Coffee With E

Lead with Heart: Marcia Perry Dix Shares How to Build a Great Business and Community

• Erica Rawls

Share episode

Welcome to Coffee with E., the podcast where ambitious women and leaders come to learn, grow, and lead with heart. In this episode, host Erica sits down with Marcia Perry Dix, a PR and marketing expert with a rich history from her early radio days to becoming a respected voice in business, to share her journey and offer simple, actionable advice for building a strong, authentic brand.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • How Marcia transformed her early career into a powerhouse in public relations
  • Easy tips for balancing work, life, and leadership without losing sight of your true self
  • Ways to build a thriving community and a brand that feels genuine and strong
  • Strategies for overcoming challenges and staying confident in your vision

If you're a go-getter entrepreneur, a leader striving for excellence, or someone who values community and authenticity, this conversation is for you. Join us as we explore real-life stories, simple business wins, and the keys to turning ambition into success.

Tune in, take notes, and get inspired to grow your dream and lead with heart!

Send us a text

Follow Us for More Inspiration:

📸 Instagram: @erica.rawls
🎥 YouTube: Erica Rawls
📧 For inquiries and collaborations: customercare@ericarawls.com

✨ Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe to stay updated with our latest episodes!

Erica Rawls:

Hey you, welcome to Coffee with E. I bet you're a bit like me and you are a go-getter. You are ambitious, you dream bigger than life and you are an entrepreneur. No one can stop you. Sometimes you may be misunderstood I totally get it, and that's why I created this channel. We're going to talk about self-worth, mental well-being relationships y'all relationships and I'm telling you they're gonna be fun and sometimes even spicy. We're going to talk-being relationships y'all relationships, and I'm telling you they're going to be fun and sometimes even spicy. We're going to talk about entrepreneurship how to run your business like a business, because, if you're anything like me, when you started you were all over the place. It didn't feel good, you were failing forward. We're going to talk about those things. And lastly, we're going to talk about building wealth, because you know what you like to grow, make money, laugh, have fun and just have a great impact. Stay tuned, y'all. I need you to subscribe because we have a lot of great things coming for you. And one last thing check out the community we're already building, and I would love nothing more than to meet you in the comments section.

Erica Rawls:

Today we are bringing an extraordinary conversation with Marcia Perry and the owner of Perry. This is a public relations firm, marketing and advertising. She has what I believe to dominate the area when it comes to public relations. She is a visionary, she is a pioneer, she is powerful and I cannot wait for you all to get to know her. Some of you probably already know her, but you're going to get to know her, probably on a little deeper level. You ready for this? Stay tuned. Here we go, marcia Surprise. Yes, I'm so happy for you to be here. Thank, you.

Marica Perry Dix:

I'm happy to be here too. Yes, I'm so happy to be here. Everyone forgets that I got married, marcia Perry Dix, the grandest wedding of all.

Erica Rawls:

Did you have it in the sweetest place on earth? I did. I know that is right. Yes, yes, I do apologize. No, it's okayest place on earth. I did. I know that is right. Yes, yes, I do apologize.

Marica Perry Dix:

No, it's okay, Because you're so great at advertising Peri. My brand, peri, is strong and I'm really proud of it.

Erica Rawls:

Yeah, 100%. So I had to sit down and have a conversation with you. So you know, I admire you from afar.

Marica Perry Dix:

I admire you up close.

Erica Rawls:

I love her. I really do so I wanted to have a conversation because there's other women, whether young or even older, that are looking to start with what you did. However, I always say to people people see what you look like in the clouds, right? And I'm hoping that we can go a little bit deeper to share a little bit of how you had to overcome what you had to overcome. You know who you had to overcome in order to get to where you are. So can we start from the beginning?

Marica Perry Dix:

Oh yes, that sounds like fun. I was like. So it was like what are we? What are we going to do? Oh yeah, we're talking about me, we're talking about you.

Erica Rawls:

Yes, I'm ready. We're talking about you, yes. So one of the things that I think is important is people always don't know what we've been through. Right, we don't look like we've been through, and I know that you're not originally from here, so can we start like how did you know you want to get into this profession? Public relations.

Marica Perry Dix:

Wow, so we're going to I'm going to take you back to high school, okay, and first and foremost, let me just I've been doing this for 30 years 31 technically, 30 just sounds more sexy For 31 years, and I've been my own boss for 10. I've been in central Pennsylvania.

Marica Perry Dix:

I've been in the sweetest place on earth for 20 years a little over 20 years, so this is my home it has been that long and I tell all my friends I'm like I know I sound 17 and I look 25, but I've got a 30 plus year career.

