Entrepreneur Raquel M.R. Thomas’ Battles Inspired Her To Open Five Businesses

Adversity has the tendency to discourage people, but for entrepreneur Raquel M.R. Thomas, facing ill fortunes have fueled her drive. At 35, she owns five businesses. Her empire includes a nonprofit organization called the Dream Catchers Foundation, R3 Enterprises, which is a publishing company, retail store DMR Fashions and two daycare facilities. By looking at her success today, one may assume that she had an exceptional upbringing, but Thomas’ success was inspired by the dysfunction and abuse she went through on a daily basis during her childhood.

She grew up being emotionally abused by her mother, who battled an addiction to drugs and alcohol. The verbal lashings by her mother and meager lifestyle didn’t keep her from dreaming of a better life.

“I have always been a big dreamer,” the Columbia, SC native said. “I was inspired by my circumstances. What I didn’t have inspired me.”

Before her dreams became a reality, Thomas went through hell on earth.  One day when Thomas was in high school, instead of attacking the then 14-year-old with her words, her mother picked up a two by four and beat Thomas bloody. That same day she became a ward of the state and was soon placed in foster care. Even though she was placed in an “excellent” home as she described it, the high schooler hit an all-time low and even contemplated suicide.

“I had so many different emotions going on. It was more of [me asking] why? Why was I there? I felt abandoned and not loved. It was overwhelming.”

Thomas was in dire need of emotional support and psychotherapy, but since seeking psychotherapy is stigmatized in the black community, it was never offered. She would try to confide in the adults around her but she would be dismissed by comments like “You’ll be fine” or “Nothing is wrong with you.”

“During this time I couldn’t relate to anyone, so I didn’t know I was depressed. As I got older I did more research and took a lot of psychology classes in college. I realized that I was depressed at that time.”

After being in foster care for a year and a half with her father, he released Thomas into her mother’s custody after she was released from prison and completed a few rehabilitation programs. Though their relationship never recovered, Thomas persevered and proved to be quite resilient.

She left home at 18 and went on to achieve her bachelor’s degree in business management and …

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