Meet Francine McQueen | Minister, Speaker, Marketing & Communications Manager

We had the good fortune of connecting with Francine McQueen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Francine, alright, let’s jump in with a deep one – what’s you’re definition for success?
For me, success is rarely about material positions or wealth – although those things are great! But my definition of success is about impact. If I’ve touched someone’s life in a positive way, if I’ve made an impact in my community and if I’ve represented true Christian love, then I’ve achieved success.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve done some form of Public Relations/Marketing for more than 25 years. I started as a Marketing & Communications Manager at The Women’s Center of Tarrant County more than 4 years ago, after serving on the board. It was quite a career transition for me, having worked in architecture for the previous 10 years. And what a transition it was! I’ve learned so many new skills since joining The Center. And it was challenging to go from ‘corporate America’, especially architecture – which is very innovative, to non-profit where things move a little slower. My personality is ‘Let’s go! Let’s get this done!’ And things move a little slower in the non-profit world because when you’re dealing with donors who are supporting your organization and clients who are using your service, it’s more important to get things right than it is to get things done. So, there was a huge mindset shift for me. But it was well worth the ‘growing pains’! I absolutely love using my skills to serve others, knowing that everything I do is impacting the lives of women, men and children in Tarrant County in such a positive way. If one piece I write or one social media post I design brings in a donation, and that donation provides services that helps someone move out of poverty or heal from a past trauma, then I consider my time well spent. I think my job also helped me have the courage to be more active with my ministry, divinelyfran.com. Once I truly started learning the impact of words and graphics, I realized I had a message to share that hopefully empowers others. On divinelyfran.com, I’m able to impact lives by sharing God’s word in a way that hopefully encourages others to truly embrace their own power and uniqueness.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Pre-Covid, I think we’d start with dinner at one of my favorite ‘hole-in-the-wall’ Mexican restaurants – Antonio’s in Burleson, Texas. I absolutely love their chicken enchiladas and margaritas! At some point during the week, we’d visit The Modern Art Museum, have dinner in Sundance Square after catching a show at The Jubilee Theatre, have a night out at Scat Jazz Lounge and spend an afternoon at the FW Zoo. Dinner at Eddie V’s and dessert in their lounge would absolutely make the list. Grabbing happy hour at Yucatan Taco Stand and having a margarita and some creme brulee would be on the agenda. And visiting downtown Grapevine, having lunch at one of the wineries would be a great way to spend the afternoon. I’d love it if they’d come during the State Fair because that’s an awesome way to spend a Fall day in the Metrolex!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I can easily credit my parents for instilling a strong work ethic and teaching me the value of keeping your word and following through on your commitments. But I also strongly credit my pastor, Shevoyd Hamilton and my mentor, Dorothy Hines, for my success. They both offered wisdom and advice from a place of non-judgement. Since they are both extremely outgoing, and I’m not as much, I learned to be better at networking just by observing them. And they truly have a love for God’s people, a sacrificial love that they demonstrate daily by serving others. That was a valuable lesson for me in terms of how I treat people from all backgrounds and walks of life, realizing that my job as a Christian is to serve others. I also credit my entire church body, Straightway Christian Church, for helping me become who I am today. I literally grew up and found my confidence because of their unconditional support. Every time I wanted to try something new or stepped into a new leadership role, I was met with encouragement. There was never a time where someone said, “You’re not qualified because you’ve never done that!” Instead it was, “You can do it! And we’re here to help you while you learn to do it!” So, just growing in confidence in that arena helped me grow in confidence in all parts of my life.

Website: www.divinelyfran.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divinelyfran/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/divinelyfran

Image Credits
Rachel Delira, Style FW Photos