Today we’d like to introduce you to Marva Morris.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, after moving from Cleveland, Ohio when I was in elementary school. As the only girl in a household with my two older brothers, I became independent and self-reliant early on. I spent a lot of time observing the world around me, reflecting, and writing, habits that would later shape both my voice and my career.
Home life wasn’t always easy or supportive, and there were challenges that pushed me inward at a young age. Those experiences also helped me develop resilience, empathy, and a strong sense that if I wanted something different for my life, I would have to create it myself. I learned early that I could rely on my own resourcefulness and determination.
As I got older, school became a lifeline. I participated in programs like Upward Bound and Communities in Schools, which exposed me to possibilities far beyond what I had known. Those programs planted a powerful seed: that my circumstances did not have to define my future, and that I could choose a different path. I chose college.
I attended East Carolina University, far enough away to build independence, but still within reach financially as a first-generation college student. I didn’t have a built-in roadmap or much guidance, but I found community, close friendships, and confidence in that environment and I thrived. Writing had always been central to who I was. Growing up, journals and diaries were where I processed emotions and made sense of the world when no one else felt safe to talk to. Writing came naturally to me in a way it didn’t for many others, so majoring in communications felt like an extension of who I already was.
After graduating, the transition into a communications career wasn’t as immediate as I expected. Like many new graduates, I needed a job, and I found one that unexpectedly aligned deeply with my values. I worked for Girl Scouts of America as a Membership Specialist serving Eastern North Carolina. In that role, I built partnerships with local agencies, recruited and trained volunteers across multiple counties, and supported program delivery for girls in underserved communities. My favorite part of the job was serving as a troop leader for girls in low-income areas. It allowed me to give back in the same way community programs once supported me, by showing those girls a world bigger than their circumstances.
After several years, I felt ready for a new chapter and moved back to Charlotte to be closer to family and friends. I entered the corporate world through a customer service role supporting checking and savings accounts. I was grateful for the opportunity, but I was deeply unhappy and underutilized. One moment changed everything. During a one-on-one, my manager took the time to ask about my long-term goals. I shared my education, my skills, and my passion for communications. She later mentioned that conversation to her manager, and that single act of advocacy opened the door for me to transition into an internal communications role.
That opportunity changed the trajectory of my career. I joined a dynamic team that encouraged growth, sharpened my skills, and trusted my voice. Over the years, I’ve continued building on that foundation across multiple organizations, expanding into corporate writing, project management, website design, photo editing, video development, and strategic storytelling.
Today, as a Director of Business Management, I bring all of those skills together. At the core of my work is storytelling; helping people understand information, see themselves in the work, and feel connected to a larger purpose. Looking back, every chapter of my life, from survival to service to leadership, has shaped the way I show up now. My story isn’t about a single moment of success; it’s about choosing myself, again and again, and using what I’ve learned to create meaning, connection, and impact.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road, but it has been a meaningful one.
One of the earliest challenges I had to navigate was financial literacy. I didn’t grow up learning strong financial habits, so understanding debt, credit, and savings was something I had to figure out on my own. Interestingly, working in customer service banking early in my corporate career became a turning point. While it wasn’t where I ultimately wanted to land, it gave me critical, foundational skills that still serve me today and helped me build confidence around financial responsibility.
Professionally, the roles I’ve grown into overtime have also come with increasing demands. Supporting senior leaders who operate at a fast pace and often around the clock requires a high level of responsiveness and flexibility. Balancing that as a working mom has not always been easy.
One moment that stands out for me was returning to work after the birth of my youngest son while breastfeeding. I was eager to jump back in, but the reality of managing meetings, expectations, and a pumping schedule was overwhelming. Well-meaning colleagues encouraged me to relieve the pressure by switching to formula, but after reflecting in therapy, I realized what mattered most to me was continuing to feed my baby my own milk. I made the decision to structure my workday around my pumping schedule, and to my relief, my coworkers, partners, and managers were supportive. That experience taught me a powerful lesson: advocating for yourself can remove stress and guilt and often opens the door for understanding rather than resistance.
Today, I’m navigating multiple transitions at once; organizational changes at work alongside personal changes brought on by divorce and co-parenting. Earlier in my life, I would have pushed through silently. Now, I’ve learned the value of honesty and vulnerability with people I trust, both personally and professionally. There is real strength in telling your story and allowing others the opportunity to show up for you. These experiences have shaped how I lead, how I parent, and how I move through the world with more clarity, compassion, and confidence than ever before.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At the core of my work is helping people make sense of complexity. I specialize in business management and internal communications, partnering closely with leaders to translate strategy, data, and decisions into clear, actionable narratives that teams can understand and rally behind.
Over the course of my career, I’ve built a multidisciplinary skill set that includes corporate writing, strategic messaging, project and program management, executive communications, website and content management, and visual storytelling through video and design. Rather than viewing these as separate capabilities, I see them as interconnected elements, each one helping move information from confusion to clarity.
I’m known for being a bridge between leadership and teams. I have a strong ability to listen deeply, anticipate questions and concerns, and communicate in a way that is both human and practical. Whether I’m supporting a large organizational initiative, managing cross-functional projects, or advising leaders during periods of change, my focus is always on alignment, trust, and follow-through.
What I’m most proud of is not a single title or accomplishment, but the impact of my work over time. I take pride in creating systems, messages, and processes that make people’s work easier, help leaders lead more effectively, and give teams a clearer sense of purpose. I’m especially proud of the moments when colleagues or leaders tell me that something finally “clicked” because of how it was communicated.
What sets me apart is my ability to blend structure with empathy. My lived experiences have shaped how I lead and how I work. I understand pressure, change, and complexity not just in theory, but in practice. That perspective allows me to approach my work with both rigor and compassion. I don’t just deliver outputs; I think holistically about outcomes, people, and long-term sustainability. That combination, strategic thinking grounded in humanity, is what I bring to every role and every partnership.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something that often surprises people is how comfortable I’ve become moving forward without having everything fully figured out.
Because of the roles I’ve held, people tend to see me as highly analytical, strategic, and structured and while that’s true, it’s only part of the picture. I’m also deeply creative and intuitive, and many of my best ideas come from blending data with storytelling, logic with empathy. That balance allows me to see patterns others might miss and to approach challenges from multiple angles at once.
Progress often comes from moving forward thoughtfully, adjusting as you go, and trusting yourself to figure things out along the way. I’ve also been intentional about building a strong network of mentors, peers, and resources so I don’t have to navigate uncertainty alone.
That combination, strategic thinking paired with creativity, and forward movement paired with self-trust, is what empowers me to lead, create, and grow in ways that feel both effective and authentic.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.marvalousmusings.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marvalousmusings
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marvafarris
