{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/r20rr1r761/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Mona Echard Interview"]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/571/original/full-color_2x.png?1735841768","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Publisher"]},"value":{"en":["The African American Network TV (TAAN TV)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eMona Echard discusses her education in San Antonio, her passion for consulting and corporate training, and  discusses her experiences as a salon entrepreneur and nonprofit organization founder. She also delves into her hobby of urban ballroom dancing and gives advice to girls and women seeking to become successful.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Rights Statement"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eAll materials are for noncommercial educational or research uses only. 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I'm your host, Vance Bradford, and our special guest, Miss Mona Echard. Welcome, Mona. \r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  0:13\r\nThank you, Vance.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  0:14\r\nGlad to have you.\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  0:15  \r\nIt’s a pleasure to be here. \r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  0:16\r\nYeah. Well, you’re looking nice and lovely. \r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  0:18\r\nThank you so much. You're looking nice as well.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  0:20  \r\nThank you. Thank you. Well, let's jump right into it. How about it?\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  0:23\r\nLet’s do it.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  0:24\r\nOkay. T- tell us, where were you born?\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  0:26  \r\nI was born in McKinney, Texas. Just- I think it's south of Dallas. Geography-wise, I'm not sure. But it's a little, small town, McKinney, Texas. I was raised in Missouri. So I did not- I was not actually raised in Texas. I spent most of my formative years in Kansas City, Missouri–\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  0:47\r\nKansas City? Okay.\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  0:48\r\n–and then I came back- or I came to San Antonio in the mid ‘80s. I was just about to graduate high school. \r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  0:55  \r\nWell, I did the same thing. I left Missouri. \r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  0:58\r\nDid you? \r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  0:59\r\nYeah, but not Kansas City. One of the smaller towns, St. Roberts, Missouri.\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  1:03  \r\nWell, I lived in Excelsior Springs, Missouri when I was there–\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  1:05\r\nIs that right?\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  1:06\r\n–and you know Excelsior, that’s a small–\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  1:07\r\nYes, yes. [laughs]\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  1:08\r\n–tiny, [unintelligible] town. So yeah. Small world.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  1:11\r\nSmall world, huh? \r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  1:12\r\nYou were raised there?\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  1:13\r\nWell, yeah.\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  1:13\r\nYou were.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  1:14  \r\nI- I claim that. My dad’s military so, you know, that was the last place I- \r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  1:17\r\nAwesome.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  1:17\r\n–yeah, I went to high school there and everything. Yeah, so- so- you know, leaving Missouri to get to these nice summers here in San Antonio, for sure.\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  1:26  \r\nFor sure. I hated every winter in Kansas City. Not that I hated Kansas City per se, but I don't like cold weather.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  1:33\r\nCome on.\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  1:34\r\nI don’t like snow.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  1:35\r\nCome on.\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  1:36\r\nSo yeah, I'm a fair weather girl. So I’m glad to be in Texas.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  1:40  \r\nOkay. Well, tell us now: where did you attend college?\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  1:43  \r\nI went to the University of Texas in San Antonio. My undergraduate degree is in communication and public speaking. So I spent time there. I also went to St. Philip's College prior to that. So I spent a couple years there and moved on to UTSA.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  1:58  \r\nOkay, okay. So what brought you to San Antonio?\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  2:03  \r\nMy mother. [laughs] I was in high school at the time, so when she relocated, I, of course, came with her. And then went to school, went to- went to high school. After high school, I got married, so I married my high school sweetheart. And he went into the military and we traveled around and had two children. And then we came back because he was raised here in San Antonio. So we came back to San Antonio after that.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  2:30  \r\nWow, okay. Nice. Nice. Nice. Okay. So tell us, Mona, what do you do now?\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  2:36  \r\nI am a consultant and corporate strategies trainer, I spent the better part of 20 years in the salon and spa industry. So I started out as a stylist, and then an owner, and I found myself in training. I've always wanted to be in training. I got involved with Sisters in Business and I just fell in love with the business aspects of things. So I worked in that industry, on the business side: training and operations and technical training, and so on and so forth. And then I started my own business. And this is what I do now. I love it. I love it. I love to take failing teams and turn them into dream teams. That’s my specialty. And I think a lot of that has to do with collaboration, communication, connection, empathy, so many things. So that's what I do. I travel and train.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  3:27\r\nTravel and train.