Donna Marshall-Payne – Legacy, Leadership, and the Power of Doing Far More

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Houston, Texas. It’s time for Houston Business Radio. Now here’s your host.

Trisha Stetzel: Hello, Houston. Trisha Stetzel here bringing you another episode of Houston Business Radio. So excited about my guest today, Mrs. Donna Marshall-Payne, the powerhouse CEO of Doing Far More, LLC, an organization dedicated to helping families and business owners build legacies, not burdens. For over 26 years, Donna has led a national insurance and financing firm specializing in funeral pre-planning, cemetery services and business funding across all 50 states. Her mission is to bring peace of mind to families while empowering entrepreneurs through access to capital. She is also the founder of Doing Far More Foundation, a nonprofit focused on education, entrepreneurship and cancer awareness, inspired by her own journey as a breast cancer survivor. Whether she’s building partnerships with brands like Kendra Scott or mentoring small business owners, Donna’s work reminds us that purpose and profit can and should go hand in hand. Donna, welcome to the show.

Donna Marshall-Payne: Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Trisha Stetzel: So excited to have you on today. So just tell us a little bit more about Donna.

Donna Marshall-Payne: Oh, God. Where do I start? So a little bit about me. Um, actually, I’m a native of Galveston County. Um, born and raised. Graduated from the Lamar High School, class of 1988. And who knew? Fast forward 30 plus years. I would be in business and doing business as I have for so many years. I’m a mother. Um, I’m a mother to one, but have raised five, and, um. God, I could say I’ve raised an army because God still keeps putting younger people in my life. Uh, so. But I receive, and I love it. I’m a woman. I’m a woman of God. Um. And I just honestly just like to do far more in communities everywhere. So that’s just who I am. And I’m a survivor as well. So, yeah, all in a nutshell.

Trisha Stetzel: Oh my goodness. I’m so excited to learn more about doing more. So you’ve built a legacy around that phrase and even named your business and your foundation using that phrase. What does it mean to you personally and professionally?

Donna Marshall-Payne: Well, I’m glad you asked. Actually, doing far more is actually a dream. It it kind of. It was inspired from a dream and from a prior Life, uh, prior to doing far more. I was doing more nationwide. That was the business. And after, um, big life changes, and I like to say God removed the shackles from my feet. Um, I started to do far more just from a little conversation on the phone with my brother. He said, well, since you are doing far more and I’m like, you know what? I took it. I actually trademarked it. So I made trademarked business because I’m about my business and I don’t want you in my business. So, um, and then later on in life, as I, I grew and developed, um, more, I learned it was really biblical. Um, Ephesians 320 is really where it’s derived from. And from there, I’ve actually been able to be very faithful because sometimes it’s nothing but faith. I have, but he has definitely, um, given me the provision once I’ve had the vision to do far more.

Trisha Stetzel: Yeah, absolutely. So tell me a little bit more about the business of doing far more. Donna.

Donna Marshall-Payne: So we started actually, um, in Miami, Miami Dade, Fort Lauderdale. Um, I started my business in 1999, actually, when I left corporate America because I gave them, I like to say, 11 or 12 years of my life in the financial industry. And I had just kind of, you know, hit that that ceiling. And I got bored. So I got pregnant and then took a leave of absence. And during that leave, I studied and got my mortgage broker license back then and was able to, um, I like to say, kick the door down to my business partner at the time who didn’t want to see me. She kept saying, no, I’m not going to see you. And I stayed and remained faithful. And me and the beautiful Paulette Phillips became business partners there, and we developed a wonderful relationship, and we were doing mortgage all over the tri county area. And I just had a passion for real estate. And so, um, doing the mortgages and from there I kind of scaled and started marketing and using my voice, um, to just get into more doors. And that led me into insurance. And the insurance didn’t like I was good at it, but I didn’t like the life insurance. And the whole life. I don’t like telling people, no, I can’t help you. And then, you know, people ask how I got into the business I’m in now. But you’re still insurance. I’m a broker, but my niche is the pre-planning, so I can help everybody.

