Meet Trish Thomas
Meet Trish Thomas, V
ictory Circles Facilitator and Founder of Akamai Consulting
Trish Thomas’s high school classmates in Wilmington, North Carolina, voted her “Most Artistic”. Her future in the world of Art seemed evident especially since she had received a scholarship to the Atlanta College of Art. She had studied under a professional artist as a kid and had always assumed that the art world would be her destiny. But then destiny gave her a surprise when she was introduced to the world of computers.
After evaluating her long-term options in the art world and the emerging computer world, the computer world won out. Trish said goodbye to her scholarship and headed off to the University of North Carolina in Raleigh to get her degree in Computer Information Systems. She went just about as far from the world of art as she possibly could have gone.
After getting her Information Technology degree and working in the field for a few years, Trish quickly realized that IT was just a bit too dry and male dominated for her liking. Her creative self was “withering on the vine”. It didn’t take long before she headed towards the admin, project management and marketing side of the business. It began to spark more of her creative juices when she found herself getting more into the crux of the mechanics of the business itself, as opposed to just the computer mechanics.
Time ticked by and Trish moved through a string of corporate jobs that ran the gambit of experiences. What was becoming very clear was the common thread in the positions she took on. She found herself gravitating towards dysfunctional companies or departments. Trish would come in, roll up her sleeves and fix the systems that weren’t working. What she would leave behind was a finely tuned, well-oiled company. With the challenge of a dysfunctional company overcome, she was always ready to move on towards her next challenge.
About 10 years ago, it hit Trish that she had actually become an internal Consultant. It was then that she decided it was time to go back to her alma mater at the University of North Carolina to get her MBA. Upon completion of her Masters Degree Trish began her consulting practice full time 7 years ago.
What Trish enjoys most about consulting is watching companies take the leap from where they are to where they want to be. “The process of watching people change, evolve and be inspired about their vision is exciting”.
A critical motivation in the launch of Akamai Consulting was the statistic that 400,000 businesses close in the US every year. “It is not just a huge number, it represents people’s money, time and emotional energy. It represents wasted efforts that could go towards ventures that are going to succeed.” Trish shared.
When asked why she chose the name Akamai, Trish explained it to be a Hawaiian term (her husband, Will, is of Hawaiian heritage) that describes someone who has academic smarts as well as street smarts. She felt it best represents the company values of wisdom, ingenuity and skill. Wisdom - coming from the experience and the knowing of when to act. Ingenuity – a necessity in the marketplace to be innovative, creative and stand out from the competition. Skill – the education and hands on experience of what a company does.
When asked about her thoughts on the current economic situation Trish had this to say,
“Unfortunately it is a natural correction that needed to be made in the financial markets. We have become a country of excess. Banks were lending money that they shouldn’t. Whole industries had become sloppy. With money flowing so freely no one had to do their job well and things just spun out of control. Stock prices were not justified by company performances. 10-15% increases in property were not sustainable and lots of people borrowed money they could not pay back.”
She went on to say, “I see right now as a time of great opportunity for small business in particular. A lot of corporate giants are struggling due to chinks in their armor. Companies that don’t deserve to be in business will indeed fold. Which is a good thing. I believe, ‘To the victor go the spoils’.”
In regards to her own clients she said, “With my clients, right now we are going back to basics. I have asked them to stand back and ask who they are and what values it is that they stand for in the marketplace. What really is the core solution that they offer to their customer base? I’m encouraging people to continue to market. I ‘m encouraging companies to build strong relationships with people. During stressful times like these if companies can build the emotional bond – the relationship will be cemented for a long period of time. Don’t panic - prepare. Get ready for any opportunity that heads your way during these tough economic times.”
It seems to be working because Trish was proud to share that the 30 companies she worked with last year, each were up 50 % in gross revenues. Despite the recession, they have laid a foundation for growth.
Bottom line, Trish believes that “Strong business thrive whether it is boom or recession. They simply provide a true value for people.”
In looking towards the future, Trish wants to continue to enhance her clients in the three main areas of Planning and Strategy, Leadership Development and Team Building, as well as ongoing Marketing efforts. “If companies invest in these three areas they set themselves up to do very well in the future.”, says this pioneering woman at the helm of Akamai Consulting.
As the photo for this cover story represents Trish’s home is filled with beautiful artwork that she continues to create in her “spare time”. She shares this home with her husband of 16 years, Will, and their 13-year-old daughter, Lydia. They also share their home with a mirage of animals including 2 dogs, 4 cats, a tank of fish, and a guinea pig named Lono after the Hawaiian God and of course what every household should not be without, a Tarantula named Tiny Precious. To learn more about Akamai Consulting go to the website at www.akamai-consulting.com.