Success Secrets of Enterprising Women: Interview with Thomine Wilson, founder of Art West Agency Employee Arts Program

Thomine Wilson is a member of the Sorrento Valley Hera Hub in San Diego, CA. She is the founder of Art West Agency Employee Arts Program, a program that promotes a positive social and motivational change in the 21st century workplace and provides a promising platform for employment and arts promotion in the community.

Hera Hub: So I really want to hear more about your background. I mean, 25 years in clinical research! Take us back to high school, college, whatever it is and take us along your career path.

Thomine: My educational background is psychology so I’ve always been interested in people and behavior. But as careers happen, I took a little bit of a zigzag and suddenly found myself in clinical research and drug development. But always, always at my core was a vivid imagination and a lot of creativity. So I was always fascinated by how people progress through these transitions, whether be illness or injury, and to look at how the brain works. So the fascination really began early in my career when I was in brain imaging combined, I think, with my interest in creativity and what it’s all about. How do people become creative? What is the catalyst?

Hera Hub: What are you learning along the way as well, Thomine, that maybe some advice for upcoming entrepreneurs. Do you have some amazing advice of “Hey, I’ve bumped into that wall. You know, I probably learned that the hard way.” Has any of that happened to you?

Thomine: I think one of the biggest obstacles… I’ll just call it cords. That’s what I call it. I found myself amongst a lot of technical gear. Cords for adapters, cords for backup drives, etc. And I probably am not very technical at heart so it takes me a lot longer to learn programs.

Hera Hub: I think that is a lot of people out there, not just you! What do you love most about your job?

Thomine: I want to leave something behind. I’m at that point in my life where I’d like this to be a more integrated component to align with non-profit and for profit, help people in the community and galleries, help artists be employed, and musicians be employed. It gives a different platform to take a look at the economy and to be about helping a lot of people and I like that. So that feels good. It feels much better than things I’ve done before. That’s a driving factor.

Hera Hub: What would you say, Thomine, have been the secrets to your success over your entire career?

Thomine: I would have to say persistence. I might even call it stubbornness. It’s kind of a stick-to-it side I’ve always had since I was a child. I am persistent and I like to get it done, so to speak. And the secret, I think, to my success is to give myself permission to be more me and I think that’s important for any person who decides to take an entrepreneurial path.

Success Secrets of Enterprising Women is a weekly blog talk radio show hosted by Hera Hub.