Donna Marshall-Payne: And then that just developed into so much more, being able to touch communities all over with the knowledge and the seasoning. I like to say that I have, uh, to give back and do far more and just kind of grow from there. And it’s just been a remarkable, um, scary, um, but worth it experience, you know, to develop that. And then 2022, you know, I always say here today, gone tomorrow. It is a true statement. Went to sleep one night, woke up the next. And then I got cancer out of nowhere. You know, um, a cancer that I had never heard about. And most times, 95% of the time when I talk to someone, they’ve never heard about it. Um, it is the worst form of breast cancer, which they call triple negative breast cancer, which most don’t survive. I did, and, um, I celebrated two years on November the 3rd, 2025, um, of being cancer free. And that means so much to me. So through my foundation, I’m able to kind of give back, do far more, and touch lives. And because I am the entrepreneur and boss that I am, I took that with my trademark and actually created the foundation for Entrepreneurship and Cancer Awareness to be able to touch lives all over. So that’s kind of who I am. And I just, I just it just opens up doors because like you introduced me, it opened up the door to Kendra Scott, who I thought was Spam Girl.

Speaker4: Really? Okay, so you have to share the story. Let’s hear it.

Donna Marshall-Payne: So you know how you get all of these random emails? I mean, I get them all the time, and then you sign up for different subscriptions. Girl, I thought that was spam when they was reaching out to me and I deleted it, they called. I was like, shut the bus door. And so now, you know, fast forward, I must say. The beautiful team in Cypress, Texas at Kendra Scott is amazing. I went in there and um, now I have a Kendra Give Back celebration for my birthday. My birthday was October 26th, but we celebrating Sugar on November the 15th at Kendra Scott in Cypress, Texas. And they may need to put a rope out there girl, because everybody’s coming. Yes, they’re actually giving me the entire weekend to raise funds for my foundation. So anyone, anywhere in the world can just log on and use my code, um, to be able to help us continue to touch lives and do far more. But can I just I need to share this little part because it’s so important.

Trisha Stetzel: Yes.

Donna Marshall-Payne: One of my missions, of course, for the Foundation is we have a huge event coming up, December the 20th. I don’t know if this is the time, but I know I’m limited on time, so I’m going to get it all in sugar.

Trisha Stetzel: Okay. Please do.

Donna Marshall-Payne: December the 20th is going to be my fourth annual Christmas experience. And what that is I’m glad you ask. It is me adopting families and give them a Christmas experience that they wouldn’t normally experience. And I started this a couple of months before I was diagnosed with cancer back in 2022. And honey, I didn’t want to do it because, right, a month up to it. I’m leaving trails of hair everywhere I walked and you know, the emotion and everything were my my team pushed me to do it, and it was the most remarkable experience to partner with the mission of Yahweh in Mission Bend, Texas. Um, since then, I’ve been able to partner with the star of Hope and the Glad Tidings Division. And, um, and then just it just kept elevating. So I went from two families and, um, 4 or 5 kids to last year I had 17 kids. And God bless. This year we’re serving 38 family members. So we are super excited. We’re doing it in Galveston County at the church Progressive Missionary Baptist Church. Shout out to Pastor Jones where I was originally baptized. So God gave me that vision to take it home to Galveston County, uh, to Lamar, Texas, and bless 38 family members this year on December the 20th. Uh, it’s a church of 77 church anniversary as well.

Donna Marshall-Payne: Uh, that’s one of the things. And the second thing, God gave me the dream of what I call the rest. Retreat. Rest, rest. To rest, eat, spa and thrive. Because when I went to chemo, every time my husband tried to take me to eat after. And I just couldn’t. I want to save space for women to come and just kind of rest. You know, when going through that because that chemo is y’all, that’s just poison to the body. But I want the women to be able to come and have a spa kind of day, because losing my hair was one of the most traumatic things. I don’t want it back now, but I’m just saying, you know, I want women to have a, a a space to be transparent about emotions. I want women to come in and have their children to come and have be cared for, and they don’t have to worry, as too many single mothers going through breast cancer don’t have a way lose their jobs and all of that. And that’s part of my ring my bell ceremony that I do as well. So just pointing out the activities that I’m doing with the foundation and where your money goes, it’s all tax free, y’all, and it’s used for God’s purposes. I think I’ve said enough, Trisha. Go ahead girl.

