In this episode of Promoted, Merit America Career Coach Joey Ratcliffe sits down with Merit America alum Toneise Holmes to talk about how she stepped away from a traditional 9 to 5 and built a career rooted in data analytics, user testing, and entrepreneurship.
Key Takeaways
Career change doesn’t always mean following a straight line. Many professionals pivot multiple times before finding work that aligns with their skills, values, and lifestyle. In fact, the average American holds 12 jobs over their lifetime, often driven by evolving priorities and new opportunities.
Toneise Holmes is a powerful example of how transferable skills can open doors to nontraditional careers. After years in retail management, she completed Merit America’s Data Analytics program and earned her Google Data Analytics Certificate, gaining the technical skills and confidence to explore new paths in tech.
Instead of chasing a single job title, Toneise leveraged her experience in operations, systems thinking, and problem solving to break into user testing, a growing and flexible tech career option. She also built a personal project, her boutique Chick Loft, which helped her stay motivated and creative during her job search.
Toneise’s story highlights a critical mindset shift for career changers: your past experience is not something to leave behind. When paired with in-demand skills like data analytics and real-world projects, it can become the foundation for an entirely new career.
In this episode of Promoted, Joey and Toneise discuss how to transition careers without starting over, why personal projects matter, and how embracing your uniqueness can lead to meaningful, sustainable work.
Tune in to learn:
- How to make a career change using transferable skills
- Why earning a Google Data Analytics Certificate can open doors beyond traditional roles
- How personal projects and user testing can support a modern job search
Listen to full episode!
Join Joey and Toneise as they talk about leaving traditional career paths behind, completing the Google Data Analytics program, and building a flexible career in tech through mindset shifts, personal projects, and skill development.
Podcast Transcript
Toneise: It’s okay to be different. I think that’s really the huge part in it. And it’s not something that you should take lightly. Just be empowered by it.
Joey: Welcome to another episode of Promoted, a podcast about leaving low-wage work for good. I’m Joey Ratcliffe, today’s host and a Merit America coach. In this episode, we’re talking about stepping outside the traditional 9 to 5 and creating your own career.
Today, I’m joined by Toneise Holmes, a Merit America alum who completed the Data Analytics program and earned her Google Data Analytics Certificate. Toneise, I’m so glad you’re here. Welcome to the show.
Toneise: Thank you so much, Joey. I’m really happy to be here.
Joey: From the beginning, you always had a different approach to your career. You took control of the program, stayed disciplined, and really leaned into the process. Let’s start with your background. What were you doing before Merit America?
Toneise: I ended up in retail and became a senior store manager managing multiple storefronts in California. After moving back to New York, I knew I wanted something different. I had all these skills, but I didn’t know how to translate them into a new career. That’s when I found Merit America.
Joey: What stood out to you about the Data Analytics program?
Toneise: Reading about the program made me realize I had already been working with data for years. Retail is all about systems, processes, and real-time decision making. Merit America helped me take those skills from physical work into digital work. Completing the program and earning my Google Data Analytics Certificate made everything click.
Joey: What does your career look like now?
Toneise: Right now, I work in user testing with Applause, and I also do program advisory work that helps families find educational resources for their kids. User testing was something I didn’t even know was an option until I gained data analytics skills.
Joey: You also had an incredible capstone project. How did that impact your confidence?
Toneise: The capstone brought everything together. I learned how to analyze data, build dashboards, and present insights clearly. It gave me something real to show employers and helped me see how much I’d grown. That experience completely changed how I approached my career.
Joey: You also built a personal project while job searching. Why was that important?
Toneise: Job searching can be exhausting. My boutique, Chick Loft, helped me stay creative and motivated. Having a personal project reminded me that my career doesn’t have to fit into one box.
Joey: What advice would you give to someone who feels stuck in a traditional job?
Toneise: Mindset is everything. Sometimes a job is temporary support for a long-term goal. You don’t have to abandon your creativity or your vision. You just have to keep moving forward and find work that supports where you’re going.
Joey: What’s next for you?
Toneise: Long term, I want to become a speaker and maybe write a book. I want to inspire people to embrace being different and show them that there are many ways to build a career.
Joey: Toneise, thank you for sharing your story. You’re proof that stepping outside the traditional 9 to 5 is possible.
Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Promoted. If Toneise’s story resonated with you and you’re interested in exploring how Merit America can help you earn in-demand skills and pivot your career, visit our website at www.meritamerica.org.