We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisbet Fernandez-Vina & Lucy Morillo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisbet Fernandez-Vina & Lucy Morillo, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?

Our inspiration behind LMA came from our make-it-happen mindset. We wanted to bring together an A-team of industry experts that could help us fulfill the mission of offering a comprehensive menu of services under one roof. Our company slogan is “Align. Connect. Lead.” and this phrase encompassess what we wanted to do when starting the business. As strategy consultants, we get to ask the difficult questions that help teams align, attentively listen and dig deeper to connect them under one common goal, and roll up our sleeves to help them lead the necessary changes that will move their mission and goals forward. At LMA, it doesn’t matter what challenges an organization faces. We come in and turn areas of stagnation into growth to achieve sustainable results. We make it happen! Another important component that we wanted to become a pillar of our business was women’s empowerment. That’s why our business is women-owned, it is a Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certified small business, and has a strong commitment to inspire and form the next generation of female leaders. 

What should our readers know about your business?
Launching LMA was a big risk as we both had pretty secure job placements, but we both sensed that it was a now or never opportunity, and that we wouldn’t allow it to pass us by. We chose to take the “road less traveled” and this, like the poem by Robert Frost says, “has made all the difference.” Becoming entrepreneurs and working for ourselves has allowed us to own our path, and strengthen our critical and creative thinking skills, while thinking outside the box on an everyday basis. In the end, growth can’t happen without a certain degree of risk, but, as we tell our clients, a calculated, strategic approach to risk is the way to go. Lucy is a lawyer and stellar fundraiser, and Lisbet is a journalist and communications executive, the combination of our skills is what has guided our current path. Organically, we identified the intersection of our talents, interests, and vision, and we concluded that we wanted to help others find solutions. Even when there are challenges, we want to be a beacon of hope in a mindful yet strategic manner. This is why even our company logo is the cardinal. The cardinal, unlike other birds, does not migrate for winter, rather it stays to face even the toughest of times. The pandemic was a great test of this, and we were grateful to have been there for all of our clients, regardless of the incredible challenges everyone has faced. We believe that one of the most important factors to our success has been the uniqueness we bring to the non-profit, business consulting, and marketing spaces. This uniqueness is, in itself, made up of smaller important factors such as our professional expertise, our track record in the community, the diverse team of collaborators we’ve joined together, and our passion to help organizations in our community thrive. At the end of the day, our success is strongly connected to the success of our clients. As we see them growing, hitting milestones, and succeeding, we know we are succeeding

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We love to take our closest friends, clients and colleagues to The Biltmore. It has become our second office throughout the years. We love Gene Prescott, Joyce Gomez, and the rest of the wonderful leadership and team there who always make us feel at home. From eating at the restaurants to lounging by the pool with a Passion Fruit Jalapeño drink, you’ll always have a blast in style.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
We dedicate our shoutout feature to our clients, mentors (who we like to call “padrinos” and “madrinas”), and business/ community leaders that have supported us since the beginning. You have been instrumental to our success. Thank you!

Website: https://lmaconsultants.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lmaconsultants/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lmaconsultants

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lmaconsultants

Image Credits
Photographer: Olga Miljko

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