Public speaker and community engagement strategist Tiffany Young is committed to cultivating growth in others. Early in the pandemic, she leaned into entrepreneurship and launched TIFFANYYOUNG From Pain to Purpose, LLC. Tiffany spoke with MetroHartford Alliance Content Manager Nan Price about her business evolution.

NAN PRICE: Your business provides three services: life coaching, motivational speaking, and community engagement consulting. How did you came up with the concept to combine all of these offerings?

TIFFANY YOUNG: The pandemic made me start thinking about my gifts and talents and how I could creatively and effectively use them to help others. I was already emerging as a motivational speaker. I hadn’t really thought of becoming a life coach until someone noted that I was already doing the work, so why not make a business out of it?

Originally, I didn’t think it was for me. But then early in the pandemic, when we were all at home, it gave me an opportunity to easily access courses and certification online, so I decided why not? I knew many people needed life coaching because we needed to understand what was going on in the world and how to navigate through what was beginning to feel like a stuck place emotionally, personally, and professionally.

The other piece of my offerings is motivational speaking, which I’ve done for years on smaller platforms—but I decided to make a business out of it. Interestingly, during the pandemic, I was getting many motivational speaking gigs because it was accessible virtually. I did some in person and some hybrid, but the opportunities were growing.

And then of course, my background and career in community engagement led to organizations, brands, and some professional athletes coming on as clients.

I’d also been working on some writing about my journey of moving from a place of pain to purpose in both my personal and professional life. Realizing there were so many moving parts to my story, life, and journey, I decided to put the pieces all together and create TIFFANYYOUNG From Pain to Purpose. Beyond identifying my “pain” and moving to my “purpose,” I passionately wanted to help others do the same.

NAN: How did you build clientele and make people aware of your offerings?

TIFFANY: During the pandemic, everyone was glued to social media—even folks who normally weren’t. I utilized that platform to get folks’ attention. I also relied on networking, which obviously looked a little different during the pandemic. But I was still getting out there and keeping in contact with folks and organizations.

NAN: Many people are in the life coach industry. What sets you apart?

TIFFANY: I think it’s important to understand the difference between a therapist and a life coach. Before I work with a client, I do a complimentary intake consultation. We’re creating a relationship and it’s important to figure out if we’re the right fit for each other.

If we discover you’re not at a place where you’re ready for a life coach, I’ll do my best to recommend a therapist. It’s important to “unpack” and deal with your past, but my job as a life coach is to take you from where you currently are and help you move forward.

If you’re in a place where you still need to go back and do some more digging, which is absolutely fine, that’s the job of the therapist—and I’ll see you when you get to the other side of it. We’re going to talk about, make concrete steps, and develop the tools to move to a place of purpose.

As a life coach, you have to understand your niche and how you can best help people. That’s the bottom line. And if it’s not your niche, how can I effectively provide the correct resources?

NAN: As someone involved in several businesses and organizations, how do you make that all align?

TIFFANY: That’s a great question and I wish I had an answer that was straight and narrow. But as you know, each day is different, especially when you’re juggling being a single mom, working for somebody else, and working for yourself.

It’s really about prioritizing and making different time slots available. And knowing that “mom business” doesn’t have a set schedule, so you have to be flexible. You can set a schedule and dedicate specific time to specific tasks, but you also have to accept change will happen when you’re managing multiple things.

NAN: Any advice for others who are thinking about launching a side business or starting their entrepreneurial journey?

TIFFANY: My biggest piece of advice is to find something you’re passionate about, whether it’s a service or a product you’re building. Once you find something you’re passionate about you’re going to get to your purpose.

So often, we do what makes everybody else happy, personally and professionally. We often think we’re responsible for the happiness and expectations of others but truthfully, we’re not. Our journey is our own responsibility. We have to learn to take back our power, do the “work,” and take courageous steps to our purpose!

Learn more about TIFFANYYOUNG From Pain to Purpose, LLC
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