Erica Rawls:

You do not look like it at all.

Marica Perry Dix:

Well, let me take you back. So I'm in high school. I played the violin, same, and I played it with my whole heart. I was first violinist. I was second violinist. Always trying to one-up me, erica, no, I was not. I was second violinist. I just assumed you would be too. Stop it. Nope, I wasn't. I was second violinist, yes, and I loved it.

Marica Perry Dix:

My parents were pretty strict. I wasn't able to do a lot, so I poured my entire heart and soul in being part of the orchestra. I went to a really big high school and I always hated bullies. Yeah, who likes a bully anyway? Right, well, one of these days there was someone picking with the orchestra or one of my band member friends, okay, and I stood up to them. And my orchestra conductor, our teacher, she, comes up to me and she puts her hand on my shoulder and she goes Marcia, thank you so much for doing what you did.

Marica Perry Dix:

You are our official PR person? Oh, wow, and I did not know what it meant. You are our official PR person? Oh, wow, and I did not know what it meant, yeah, so I looked it up and ever since then I was like that's me. I'm an advocate for those that don't have a voice or don't know how to speak, and I have been following that voice. My entire career fast forward 31 years. Wow. So in high high school I knew I had something and it's so funny, even when I look back at pictures from high school, I'm dressed the same way my hair is the same way.

Marica Perry Dix:

I was in tv in class in school, yeah, and I I dressed up all the time and I just was everyone's like advocate and wow, you know, I was always fighting the bullies, literally figuratively.

Erica Rawls:

You know what is. That's remarkable because a lot of people, when you're in high school at least for me, I'll speak for myself I changed what I wanted to do. Yeah, I don't know how many times before I got into real estate. One, because I wanted to do something that was going to make a whole lot of money, right, right. And so I was like Ooh, I want to be an attorney. No, I don't want to be an attorney. Well, I want to be an accountant. No, I'll change that too. So to hear you say, in public relations, that's a hard field to actually get in there and start. You know what I mean Making traction and you know making money and paying the bills off. Like well, for me, did you ever veer?

Marica Perry Dix:

from. Well, so we're talking. I'm 18, 19 years old, right Graduating high school, putting my, putting myself through college. Um, my first job was in radio. I and I saw that, um, there was a new radio station popping up in Columbus Ohio. Yeah, and it was for 92.3 WCOL, the hottest newest country radio station in Columbus Ohio.

Erica Rawls:

And gosh darn it.

Marica Perry Dix:

I wanted to be their part-time receptionist. Wow, no, my father, he had just got me. My father was a big deal at the convention center of Columbus, ohio and I got a. I got a big. He helped me get a job working for an iconic black woman in convention and tourism. Her name is Diddy Geis and I got the honor to serve as her assistant. So not only did I get the job at the radio station but I also got to be in the space in tourism, conference and convention center work Wow.

Marica Perry Dix:

And following around the most iconic person in all of history black tourism, convention center marketing, whatever. Yeah. But my heart was with the music and was also with the people, because I was always in all of my careers, all of my jobs, I was always at the crossroads of government and community, right. So in this time with working in radio as a receptionist, you've got all the hottest record labels calling every week. Now, this is back when radio was real radio, you're right. And program directors are really programming their radio stations. There wasn't AI telling us what we should play at this particular moment, you're right.

Erica Rawls:

This is real right. No shame at all.

Marica Perry Dix:

No shame, and so here I am a young lady, I'm at the front desk putting myself through school and I've got all these hot record labels calling me going. Hey, marcia, it's music day. Where am I on the line? I'm like, well, you're fifth. They're like, oh well, I'll take you to dinner. I'm like okay, you're second, you're next.

Erica Rawls:

Wait, I'm the secretary. Yeah, I'm negotiating.

Marica Perry Dix:

Really.

Erica Rawls:

Yeah, I'm the receptionist at the hottest country radio station in all of America. So you were really like okay, I got to get in, I'm good with her, she'll put a good word in for me so I can be on the list. So you actually had like influence.

Marica Perry Dix:

I did have influence, so I didn't mean to confuse you.

Marica Perry Dix:

During the day I worked at the convention center and in the afternoon I worked at the radio station and I'm sorry I blurred those two stories and job opportunities. So I really leaned towards the music, got it. So after about a year working in the convention center I went full time with country radio. Got it Okay. So I was receptionist and I went into promotions. So I was always at the crossroads of community and government. And so when it was music day the record labels were calling me to get their time with our program director because so they can get their artists records on the air Got it Old school radio Got it Okay, Let me.