Trisha Stetzel: Oh, I love that.

Trisha Stetzel: So tell us. So for those people who are compelled to give or volunteer or be a part of what you’re doing in your foundation, how can they connect with you?

Donna Marshall-Payne: Um, oh great question. So as of this morning, are both my websites have been launched, redone, revamped? Uh, there’s a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful soul. Her name is Ashley Lipsman fond memories by Ashley. She has transformed the sights. Just took what I had in my heart, in my mind and put them digitally so w-w-w-what more Foundation.org you can donate there. Um, for all the the services we’re doing, you can also volunteer there as well. Everything is kind of a one stop hub, and then you can see the things we’ve done in the past as well. Yes. Mhm.

Trisha Stetzel: The doing more foundation.

Donna Marshall-Payne: No no no no no Trisha. Like we’re doing far more today okay. The doing far more foundation.

Trisha Stetzel: Got it. And you guys as always I’m going to put it in the show notes. So if you’re sitting in front of your computer you will absolutely have a link to point and click to find exactly everything that Donna is talking about.

Trisha Stetzel: Oh my goodness, so much.

Trisha Stetzel: You have so much going on. And I remember when we had this conversation a few weeks ago, like, you have to come tell everybody what you’re doing and you’re serving the community in such a way that is so beautiful and impacting so many families, so 38 families that you’re going to be serving this year. Amazing.

Donna Marshall-Payne: 38 family members.

Speaker4: 30 members.

Donna Marshall-Payne: Members. Beautiful. 38. 38 souls? Yes.

Trisha Stetzel: For sure. I just love that. All right. So, Donna, would it be okay if we. If we tapped a little bit into your business? Because I know that there are people out there who may be interested in the planning ahead piece of what you’re doing and what you bring. So you’ve spent decades helping families plan ahead for difficult moments. How do you help people shift from fear to empowerment during that process?

Donna Marshall-Payne: So great question, Trisha. You know, I ain’t have time to prep for none of this, honey, so. Okay. So doing far more abundantly and by Faith LLC is the trademark business. That business. I’ve only been serving families in the cemetery and funeral industry for eight years. I’ve been doing the real estate and everything else for 26, but for eight years it has become a mission and actually a ministry for me. And we have fun doing it, actually. So, um, pre-planning, you know, usually it’s not about you. It’s really about those you leave behind. So I try to be creative in letting the families know how important it is to get your affairs in order. Because what if what if something happened to you today? Who is going to be that person to take care of those affairs? And are they ready financially, mentally, spiritually? You know what I mean? A lot of people don’t think about that. But what I see day to day money and death separates families. And if you could put your stuff on layaway and be done in about five years. Ten years tops. Why wouldn’t you do it when you’re paying for your life insurance every day of your life? No shade to life insurance because remember, I’m a broker. Life insurance is for the living, though. That’s what’s going to create generational wealth for those you leave behind. But be proactive versus reactive when it comes to death and take care of your pre-planning. And a lot of people didn’t even know that you could do it or that you can. I like to say put it on layaway because you can put it on a payment plan. And a lot of people didn’t know that. And you can save thousands, just thousands of dollars in advance. And I can do it from a computer, from the house, from the beach. I can meet you at the coffee shop. It’s important. And it’s. I’ve really turned it into my life mission to do it. And I’ve created what we call pre-planning parties, like Tupperware parties to do it. And that’s what makes it a little bit easier for people.

Trisha Stetzel: Okay, so now you have to tell me about these parties. Tell me more.

