Raquel M R Thomas is the Lead Entrepreneurship Professor and Director of the Business Innovation Lab at Benedict College. She is a business consultant and advisor who supports small business owners. Raquel is an award winning author, screenwriter, director, playwright, and executive producer. She’s the founder of the Young Bosses Business & Leadership Program under her company Dream Catchers Corporation. The program focuses on teaching young students leadership, business, and entrepreneurship skills.
Raquel is the proud mother of two children, Roman and Baby Raquel. Raquel loves community and being a servant within disadvantaged communities. A native of Columbia, South Carolina, a former high school athlete turned collegiate athletic scholar; Raquel’s first love was basketball. She lettered in 4 sports at Dreher High School in Columbia, SC to include: basketball, volleyball, soccer, and track & field. Raquel graduated from Virginia State University with a degree in Business Marketing, earned a master’s in business administration from the University of Maryland University College and a certificate from New York University in Film and TV. She is currently pursuing her PhD.
After graduating from VSU, Raquel went to work for the automotive giant Toyota Motor Sales, Inc. as a Regional Sales Manager. At Toyota, Raquel worked with dealerships to increase profitably and to identify opportunities to increase market share. After 8 years at Toyota, Raquel decided to venture into entrepreneurship and opened her first daycare, Children of Tomorrow Learning Center & Child Care. A year later, she opened DMR Fashion, a retail store, and started Dream Catchers Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization to support disadvantaged communities. Simultaneously, Raquel opened The Museum Shop, an upscale urban clothing retail store in Washington, DC. Raquel has used her business savvy to open several other businesses in South Carolina to include an event venue, bar, restaurant, and Airbnb rental properties. She served as the vice-chair of the Benedict College Advisory Board prior to accepting a full time position at the college. Raquel also served as a commissioner of planning and zoning in Columbia, SC and she currently sits on the South Carolina Foster Care Review Board.
John Maxwell Certified Speaker, Leadership, and Youth Coach