Marica Perry Dix:

I wanted to level set that.

Erica Rawls:

Yes, yes, yes. I'm sorry I didn't tee up the story right. I got so excited. I was like man, you were a great receptionist to be able to have the influence. But you got them in front of the people to make the decision.

Marica Perry Dix:

Well, the artists, the record labels, are trying to get their artists on the radio. But this was old school before AI was doing it like it is now. So for me to be so young and young at heart and when these artists, when they would come to the station to do their radio visit, they would say, oh my gosh, you're Marcia. I'm like yeah, and then I would get to go to dinner with the artist and the record label and I was always helping my program director and he loved it. He'd go what do you think of this song? I'm like I think it's a good one. So I was really involved, so in the music industry and I loved it.

Marica Perry Dix:

Then, when I advanced my career in radio, I went into promotions. Then I not only did I know the music, I knew the artists. Now I know the community Got it. So then when I'm that evolved into event production from Fourth of July events from different cities. You know I lived in Nashville, tennessee, worked on Music Row. I moved to Nashville to be the first black female country singer because I was, I was in the, I was in the business.

Marica Perry Dix:

you know, everybody knew me yeah and this was back in the day there, what you know, I'm so excited about how things are now, but back then, right, it truly was only me, right?

Erica Rawls:

the next person that came along was Darius Rucker and that was years later and I was like what are?

Marica Perry Dix:

you doing here? I was like are you Hootie? I I was playing you on another station. That is too funny, but I fell in love with it and my passion for music and for the community grew. And I don't know if you ever saw the movie what Women Want with starring Mel Gibson. No, omg, erica, you must watch it. I will.

Marica Perry Dix:

In the movie he loses, he gets struck by lightning. He starts reading women's minds. He is a creative director from one of the top advertising agencies in New York City. Okay, and he reads Helen Hunt's mind, the new person that took the job he thought he was going to get. Okay, okay, so he's reading her mind and here I've had a what. This time it's maybe 10 year career in radio and I'm watching this movie and I'm like I want to work for an ad agency. My ideas are so big and they're so juicy. That movie was the impetus of me realizing that I wanted to go in the advertising agency business. But I interviewed at every big New York firm and they didn't hire me because they didn't have experience.

Erica Rawls:

But I mean, I love the fact you had the audacity just to go and interview, even though you didn't have the experience You're like why not me, why not me?

Marica Perry Dix:

Well, what I saw was what it takes to do sales and media and advertising. It's a big idea. I'm full of big ideas, right, that was kind of like my superpower. So big ideas, I can sell those all day long. Yeah, I just needed somebody to give me a shot. Yeah. So 2006, I moved to central Pennsylvania. Some friends of mine launched a startup ad agency that I helped build.

Erica Rawls:

So why central PA?

Marica Perry Dix:

OMG, I asked myself the same thing for so many years. Well, I took the opportunity, because it was my shot in the ad business. Okay, little did I know that I would fall in love with Pennsylvania.

Erica Rawls:

From.

Marica Perry Dix:

East Coast to West Coast, pennsylvania, from Homewood to Johnstown, altoona to Scranton to West Philadelphia. I fell in love with Pennsylvania, wow. And not to mention I moved to the sweetest place on earth, yeah, and I raised my daughter. I moved here with I didn't know anybody, right, it was just me, my daughter and my little dog.

Erica Rawls:

What is crazy is we know Hershey is referred to as the sweetest place on earth. We know Hershey is referred to as the sweetest place on earth, but I haven't heard it used more readily than you. Well, that is a true statement, so it rings loud. So when I think of it now I don't know if you notice or not when I think of it, I do think of you. Thank you, Because you say it so often.

Marica Perry Dix:

Can you say that louder? Yeah, I'm like.

Erica Rawls:

Marcia must be in the room because someone just referred to Hershey. You don't even say Hershey, you just say I live in the sweetest place on earth.

Marica Perry Dix:

Yeah, and that's how I feel about it. You know, when you're a single mom moving to a new space, it was different. You know, here come the tears You're taking me back. It was different, was different. 2006, central Pennsylvania. I don't know where you were, but I was here. I was around trying to make a name for myself. One of the first women black women that really supported me was Vera Cornish, miss.

Erica Rawls:

Vera.

Marica Perry Dix:

And when she took me under her wing, I felt like I was finally at home and I was able to be build that confidence in myself to reach out, you know, to grow, stay focused to what I was doing and being a single mom too, you know that was really hard because, hershey, when I first moved here, it was like Stepford, you know.

Erica Rawls:

I was like no, I'm not trying to say your husband.