Donna Marshall-Payne: So the pre-planning parties, uh, came to me a year ago, and actually I put myself on tour this year, actually, and I really. And this is important for people to know. I wanted to start in my community first. So I created the Black Entrepreneur Tour, where I was able to partner with black owned restaurants, venues, businesses, and I did tour stops. Okay, we did storytelling, but storytelling sessions about if your family preplanned or not, because that could be good, bad, indifferent, comical, not so comical, but it captures the attention more. And so I involved influencers to come along the journey with me, which brought even more people. And it brought exposure to the businesses and restaurants here in the city. And it just grew. It grew from like 22 people. In my last stop in June, I had over 132 people in the room. And so now in 2026, it is called the Entrepreneur Tour because baby, you can bleed girl as long as you bleed red. That’s what I was going to say. Bleed red, bleed red. We can collaborate and do business. And now vendors. I have a waiting list. I’m just I’m super excited. I got four stops this coming year with businesses now because you know what? You can do things together and rise where you can try to do things on your own. And I’m about elevating other entrepreneurs and businesses. So we collab, we do a little barter system and everybody wins. And it’s a fun experience. I have mobile bartenders. I’ve had celebrity chefs come. It just depends on the spot. But it has been truly impactful, intentional, and it has touched a lot of people in my community thus far and is raising such awareness in other communities. Hence 2026 The Entrepreneur Tour.

Trisha Stetzel: Wow. Okay, you guys, now see why I asked Donna to come on the show to talk about all of these amazing things that she’s doing. Um. Can we? So you’re so involved in the community in so many different ways, helping families in need, helping entrepreneurs, and bringing an audience actually to their stores through this tour that you started in 2025, which is amazing. Connecting people, supporting people. You’ve built a company and a foundation that blend faith, finance and legacy. How do you stay grounded, Donna, while leading all of this?

Donna Marshall-Payne: Um, they say I’m the most humble individual, you know. I’m also a caregiver of four. So, um, I take care of my mom and dad. I’m still blessed to have both. There are 85. Mom will be 86 in December. I take care of my uncle, who has vascular dementia, and he’s a, um, he’s a veteran, uh, from the Army and Navy. He gave over 30 years. Um, and my cousin, who has cerebral palsy, and they don’t live here. They live in Galveston County. So I’m 45, is best friends. But God, to me is what keeps me grounded. I used to call it work life balance, but I’ve learned it’s work life integration. So I’ve learned to integrate my personal life with my business life, and I’ve learned to have fun doing it. Therefore, what I do does not feel like work. It always feels like fun and somehow God has created me to be a magnet, to bring people together as a community, to continue to do far more. Girl, that’s why I use that term right there.

Trisha Stetzel: Doing far more. Yeah, I yeah, it just it it’s in everything that you do. And I see why you’ve trademarked that phrase. Because it is part of who you are and the business that you run and the foundation that you run and just what you bring to the community. So for those people who are listening today, Donna, that, um, work really hard and they don’t feel like they’re getting a return on all of the blood, sweat and tears that they put into their business. What advice would you give them to take the next right step?

Donna Marshall-Payne: I would say be present. Um, one of the main things that has helped me, um, I absolutely adore networking. Um. You cannot be seen and no one will know what you’re doing if you don’t tell someone. I always say, put what you do on your forehead so they can see you coming, and put it on your back so they can see you leaving, so no one will forget who you are and what you do. So you may hit a stumbling block now, but it’s all in God’s timing. And if you really have faith, like they say, the size of a mustard seed, you know, just believe. Because sometimes if it’s not happening right now, that means you’re really not ready, even though you want to be. Because God can open up the floodgates in the blink of an eye. And if you’re not ready, then what is it all for? And I’m a walking testimony of that so yeah. Mhm.

Donna Marshall-Payne: Keep pushing.

Trisha Stetzel: Keep pushing and and what about surrounding yourself. You, you bring such a community vibe to everything that you do. How important is it to surround yourself with the right people?

Donna Marshall-Payne: It is the most important for me. Discernment is key. Alignment is is so important. Um, because if you’re not aligned, then you could stay at the same spot that you are for so long without realizing, you know, it could be the people around you. They say birds of a feather flock together. It’s not. I may be telling my age, honey, but it’s a true story. You know, so if you go in the rooms with the people that may not look like you, but are in places that you desire or aspire to be, then you can learn. Just be a sponge and just take it all in.

