The Story Exchange, Carol Willems, Royal MatchYour Name: Carol Willems

Business Name: Royal Match, a christian matchmaking service

Type of Business: Coaching & Consulting/Personal Service Industry

Business Location: Canada

Reason for starting
After spending many years researching the matchmaking industry and having had many negative experiences dating Christian men who were not who they claimed to be, I discovered a need for a boutique matchmaking service that could meet the various needs of the Christian singles community. I believe that the mission to unite God’s people for God’s glory, was born in my heart many years ago and has remained a fixed desire I simply couldn’t shake. The Lord has opened an opportunity for me to pursue my dream of blessing others in a way that will continue to generate blessings for generations to come. I am looking forward to blessing many and bearing good fruit for many years to come. In the words of scripture, “He who finds a wife, finds a good thing and obtains favour from the Lord”.

How do you define success?
Having been a servant leader for many years in Christian ministry delivering social services, I have discovered that success is found in the joy of serving others. I have a firm belief that if the Lord places a mission on my heart, He will bring it to pass and nothing can stop it from being realized accept me. My success is truly found in helping others achieve success. This is what brings me joy and is what has grounded me in my ministries to date. I am hopeful for all that God has for me as I continue to serve Him while I enjoy the journey shared with others along the way. When God is for me, how can I fail.

Biggest Success
I would have to conclude that my biggest success is having been given the opportunity to be a mother to my beautiful children. I am eternally grateful for the gift of my children, as they have been my greatest source of love and joy. My children are a blessing from the Lord. I would also suggest that the joy of ministry and watching others succeed has been a significant success for me as well. I have been honoured to work with a teams of dedicated professionals helping others from the homelessness to home. Helping a single mother with her children find home again after losing everything is a success that will always remain with me.

What is your top challenge and how have you addressed it?
I believe that the biggest challenge for me was having to transition my life from the familiar of everyday ministry to undertaking something new and unfamiliar by creating something from nothing. By the grace of God, I have found the courage to change my career direction and embark on a new journey to pursue my own business. Christian Matchmaking has been a passion of mine for many years and I believe that if I take care of God’s business, He will take care of mine and so by faith, I will pursue the calling and believe for the favor of God to bless me all the way.

Who is your most important role model?
When I think of specific individuals who inspire me, I think first and foremost of my daughter. Rebeckah lives up to her name and defines the word “beautiful”. She has a way of inspiring me to be my best and always believes in me. Her love is a significant influence in my life and drives me forward from success to success. Another significant role model would have to be Oprah. She is a woman of faith who took something from nothing and made it beautiful to the glory of God. She defines the word “excellence” having had the opportunity to watch her work when visiting Toronto. She inspires me to truly live my best life as she has seen me through many challenges. Watching her take a talk show to her own network encourages me to follow the call and be faithful to who you are. She is a great example of a woman who defines herself by her own standards, and not the worlds. She is a leader for this time for all women.