Marica Perry Dix:

No, I'm just here, yeah, I'm from Nashville. Yeah, I'm from a big city, right right, I'm like no, I'm not trying to say your husband, no, I'm just here, yeah, I'm from Nashville, yeah, I'm from a big city, right right. Like oh, wow, you know, it was like too perfect. And once we got to know everyone, it became home and my daughter.

Marica Perry Dix:

We got her in dance class and we just started going around all the different restaurants because I was so busy working and we would just go out to eat all the time at the Hotel Hershey and our favorite Finichies and I'll never forget. You know like Hershey, once you're in, you're loved.

Erica Rawls:

You're like, you know what you're in, you're an insider a local and it was just a perfect little space for Aslyn and I to just grow and blossom and find our um, find our village. So you were persistent and making sure that you met people in order to feel let them know that hey, yep, I'm an outsider and yet we have a lot in common. That's what I hear you say.

Marica Perry Dix:

Well, yeah, I definitely would say that you know Harrisburg's hard to break into if you're not from here.

Erica Rawls:

Can you say that again?

Marica Perry Dix:

Harrisburg is super hard to break into if you're not from here. Can you say that again, harrisburg is super hard to break into if you're not from here? 20 years I'm still trying to prove myself no, that is a serious statement because I'm not from the area too.

Erica Rawls:

And it is hard. Yeah, it is very hard. I don't know.

Marica Perry Dix:

I'm going on my 21st year of giving back, so I think I'm finally getting something.

Erica Rawls:

Yes, yes, have I been proven? I think so, you know.

Marica Perry Dix:

I was like my biggest gift to the city and to the mayor this year was the People's Ball. So I was like, if they love that, I'm like that's my love gift which is amazing, thank you.

Erica Rawls:

When I hear people say in New York, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere, I said, well, they never visited Central PA.

Marica Perry Dix:

They've never visited Central Pennsylvania. They've never visited Central Pennsylvania. Yeah, I totally agree.

Erica Rawls:

So let's talk about you hit on it a little bit, and my platform is to help people that are ambitious, and one of the things we talk about is self-worth right, because you can be ambitious and still struggle with self-worth, yeah, so can you share a time where you felt as though that okay? Yeah, I'm struggling in having that confidence that I need in order for me to show up, whether it was for a job or whether it was meeting new people in our area.

Marica Perry Dix:

And how did you overcome that? Well, every time I put forth, every time there's something ahead of me that I want to do.

Marica Perry Dix:

I always want to prove it to myself first. Say that again I never really take anyone else's feelings or thoughts in consideration because I'm a very deep person, so I really analyze any and all opportunities that come before me. I have this ability and we all have to like, have this uncanny ability. You got to step outside of yourself and you need to if you're. You said self-worthy, yes, but I really like the word is self-aware. If you're self-aware, you're self-aware, then you'll know that you're worthy. So I always knew I was worthy.

Marica Perry Dix:

It's just that self-awareness is that I deserve to be here and damn it, you're going to listen to me and you're going to hear me. And you might not hear me today. You might not have the space and the five minutes I might have with you today to hear me and see me, but you're going to see me and then that's what I set my mind on. I want to make sure that you know validation it comes from within, it doesn't come from other people. So you set little milestones for yourself and little goals and like oh yeah, I just beat that, all right, now what's next? You make it sound so easy.

Erica Rawls:

It's not, and yet it's not. I see people all the time and one of the things I think it comes from is the fact that they tie their position to their identity. So when you say being self-aware, it's about knowing who you truly are outside of being, you know, an owner of a public relations firm.

Marica Perry Dix:

Right, that's how you're able to be. Well, I think most people refuse to ask themselves am I a giver or am I a taker?

Erica Rawls:

Okay.

Marica Perry Dix:

You know when you want to be self-aware, you want confidence. You know you have to go into. If you're going into an opportunity, what do I want out of it? If your motives are self-serving, say that.

Erica Rawls:

Or if you're giving back, say that that's right. So they feel like they're an imposter because they're not being true to who or what they really want.

Marica Perry Dix:

That's how I feel and everything I do. I try to be my most authentic self. When you're your most authentic self, no one can say, well, you're not this or you're not that, because you know in your heart you've always, you always come to the table with your truest self, right, your most authentic self. No, I'm actually. I'm actually here to help Harrisburg. I'm not here to extract from Harrisburg, right. I'm actually here to help black women. I'm not here to tear black women down, right.

