Marcia O’Connor is the chief executive officer and founder of The O’Connor Group, a human resources consulting firm. O’Connor aims to support women entrepreneurs, and she identified the need to empower women to achieve the milestone of $1 million in sales, a goal that only a small percentage of entrepreneurs reach. To pursue that goal, she founded ShadowHer.org, an initiative dedicated to helping women entrepreneurs who have already achieved significant sales but have yet to reach the $1 million benchmark.
Under O’Connor’s leadership, ShadowHer.org has successfully launched and empowered 10 women entrepreneurs, providing them with the resources and expertise to reach new heights in their businesses. The initiative has a team working tirelessly behind the scenes to make it all possible.
“I can personally attest to the sacrifices that come with being an entrepreneurial leader,” O’Connor said. “I recall a pivotal moment in my own journey when I took a leap of faith with a modest $8,000 bonus, which had to sustain me for a crucial six- month period. It was a bold move, and I vividly remember the heart-wrenching conversation I had with my husband, asking if he would be OK if we had to lose our house. Thankfully, he said, ‘No problem!’ Even though I am not sure he realized what he was saying yes to!”
In addition to her work with ShadowHer.org, O’Connor is proud of the rapid growth of the ConnectorsWhoCare (CWC) committee, a philanthropic endeavor that drives change in the local community. Through CWC, O’Connor and her team have supported more than 15 charities, volunteering their time and resources to help raise funds, improve social media presence and provide in-kind donations. The overwhelming demand has led to the establishment of a waitlist of organizations seeking their support, with plans to donate more than $50,000 annually to these worthy causes.
As the leader of The O’Connor Group, O’Connor has revolutionized the world of talent acquisition and human resources consulting, her team said. The organization is headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and has additional offices in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Tampa, Florida. The O’Connor Group’s team of over 80 employees delivers services across various industries, including life sciences, healthcare, professional services, information technology and manufacturing.
The O’Connor Group specializes in driving the growth of startup businesses, delivering interim human resources solutions, managing strategic projects and spearheading change management initiatives.
O’Connor has created innovative products and initiatives such as the Connector newsletter, HR Office Hours, HR Quarterly Panel Series, quarterly themed town halls, Alumni Oktoberfest, monthly women CEO breakfasts and the Executive Women Networking Series.
“The road to success was not easy,” O’Connor said. “It took years of hard work, perseverance and unwavering belief in my vision before we began to witness the true potential of the system I had built. But we never gave up. We weathered countless setbacks, endured sleepless nights and faced numerous challenges head-on … Today, as I reflect upon our journey, I am proud to say that we have arrived.”
