Today we’d like to introduce you to Giselle Jones.
Hi Giselle, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born and raised in the beautiful twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago, where life felt warm in every sense, warm weather, warm people, warm community. I grew up surrounded by church family, strong cultural identity, and a sense of belonging that shaped how I saw the world.
Everything changed on March 11, 1990, when my family migrated to the United States. I will never forget that day. At twelve years old, leaving home felt painful. We moved to Maryland, where we knew almost no one. The climate felt cold, but the culture felt even colder. I missed my entire support system, the love, the familiarity, the community I was raised in.
My parents had to start over from scratch and worked multiple jobs to rebuild our lives. My mother had a very clear vision for her daughters: that we would be educated, financially stable women who never had to depend on anyone to survive. She had witnessed abuse in her childhood home, and she was determined that my sister and I would rise above generational patterns.
Very early on, I took care of my siblings and stepped into responsibility, that’s really where my leadership journey began. Even now, decades later, Trinidad and Tobago will always be “home.” Those early years gave me heart, empathy, and resilience, everything I would later need as a woman, mother, and executive.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has not been smooth at all. My journey has been a combination of faith, grief, perseverance, and rebirth.
I married my husband, Jerome, at 23. We have been together ever since. In 2006, we experienced the heartbreaking loss of our daughter. That loss nearly broke me. At the same time, I was navigating a demanding leadership role and motherhood. Our sons were born in 2008 and 2010, and although I loved being a mother, my career often had to take the backseat.
Professionally, I spent over 20 years in HR leadership before launching my business. The dream for SOAR actually came when I was around 20 or 21 years old, long before I ever had the courage to pursue it. So there was a 20+ year gap between vision and execution.
Even today, as an entrepreneur, the challenges continue. Government shutdowns, economic uncertainty, constant layoffs, workforce fears around AI, shifting market dynamics, all of these impact my business and my clients. People are afraid. Leaders are unsure of the future.
But what keeps me grounded is this: people will always need people. Organizations still need help in restructuring, upskilling, navigating change, and developing leaders. Women, especially women of color, still need guidance, advocacy, and someone to help them push past the systemic barriers in front of them.
So yes, the obstacles are real. But they also fuel me. They give purpose to the work I do!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
SOAR Consulting is the realization of a vision God gave me in my early college years. After decades of working in HR leadership, including serving as VP of HR at Children’s National and Senior VP of HR at HSC Healthcare System , I finally took the leap of faith to be a full-time entrepeneur in 2022.
SOAR focuses on three major areas:
1. Strategic HR Consulting & Fractional CHRO Services
I support small to mid-sized organizations that do not have internal HR leadership. This includes restructuring, organizational design, people strategy, talent development, HR department rebuilds, and navigating complex workplace challenges.
2. Leadership Coaching & Executive Support
I coach leaders, especially women of color, who are stepping into new roles, facing workplace toxicity, leading through transition, or dealing with high-stakes people issues.
3. Speaking, Facilitation, Retreats & Training
From leadership retreats to culture transformation sessions, I help organizations rebuild trust, strengthen teams, and create healthier environments.
Across all of this, my philosophy remains the same:
Lead with gratitude, practice empathy, and operate with excellence.
SOAR exists to help organizations build people-centered cultures. And I am proud that even through market uncertainty, the business continues to grow, evolve, and impact lives.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
In many ways, I didn’t choose leadership, leadership chose me.
At twelve, I was responsible for my siblings. In my early career, I naturally became the person people trusted with their concerns, their conflicts, and their fears. I have always had the ability to hear what someone is NOT saying and understand the heart behind the issue.
There was no blueprint for Black Caribbean women in corporate leadership. I had to navigate under manage politics, and learn unspoken rules. I learned early that hard work doesn’t equal promotion — relationships, perception, and strategy matter just as much.
Those experiences shaped me into a very intuitive and people-first leader. And when God gave me the vision to build SOAR, I knew it was about more than HR it was about healing, advocating, and restoring dignity in the workplace.
My work is rooted in who I am: a wife, a mother, an immigrant, a Caribbean woman, and a leader who sees people deeply.
What matters most to me is seeing people win, especially women of color.
I want women to thrive, lead boldly, build careers with confidence, and navigate corporate spaces without losing themselves in the process. I want organizations to understand that culture, empathy, and strategy are not optional; they are the foundation of sustainable success.
I believe in advocating for kindness, equity, and excellence. I believe in treating people with dignity, even during the hardest decisions like layoffs or restructuring. I believe in helping leaders develop emotional and cultural intelligence, not just technical skill.
Ultimately, what matters most is impact.
Changing the narrative.
Breaking generational cycles.
Opening doors for those coming behind me.
And creating workplaces where people feel seen, valued, and respected.
If I can use my gifts, experience, and voice to do that, then I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.
Pricing:
- Pricing depends on services required. Free consultation is available via my website!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.soarenterprise.com/
- Instagram: @soarenterprise
- Facebook: @SOAR Enterprise
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giselle-jones-sphr-shrmscp/
- Other: https://calendly.com/gjones-40/free-30-min-consultation