Marica Perry Dix:

And I feel that oftentimes we don't ask ourselves those questions. So when someone addresses us, maybe we don't have the right answer, but at the end of the day, we really know. Like you built a firm, your goal was not only to help yourself and your family, but to help others. To help others and help other women, and that was your vision, yes, so you're bringing it to fruition, same with me. I'm here to help the community. I'm not here to hurt the community, right, I'm here to advance the mission of the people that are part of this community that I now call home, Marcia, but you're not from here.

Erica Rawls:

How in the world are you going to help some? Help us. You don't know what we need. You didn't grow up here. How dare you come in here trying to change that?

Marica Perry Dix:

Well, I think anywhere you go, erica, you're going to have those types of challenges. I will even say that I've had an easier time getting business in Philadelphia than in Harrisburg, my own county. I've got contracts all over the Commonwealth but sometimes, where you're home, they don't. They don't see you. You know, and you have to feel like you. It can mess with your brain a little bit. I don't know, I don't know where I want to go with that one, erica. No, I appreciate that, you know.

Erica Rawls:

I don't really know, I don't know where I want to go with that one, Erica. No, I appreciate that.

Marica Perry Dix:

You know, I don't really know. I don't want to lose my train of thought yeah, yeah, no, I appreciate it because it's something, because it's something that I believe, that we all struggle with.

Erica Rawls:

People that truly believe, have a calling to empower others right.

Erica Rawls:

It's hard when you're in a situation where you may feel as though, okay, yeah, um, I see like the best in someone or something or a situation, and it feels like it's like not being heard, right, so you're like, okay, I'm not going to give up. And then sometimes you feel like, okay, so at what point do I give up? Do I keep trying or do I just go somewhere else? Like you said, you went to Philadelphia. It doesn't even have to be central PA. It's every time you are up against something, when something's bigger than you, right, and you know you've been gifted with the vision and you're not able to find the right people. So, like you said, you start questioning yourself Right, yeah, at what point do you just say, okay, well, maybe it wasn't supposed to be here, it's supposed to be somewhere else.

Marica Perry Dix:

And then I think that's where faith comes in. So 20 years ago God told me to come here. I was like what? As I saw all the cornfields, I was like, okay, not too much.

Marica Perry Dix:

So I didn't see, I didn't see. You know I it. It took years. You know, um, it took years to see my why. Yeah, um year, decades, two decades, to see my why. But I'm supposed to be here, I'm supposed to help them. I don't, I can't. I can't say for certain, like all the things that I'm going to do, but I can say for certain, all the things that I've done and all the heart and all the intention that has gone into the purpose of supporting others, my vision hasn't changed. I don't think God's vision for me has changed. I think he keeps opening up more doors.

Erica Rawls:

And maybe it's just, like you said, having that faith, and it's not our timing, it's his timing, absolutely so.

Marica Perry Dix:

I, we're and we're all imperfect, so I can't change, you know, everyone's minds simultaneously. All I can always do is be consistently myself. Yeah, and that's all we can all do. Now you asked a really great question. Well, at what point we were like, okay, time's up, enough's enough, I'm going to, I'm going to, I'm going to sprinkle my black girl magic somewhere else and I don't, I don't, I don't know, I'm not, I'm not there yet, if that's what the real question is.

Marica Perry Dix:

But I do feel that this is home and I do feel that God keeps supporting my husband and myself and my family. Every time we think we're missing something or we're losing something or we've run out of something, he fills our cup once again with hope, with inspiration, with resources, with friendships and with ears that want to listen. So I think there's a positive spin to it. I think, as a marketing person, we always transition. 2024 was a metamorphosis for me, where things didn't go all the way that I wanted for all the things I wanted it to do. But you keep reinventing yourself, transitioning. You know when, um, the, the, the whole, when you think of metamorphosis, is the caterpillar, you know, fuzzy, hairy-looking bug that squirms Right, right, you know, goes into this not-so-sexy metamorphosis and comes out.

Erica Rawls:

It's actually painful. Yeah, it's painful. Yeah, when you go through it. Thank you, mm-hmm.

Marica Perry Dix:

To be this beautiful butterfly, right yeah, and it flies off as if nothing happened. Beautiful butterfly, right yeah, and it flies off as if nothing happened to it. Right, as it has no recollection on the devastation. It was crawling on the ground, you know, like it was cold, and you try to find a little house. You know, the metamorphosis is real, having a transition is real and I think once we really just think about and understand what we want for our families and ourselves and how we can just make space for everyone that we want to support and help, it'll be all right. Yeah, so I don't? You know it's no, I'm not giving up.

Erica Rawls:

No way, just transitioning. I know that's right. So no pressure, no diamonds, that's what come to mind, yeah.

