Angela Thomas lives by a credo that's easy to say but hard to put into practice: “You control your own destiny.”
“You have to follow your instincts and go with the flow,” Thomas says. “That's what I try to do as a woman, as a single mother, and as a small business owner. It's not easy. It's a process. It takes time. You have to work hard. But it pays off. I will.”
Thomas knows what she's talking about, both personally and professionally. Her daughter Maia was born with multiple congenital heart defects and required heart surgery when Maia was 3 days old, 2 1/2 years old, and 12 years old. Thomas tenaciously advocated and cared for Mya, who attended Elizabeth Morrow School. (It provided me with a “great support system.”) And today I'm an 18-year-old freshman at Southern Methodist University.
“Mya is completely healthy now and is thriving,” Thomas said. “But the diagnosis made me pause and drastically change the way I approach life. Every day is precious.”
One of the more precious ones? Mother's Day. Through that lens, Thomas and Maia open up about the relationship they share, the traits they admire in each other, and their hopes for the future.
The same tenacity that Thomas used to get Maia through her health issues also served her well when she decided to start her own business right after 9/11. Her company, Prana Marketing and Media Relations, based in Englewood Cliffs, specializes in disseminating information about musicians, concert venues, companies, and more.
Clients include New Jersey Performing Arts Center, LL Cool J, Jesse Armstead, bergenPAC, Cypress Hill, and more.
“I enjoy working in the arts, but I also enjoyed working with Grissini's staff when they thought they had won the Powerball jackpot,” Thomas said in 2016 when he announced that The staff at the Italian restaurant Grissini talk while looking back on their time working there. Englewood Cliffs thought they had hit the jackpot, but the numbers were from another day. “They were everywhere. Jimmy Kimmeland Good morning, America”
She also collaborated with Jay Bird, an 11-year-old Green Bay Packers fan who came up with the fan song “Green & Yellow,” an adaptation of rapper Wiz Khalifa's “Black & Yellow,” which became a huge hit on YouTube. ”
“It was 2011, before virality was a thing,” she says. “We still charge a fee to see printed material and features about our clients.”
Growing up in the house Thomas purchased in Englewood 30 years ago, Maia had the benefit of having a front row seat to watch her mother love and excel in her field.
“My mother has always been my best role model,” Maia says. “She puts me before herself. It shows how selfless she is. And I think her work is so great. She always tries her best in everything, and that shows how selfless she is. I think it's very impressive.”
Maia dreams of becoming a soccer coach in the future. Her mother's marketing expertise may help her achieve that goal.
“I had no intention of working in marketing before becoming a coach, but I would love to do name, image and likeness deals with athletes,” Maia says. “Her mother always tells me, 'You have a brain for PR and marketing,' and shows me how it can help you in the future. Of course, I learned it all from her!”
Like his daughter, Thomas also showed ambition from an early age. Growing up in Massachusetts, she worked in her family's restaurant and Sahara Bread pita bread factory. She delivered newspapers, babysat and did catering. During her college years, she served as music director at WILD Radio, Boston's top metropolitan station at the time. She then took a job in radio promotions at MCA Records in Manhattan and ended up living in her friend's apartment in Fort Lee. Shortly thereafter, she launched her Prana Marketing and Media Relations.
From time to time, Thomas finds his worlds colliding. For example, when an artist you supported in your radio and record promotion days needs to be promoted for an upcoming show at NJPAC. It happened with the R&B group Dru Hill.
“That was the coolest thing, because I know how to find them and get the interview done,” Thomas says. “Then they say, 'Are you coming to the show?'” They're so excited. Dru Hill is the best example of that because he's been working with them since day one. ”
Her current projects include the North to Shore Festival; Governor Phil Murphy's answer to Austin's South by Southwest North to Shore Festival will bring music and technology to Asbury Park, Atlantic City and Newark from June 10th to 30th. Become. Scheduled artists include Kevin Hart, Jhen Aiko, Matchbox Twenty, Gary Clark Jr., Prince Royce & Wisin', Bleachers, Keyshia Cole, Stephen Colbert, and The B-52's , The Brothers Osborne and Frankie Valli.
Thomas said he was looking forward to seeing Aiko, Matchbox Twenty and Prince Royce & Wisin perform, while Maia was hoping to catch Aiko, Cole and the Brothers Osborne.Meanwhile, Thomas is excited to share the cover of (201) with her daughter.
“It means the world,” Thomas says. “I'm so excited about Maia because she's young and vibrant and has helped so many people. I couldn't be more proud of her. She's the glue that holds our friends together. She's an event organizer. Ringo does not fall far from the tree.”
Mom and daughter's favorite place
Maia will be returning home from Dallas for Mother's Day, and mother and daughter plan to celebrate with a meal on the patio at Lefkes Estiatorio in Englewood Cliffs. “It's so beautiful to be among the flowers,” says Thomas.
Here are some other places they frequent in Bergen
angela: I often go to The Shops at Riverside and Westfield Garden State Plaza. Maia and I love shopping in Westwood. We love Ginger Brand stores, so we'll be heading to Westwood and then wandering around the other stores. I also like Ridgewood.For food, I like Sofia, Lefkes and Axia Taverna
Maia: My favorite places to shop are Ginger and Cream and Ruby and Jenna. I feel like they always have what I'm looking for. And I'm a big gourmet. My favorite restaurant is definitely Houston, but I also love Savini.