):
I think what has made me a successful professional
and executive coach, right?
I was already an executive coachbefore Georgetown certified me, right?
he had already found me.
I was already doing it.
I've always had this ability to.
Discover or see the stress in a person.
(24:58):
And give them.
A relief vow.
Like whether that has been a joke, likegoing to my top executives like, goodness
gracious, what is going on around here?
You must wanna chokeeverybody in this building.
just giving them something to saythat they can never say that's been
a way of giving, leaders relief.
(25:19):
or just holding that space.
But I think what has made mesuccessful is that I do actually care.
I actually like people,and I have a disarming way.
I'm not five feet tall.
I think that's part of it too.
Jon Shematek (25:36):
See, we can't tell that on Zoom
. Markiesha Wilson (25:38):
But so
Jon Shematek (25:38):
we just see, boom, that's it.
She could be 10 feet tall.
Markiesha Wilson (25:43):
People say, I have a tall personality, but something
about my stature and personality isdisarming because I try to create a
comfortable space for you to share.
last year.
I closed out with one CEO, this CEO hada very powerful position in Baltimore
and everybody was after this person.
(26:05):
I won't say the gender, thatmakes it easier to discover,
but, they just had no safe space.
even that time together, in thebeginning I had no trust, Jon, I had
to work to build that trust becausethey were stuck in feeling there.
(26:26):
me just being able to spend thattime and help them quiet their
spirit and thoughts long enough,share what the challenges, were.
Gave me time to help themdiscover they already knew.
That's why when people ask me, a lotof times, what do you do for a living?
(26:48):
My first answer, and peopletold me, this sounds arrogant,
but I don't think it does.
I say nothing and they say nothing.
I said, yeah, I tell peoplewhat they already know.
And people call it consulting.
Jon Shematek (27:01):
That's beautiful.
Markiesha Wilson (27:02):
Tell you what you know.
Jon Shematek (27:03):
Yeah.
Markiesha, you've given us so much wisdomtoday, and I know Lauren always has
her one last question, but before shedoes, I'm gonna ask your permission if
I can read a sentence from your chapter
Give more of the surprisinganswer to life's big questions
and cracking the richer of life.
13, because this hasstruck me, Very close.
It might have been right atthe very end of your chapter.
(27:24):
But I want, I just wanna read it.
'cause this is actually,this is what you mean to me.
Markiesha Wilson (27:29):
Oh.
Jon Shematek (27:29):
it goes like this.
50 years from now when someoneasks, who was Markiesha e Wilson?
The answer is that she was a ChristianBlack woman who inspired everyone
and gave everything she could.
amen to that.
Amen.
Markiesha Wilson (27:50):
Amen.
It's very tears through myeyes reading my own words.
Jon Shematek (27:56):
Yeah.
Everybody, people go and buy this book.
that's the only chapter I've readin it so far, but it's powerful.
And as is your first book,these are great reads.
We highly recommend them.
we'll have the links in the shownotes, Markiesha, as well as the link
Markiesha Wilson (28:10):
to your
Jon Shematek (28:11):
website if anybody needs to get in touch with you professionally
Markiesha Wilson (28:14):
Thank you,
Jon Shematek (28:14):
Lauren, let me ask, do you have any last, item you would
like to check in with Markiesha?
Yeah.
we'll give Markiesha, one morechance because I know she has
more inspiration to share with us.
what would you like to leave us with tothink about until we see you next time?
Markiesha?
Markiesha Wilson (28:34):
Yes.
Oh, that's a great question and I thinkwhat I wanna leave you and your viewers
with is just, Knowing that no matterwhat your eyes may see, no matter what
you're going through in this day and time.
(28:55):
you have everythingyou need inside of you.
if you believe in God, believethat, God put everything you need
for this moment, it's no accidentthat you're living in this moment.
You have everything you need insideof you to move your life forward in
the direction that you need it to go.
You want it to go, and God has said forit to go, it's all inside of you already.
(29:19):
Be very careful not to let thedistractions of this time keep you
from going where you need to go.
Be careful not to let fear,anxiety, stress, or other
people's fear, anxiety or stress.
keep you from going whereyou know God wants you to go.
Lauren Welch (29:40):
That's, Very good advice for all of us, I need to remember that often.
Thank you.
Markiesha Wilson (29:46):
Yeah.
and I want to thank all who arewatching and listening today.
Until next time, peace and blessings.
Lynn Shematek (29:54):
This episode of Good News has been brought
to you by Listening for Clues.
For more podcasts, check outour YouTube channel or our
website listening for clues.com.
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.