Marica Perry Dix:

So what is? That's what come to mind, hmm, yeah, so what set you apart, oh, perry, apart, what sets us apart? I think it's that intentionality. You know, it's an intentionality born in authenticity. You let's see where I want to go with that.

Erica Rawls:

I love this. Y'all Cause Marcia. She is the queen of communication, so for her to be like I feel like I'm rambling with no real structure.

Marica Perry Dix:

So, and I'm a structured person, so I'm like, yeah, I am, and that's why I enjoy these conversations. Thank you for the break though.

Erica Rawls:

Yeah, what was the last question? Again, please, yep.

Marica Perry Dix:

So um I asked what set you apart?

Erica Rawls:

Yeah, okay, because you are dynamic, so um, and you are seen, and I know that you take your work seriously. So, from the outside looking in, you are a very structured person. You are, however, there's just that one. What is that magic dust that sets everyone apart, and I'm hoping that you can share that with us.

Marica Perry Dix:

You may have answered it. So I really think I don't know. I talk a lot about my black girl magic. A lot, yeah, and I always considered myself a bit of a, a fairy fairy godmother sprinkling my fairy dust. It comes from my experience and my love for, for people. Like I really love helping people. You call me and ask me for help. I I have a hard time saying no, yeah, I'm working on it. But I everyone who knows me, I will give you every idea, every sense, any story I have on my back to support someone who might be in trouble or who just needs, might need, a little lift. So I always come with true intentions.

Marica Perry Dix:

And when I talked earlier about people really need to understand what's their own personal motivation. Like it's okay to be self-serving, but what is that fulfillment for you? I'm honest with myself because I'm self-aware. I'm not motivated by money, I'm not motivated by contracts, I'm not motivated by knowing the most people, I'm not motivated by those superficial things. I'm older than I look, so that's the secret. People think I'm in my 30s and I'm like actually I'm celebrating 15.

Marica Perry Dix:

But and that's a blessing- Right but it's having no motives, having no bad motives I'm not trying to get one over on you and I feel that oftentimes in business people aren't direct about what their intentions are. If your intentions are, hey, marcia, I want to talk to you because I need help. I need I don't have. I know you, and this happens to me a lot because they think I have like million dollar clients, which I do and I'm but I help anybody, yeah. So if they're like Marcia, I want to hire you, but I can't afford to. But can you please give me an idea? You bet your ass I will.

Marica Perry Dix:

You know, I want to help people that look like me. I want to help other women. I want to help other moms. I created a whole company so that moms could have a place and not feel guilty like going places. Yeah, like all those years I spent spent feeling guilty, either feeling guilty because of the job, because my daughter had a dance class, or wasn't feeling good, or I felt bad for my daughter because I had something at work and I couldn't be there for her man. I was tired of people taking advantage of my time. Yeah, so I try not to do that anymore. I try to help people as much as they can and feel good about it and build a company and a company culture where I like who I work with, right Like, yeah, you're my friend and I just told you I love you.

Erica Rawls:

What do you need? We grew up that you shouldn't have your friends at work. You can't have friends at work.

Marica Perry Dix:

Well, I only trust my friends. Yeah, it's the other people I don't trust. No, that is fair.

Erica Rawls:

And I love the fact that you said in order, for it's okay to have intentions that are selfish, right?

Marica Perry Dix:

Yeah, just be open about it.

Erica Rawls:

Just be open about it, right? And I do struggle with people because you can see right through them.

Marica Perry Dix:

Okay.

Erica Rawls:

Yeah, this is not truly what you want, right? You really want something else, and it just gives you that ugh. It's an ick that the younger folks say Well, let's just, let's reframe it.

Marica Perry Dix:

It's not an ugh or an ick. A lot of people don't know how to ask for what they want, and that's okay, that's okay. A lot of people are it's unnerving to say, well, yeah, I'm admitting I'm self-serving. Actually, it's actually okay if you say you want something, we're entrepreneurs. It's okay to be a clout chaser, it's okay to be ambitious, it's okay to be assertive, because if we're not, guess what? We're probably not a good entrepreneur, we're not a good closer, we're not a good uh.

Marica Perry Dix:

Whatever, your responsibility is, you're not a good fundraiser, because we're all self-serving at the end of the day. Yeah, yeah. So let's stop stigmatizing it. Right, say what you want. Right, that is so good and you're going to find nice about it though, right, that is so good and you're going to find and be nice about it, though, and you're going to find a culture where you fit in.