\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  3:28\r\nTravel and train. Travel when I want to and train when I want to. But it's- it’s a wonderful career.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  3:34  \r\nGreat. Now, what made you choose that path?\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  3:38  \r\nI think, you know, if you- I don't know if you've ever taken a personality test. Have you ever taken a personality test?\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  3:44  \r\nWell, I can’t say that I have.\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  3:47  \r\nYeah? Well, it's sort of like a right brain, left brain. But my scores are always right down the middle, almost perfectly down the middle–logical and creative. But I think my logical side comes out in business. And I really like to be creative and finding solutions in business. So it's- it's exciting to do that. And it's kind of- I take a different twist to things in the business world. So I just fell in love with that part of- of business, even more so than owning a business. I just liked the training part of it. So I got a certification in corporate strategies training last year, and- actually, in 2015, and then quit my day job and started traveling and consulting and training and that's what I do now.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  4:33  \r\nOkay, okay. So what do you think is your greatest contribution to San Antonio?\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  4:42  \r\nI think my greatest contribution is when I was a business owner–salon owner. I started a nonprofit organization, Salon Organization for Homeless Women. I have a huge affinity for homeless people and homeless women. I really don't know where it stemmed from, it might have come from the fact that my mother traveled with us as kids and she had a new beginning and we had to live with relatives for a while. I don't know where it came from. But I started a nonprofit in 2013, to help women who are transitioning with children and getting out of abusive relationships, et cetera. And so we created this- [pauses] it’s kind of a salon [pauses] atmosphere for them, to make them look good, feel good, and all of that. And then we invited other businesses in to show them how to manage your money and how to, you know, how to start a business. So we- we looked at all sides of it. So I think that is my greatest contribution. I'd love to really go back and do that again. But at that time in my life, it was- it was a huge thing for me, to give back to the community in that way.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  5:44  \r\nNo, that’s wonderful. Yes, yes. Yes, yes. Great. Do you feel that there's a need to give back to the community?\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  5:54  \r\nAlways, I think your work should be your ministry. And ministry simply means to… [pauses] assist and to aid. You know, you don't necessarily have to proselytize to be spiritual and be in ministry. And so I think everything that you do, has to reverse back to that–to giving back–because you're gifted, you're talented, you're given a lot of things, and not everybody has those things. So for me, it's just a way of saying, you know, this is my small contribution to- you know, my footprint to those who maybe need a little something that I might could give ‘em. So I think, yeah, I think it's important, I think it's very important, it’s important to raise our children that way. Now that I have grandchildren, I- I want to raise them that way. Always give back ‘cause you have more than somebody else does. So always pay it forward.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  6:43  \r\nWow, that's beautiful. On the- and I’mma change this from being so technical right now, just ask you a little simple question. You know, like, what kind of hobbies you have, we know, what- what does Mona do when she's not doing her professional work that it was?\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  6:59  \r\nWell, I play with my grandkids, for one. They're all little and I love ‘em. So, you know, I think it's a- a different kind of love when you have grandchildren. But I also love to ballroom dance, urban ballroom dance. I think it keeps you young, it keeps you relevant, it- it just keeps me happy. So when I have time, that's what I do. I dance with a social group in San Antonio, and we get together and we dance the night away.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  7:26  \r\nSo- so it’s ballroom dancing? Is that–?\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  7:29  \r\nIt's urb- yeah, it’s urban ballroom dancing. So it's similar to the ballroom dances you see–the foxtrot, you know, all of those things that maybe you see on Dancing with the Stars–but it has more of an urban appeal. So it's done to, usually, R\u0026B music with an eight count, although it can be done to other music as well. But typically R\u0026B music that has that- that eight count that you keep- keep track of. And it's a couples dance, you know, the man leads the woman into those dances. And I like that because I feel like many times, we as women–if we're strong women–we don't want to- we don't want to be led, we want people to follow us. I think this dance reminds me that sometimes it's- it’s good to be- to be led, and really pay attention to- to that. So that's why I dance. I love it. It's just a good pastime. \r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  8:17\r\nYou say you meet–?\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  8:18\r\nWe meet monthly. Well, we meet weekly for practices–we have an instructor- two instructors in San Antonio that teach the dance–and then monthly we get together as a social group. And then we travel. Th- that dance–Chicago-style stepping is what it's called–it's all over the United States. So we can travel, if you are a traveler–I don't have time, a lot, to travel to dance these days. But it's just a gr- a great pastime. It really is. It's- and we always know that when we do something, it’s more than just about the dance, right? It goes deeper, even if you're a- [pauses] maybe you like to hunt, or maybe you like to bowl. It's always more than just what you do, you know, it always adds something to your life. So that's- I think that's where that comes from, just kind of adding to my life–\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  9:03  \r\nWell that’s a wonderful hobby, there.