Trisha Stetzel: Yeah, absolutely. I love that. And you’ve surrounded yourself with some really neat people. By the way, if you’re not watching the video, I’m going to encourage all of you to jump over to YouTube, because I want you to see Donna and how beautiful and vibrant she is, because she does have a voice, but she is also just glowing with energy. And you have to see it. And what I want to point out is the beautiful piece of artwork that she has behind her. So, Donna, tell us a little bit about this piece that you have on your wall.

Donna Marshall-Payne: Wow. So, C.J. Christian okay, if she she’ll see this eventually. But, um, I also walk with a team. I call them my village, my ambassadors. And, uh, one of my ambassadors was a young lady, uh, back in the day, who’s doing phenomenal things now, um, her daughter was, I want to say, 15 or 16. Uh, she was one of my, uh, my mentees. And so, um, she surprised me for one of my birthdays. They did an uncovering. It’s a commissioned piece. She has it signed and everything. And it’s supposed to be me. Because before cancer, I had hair all the way down my back, honey, to be all curly and everywhere, and. And she said, Miss Donna, you’re always on the phone. So she took my logo. As you can see, and kind of created that. And people have called me from all over the place wanting to buy it or get it, but it’s only one. And so I’m just very grateful and thankful to see that she’ll see that eventually. She’s an artist. Yes.

Trisha Stetzel: It’s beautiful and not for sale, by the way. So those of you who are admiring it, you must have admire from afar, because Donna is not giving that up.

Donna Marshall-Payne: Um, I want to point out before we go, there’s a wreath on the wall. Um, over here, it says I am a survivor. Um, Avis Reeves from. She’ll kill me. I want to say bling my thing, but her name is Avis Reeves. This was the first wreath of hope at my ring, my bell ceremonies. And she hand makes these. And so for anyone that’s looking, you know, breast cancer survivors and things like that, um, I want to shout out to her because I’m really blessed to have that. It’ll be at the Kendra Scott actually, as well.

Donna Marshall-Payne: Okay, fantastic. All right. Donna, um, I know you’re doing the tour in 2026. What else is coming up for Donna? What’s next for you?

Donna Marshall-Payne: So really, just the tour in 2026. In March, we will be, um, celebrating triple negative Breast Cancer Month. Uh, stay tuned for that as well. Um, and right now, just trying to wrap up this year with the Christmas experience. Um, I actually on a new project with Black Wall Street as well. And that’s just really helping and elevate entrepreneurs as well. So really just follow me, guys, because every day God gives me something else different and I just receive.

Trisha Stetzel: Yeah, absolutely. Donna, how can people find you and follow you?

Donna Marshall-Payne: So everything doing far more. It’s trademark. Y’all put it in there. I think I might got a Google review page now too. So w w w Farmall or w w w doing far more foundation. Please follow share, like and support.

Trisha Stetzel: Doing far more. Donna, this has been so much fun today. Thank you for being with me. So you have an event on November 15th, which is the the Kendra Scott event, and then you have your event on December 20th, and then you have the rest event that’s coming up. So you guys go to the doing far more foundation or doing far more. Those are the places you want to go. Go see the beautiful work that her website designer has done for her. Donna, thank you so much for being with me today. This has been such a blessing. I’m so glad that we were introduced to each other, and I knew immediately that I needed to get you in front of the people that I love as well, who are listening to the show.

Donna Marshall-Payne: Thank you Trisha. Thank you for having me. It’s been wonderful.

Trisha Stetzel: Thank you. That’s all the time we have for today, guys. So if you found value in this conversation that Donna and I had today, please share it with a fellow entrepreneur, a veteran or Houston business leader ready to grow. Be sure to follow, rate, and review the show because it helps us reach more bold business minds just like yours and your business. Your leadership and your legacy are built one intentional step at a time. So stay inspired, stay focused, and keep building the business and the life you deserve.