Marica Perry Dix:

Yeah, you can. I definitely feel that. Well, what I've tried to do is create the culture where you fit in. You know advertising agencies. It's got a culture of being very burned out and oftentimes we've taken on clients that stress us out. And now, going through this metamorphosis in 2024, going into 2025, I'm actually taking a longer and deeper look at the clients that want to work with us and making sure that they match the energy I'm on, and if they don't, then it's probably not a good match. No fear of loss? Yeah, there's no feel of loss. Well, you have to understand. I'm self-aware. I've said earlier in the meeting that I'm not motivated by money. So if I'm not motivated by money, you're not going to call me and say well, I have a $500,000 contract, do this or else Bye, right.

Marica Perry Dix:

Right this or else bye, when you're not motivated by those superficial things. I'm motivated by helping the community, helping my staff, my team.

Erica Rawls:

That's what motivates me, and getting the money to do that is what motivates me every day.

Erica Rawls:

I think that's one principle or concept that's hard to teach Not to be motivated motivated by the money we're both stumbling over. Right, not to be motivated by money, because that actually that's where you get burnt out. Right, chasing contracts, chasing contracts. So actually finding out what your true purpose is is so huge because it gives you comfort in knowing okay, yeah, I know exactly what I would like to work on, or who, the person I want to work with, and the type. You know what I mean, their energy, their values, because it makes it so much easier. So when you have to say no to the million dollar contract, you can, right Now, I'd I'm in line and be like, okay, well, maybe I could.

Marica Perry Dix:

No, you can't, you can't. It hurts. I'm not going to tell you it does hurt to say no, dang it. Why did it?

Erica Rawls:

not fit.

Marica Perry Dix:

Why? But I promise you, every time you do that though, it just like multiplies.

Erica Rawls:

You multiply? Yeah, cause you're going to attract the people or the you know your ideal client if you will.

Marica Perry Dix:

Well work, life balance comes into play.

Erica Rawls:

Yeah, right, so my phrase don't tell anybody.

Marica Perry Dix:

My phrase going into 2025 is balance. Yeah, finding my balance. It's not I didn't say work life balance, it's just balance. It's not I didn't say work-life balance, it's just balance. Right, you know, as women 2024. As an entrepreneur 2024. As a mother 2024. Oh, it was so hard. It was rough. You know, it was a crazy election year. I felt everyone was just all over the place. No one had balance, and when we, as a leader, feel out of balance, things get messed up. It does get messed up. So I have sought this beautiful transition and I'm very excited about it.

Marica Perry Dix:

You know you're asking me about my brand name I was like well, I'm not transitioning, I'm always going to be an advertising agency, like when you have 31 years experience, you can, just you can do everything Right. But I won't be offering everything because I know so many other creatives that I can say, oh no, you know what I don't do? Websites I can give you an idea and a strategy for a website, but let me, let me let you meet my friend, so-and-so over here who can design a beautiful website for you, right, right, going into more of a consultant role, more of a… Good for you, thank you. Chief marketing, you know, officer role. So what I've learned in my 10 years of being an advertising agency in Pennsylvania is a lot of large organizations. They currently have contracts. So how can I enhance and advance their mission but not ruffle everybody's feathers? Right, and that's by sprinkling my fairy dust and coming in and making everything balanced, finding balance even in someone's unbalanced team. You know, am.

Erica Rawls:

I hearing you say you're about to approach the soft life. Is that what I'm hearing? Soft life?

Marica Perry Dix:

No, because we haven't. No, no, no, no, no. You just you just get a little peek in a little something. No, actually I'm actually advancing full steam ahead. Good for you, and, you know, looking to do some things out of the country, looking to expand the breadth. Good for you, and it's really exciting. But also bring people up with me. Yeah, you know I'm always going to have Perry. I'm always going to do advertising and marketing and media, Sure and PR. But I just wanted to tweak what I was doing. I was spreading myself too thin.

Erica Rawls:

I got you.

Marica Perry Dix:

You know, I got you. I can't do a PR campaign over there and a media buy campaign over there and five events in one month and everything's great.

Erica Rawls:

Yeah.

Marica Perry Dix:

You know, and then I expect my team to keep up. Yeah, you know, and then expect my team to keep up it's not balanced, yeah.

Marica Perry Dix:

So it was hard for me to do that. I will say, erica, because I have a hard time saying no and I like everyone to be happy, but when Marcy is not happy, it's not a good thing. It's not a good thing. It's not a good thing, yeah. So I'm happy now. Good for you, yeah, but you had to reconfigure everything you know and find rebalance, and that's why my keyword next year, going into 2025, I can't wait is balance, yeah.

Erica Rawls:

Finally.