\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  9:04\r\n–while I have time. \r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  9:05\r\nYes, yes. Yes, yes. Okay. What do you think your-  we’re getting back down to the- to the interview there. That was great. \r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  9:14\r\nThank you. \r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  9:14\r\nLet’s transition. We'll transition to… [pauses] what do you think you're most known for here in San Antonio?\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  9:23  \r\nYou know, I- that's a really hard question to answer. I think what I’d like to be most known for is that anytime you meet me, I'm going to be the same person, you know, no matter whe- what setting, I feel like, you know, being friendly and being warm is important. So I think maybe if you would ask people what kind of person she is, “She's a friendly person, she's a warm per– , and she's always the same.” I try never to change unless it's for the better. So I think that's- that's what I think people would say about me. Anyways, other than that, I know, you know, the philanthropic things that I’ve done in San Antonio. I think the people that I was connected to knew how passionate I was about that work, and just how passionate in general I am about people. So I think, you know, you have to ask somebody, ask somebody that knows me. I think that's what I would like for them to say, for sure.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  10:17  \r\nWell, that's great. That's great. So… [pauses] let me ask you this, what do you like most about San Antonio?\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  10:25  \r\nI would say the diversity. I would, because I grew up in a diverse atmosphere. And so I didn't have the opportunity to go to an all black school or, you know- the schools that I went to, I was probably the only African American in the classroom. So early on in life, I learned how to mirror people in order to fit in in a positive way. So I really liked that about San Antonio. I like the diversity and people come in from all walks of life. I do like that there's a strong African American community in San Antonio. But I like that there's a collaborative effort with other communities as well. So I think that's what I like most about it, the diversity in it.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  11:07  \r\nOkay. Okay. Now, do you feel it’s important that we, as African Americans, tell our story?\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  11:16  \r\nFor sure. Yes, most definitely, I think it’s even more important that we fill in our youth about our story. Because many times that gets watered down. Because young people today, it's- it’s- they're more accepting of anybody and everybody. And that's good. That's a good thing. But I think sometimes they lose the root of their history. And we need to make sure that we bring that back and let them understand where we actually came from and who we came from. And I don't mind being called African American, Black, whatever, just- you know, whatever it is, but African American to me, helps me understand that I do have roots from way back and those folks built this country and without them, we wouldn’t really be here. And so I think it's important. And I do also think that it's important that the stories can be different. You know, my experience may be different from your experience or the next person's experience, but it's still an experience and it should be accepted, it should be expanded upon, it should be talked about, it should be related to. So yes, at every chance we get, we should tell our stories.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  12:26  \r\nGreat, great. Mona, this has been a great interview, full of information. \r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  12:31\r\nWel, I’m [unintelligible] – \r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  12:31\r\nWe know a little bit about you, you’re a dancer. Yeah, yeah. Now- now, I'll tell you, in- in conclusion tell us something you want to maybe give out, some words of wisdom to maybe some young ladies that are trying to get into the business- to business world and- or just coming up period. Just, you know, just, you know, trying to be successful in America. Is there anything you may have to say to ‘em or would like to?\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  13:00  \r\nI think the first thing I would say is work on yourself first. I think that's most important. I think we’re raised to, we need to get married, we need to do this, we need to do that. But we don't tell our girls to work on yourselves. Look at your attitude, look at the way you look at things and how you absorb things and how you react to things. Work on yourself, focus, set goals, and don't let yourself down by not meeting or exceeding those goals. But I think first and foremost, we have to get ourselves right, in order to really be focused on anything else. So- in business in particular, I would love for every young woman to start their own business and- and do things- do what they would like to do with their lives as far as that's concerned. But I really would like them to start with the inner woman first and make sure she's good, and then she can progress and do all things. \r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  13:55\r\nWell said. All things.\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  13:58\r\nAll things – through Christ, who strengthens them. \r\n\r\n\r\n[mutual laughter]\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  14:01\r\nBut that- that me first is very important to me.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  14:06  \r\nThat's very, very, very, very, very good. [pauses] Well–\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  14:11  \r\nIs it over?\r\n \r\nVance Bradford  14:12  \r\nWell, I say this has been a great interview. Very informative.\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  14:14\r\nIt’s been my pleasure.\r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  14:16\r\nYes, Mona.\r\n\r\n\r\nMona Echard  14:16  \r\nIt really has been my pleasure. \r\n\r\n\r\nVance Bradford  14:18  \r\nYes. Well, well, you have it. Another great episode of 300 Voices in 300 Days on TAAN TV. I'm your host, Vance Bradford, with our special guest, Mona Echard. Have a great day.\r\n\r\n\r\nTranscribed by https://otter.ai","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/127830/file/239690#t=0.0,876.45867"}]}]}]}