Marica Perry Dix:

Right and I'm so excited I'm going to get to help so many more people. My brand is still intact. My brand is still strong, still doing campaigns serving the community.

Erica Rawls:

Yeah, that's awesome. So to the young entrepreneur what do you say to them? What's the words of encouragement that you would give to them so that they know they too can be just like you, right? Or, if it's a different industry, they can be the best of what they want to be? What's your words of wisdom?

Marica Perry Dix:

To the young entrepreneur I would say use artificial intelligence and balance. There is something to say about this new technological revolution that is upon us and I want young people, young entrepreneurs, to still know how to write a creative brief by hand. I still want them to understand what it takes how to write a press release by hand, write an email by hand not with support, because the rhythm of who we are as people, as human, that human touch is still very much needed. The computer learns from our human touch. It's just a duplication of our human touch. Young people need to hold on to that human touch like never before and keep it so that the human interaction still stays a human interaction and not um, not a false um feeling or a false sense of balance, um or false identity or a false identity, because what happens if you have to go before people and then you have no ai?

Erica Rawls:

to help you and you're looking like You're on the fly.

Marica Perry Dix:

You've got to really understand the depths of your business and your industry on your own before you allow the advancement of technology to take over for you, right? So, for example, when I bring on new junior account executives or junior graphic designers, I work with them. I'm like no, you've got to learn how to write this yourself, because you need to see it first yourself before you can tell AI to do it for you.

Marica Perry Dix:

Oh, that's so good, because you want to talk about losing confidence, right? If you don't know what AI just did for you, you're going to lose your confidence really quick. You have to be able to tell the AI what it just did for you, you know. So my husband tells me all the time he goes I'm better than Siri. I'm like, yes, you are babe, but he actually is actually smarter than Siri. But until we're there that, so that's my advice, you know, if you're a young entrepreneur, I would say, do with old school for just for a little bit, before the advancement takes over, because we, we that's my advice and um, always work really hard, be a doer be a doer be a doer, be a doer, be a doer, because it's only when you're a doer that you can delegate.

Erica Rawls:

Yeah, yeah, I love that.

Marica Perry Dix:

And then I'd say, last but not least, is be kind. You know, when you are a hustler, when you are a closer and when you are doing million billion dollar deals, a lot of people think you're untouchable, that you're unkind, you're mean and, yes, I can be Mary Poppins and Miranda Priestly in 5.2 seconds, but don't forget about the vision and who I'm here to help and that is what I would tell everybody. Don't forget that. I think this generation, you want everyone to be, a computer or not. You know it's like we're human. And the pressures of being a woman, the pressures of being a black woman in Pennsylvania, the pressures of being a black owned business in Pennsylvania trying to get dollars from our state and millions of dollars from these global corporations it's not easy, no matter how good we look, it's not easy. And I saw you started from nothing. I started from negative, negative.

Erica Rawls:

Yeah, negative, yeah yeah.

Marica Perry Dix:

And it's like I'm not going to let anybody take away my struggle just because they see me hopping on a first-class flight. I'm still driving a 2010 Ford Edge with 2,218,000 miles. Don't judge me. Don't judge me. It's hard. They don't see the tears. They don't see the tears. They don't see the sweat. They don't see the tears. They don't. They don't see the sweat. They don't see the stomach pains. They don't see the ups and downs of the weight.

Erica Rawls:

They don't see the doctor's visits of the stressed yeah, because they don't see the late nights, yeah you don't look like what you've been through.

Marica Perry Dix:

I'm letting everybody see my gray hairs. I love that for you thank you. I love it too, but perception sometimes is not always reality.

Erica Rawls:

Right.

Marica Perry Dix:

And I think, as entrepreneurs, just call us, call us and check on us. Yeah, you know, yeah, that is so true, check on us, so true it might not be what you think, right yeah. Just give us the benefit of the doubt that it's for the positive. Anything we're doing is for the betterment of our community, whether we're here from here or not. Give us a chance. Thank you so?

Erica Rawls:

much. This is so good, thank you.

Marica Perry Dix:

We didn't cry.

Erica Rawls:

We did not cry. You know what y'all? We're going to have other great content, just like this Marcia Perry, like, really, if you want to know how to just be your true, authentic self, she was raw, she was uncensored Should.

Marica Perry Dix:

I have been censored. She gave us some lifelong lessons. Can I please?

Erica Rawls:

see this, she really did, and you know what I really do. Appreciate you, I do, I appreciate you and you know what I need you to stay tuned for more coffee with E.

People on this episode

Head Shot

Erica Rawls

Host