We recently connected with Tabitha Rose and have shared our conversation below.
Tabitha, appreciate you joining us today. Do you take vacations? How do you keep things going – any advice for entrepreneurs who feel like they can’t step away from their business for a short vacation?
I think I am still caught in the idea that entrepreneurs were these superhuman beings who never take breaks, always work hard, and are constantly on the go. But after starting Life to Paper Publishing own, I quickly realized that Vacation is a sore spot for many entrepreneurs. Why? Because we either don’t take them, or we take them, but we never really take them. Emails and phone calls on the beach. Scouring to find Wi-Fi in a small European town. I am guilty as charged.
This is because I feel this looming sense of dread when I consider taking time away from my clients, even if I desperately need to. And when I finally take a vacation, I am constantly worried about the workload piling up due to my absence.
Lately, I have not been able to take vacation time. I’ve been overwhelmed with projects and changes to the team. I think there may be some people out there who think my life is a permanent vacation because of social media posts. The truth is, the traveling I have done this year and last year has been entirely work-related. The picture of me standing in front of the Golden Gate Bridge: taken by a client for whom my partner and I were filming a documentary.
I guess the positive spin on taking vacations as an entrepreneur is that although my vacations are not the standard 1-2 weeks off during the summer, I have the chance to do spontaneous things every week to take myself, “away from my desk.” For example, meeting a friend for lunch on the beach on a Tuesday between meetings. Or closing my laptop, turning up the music, and doing something creative, like painting on a Thursday afternoon. I wonder what would happen in corporate office if someone were to do this? I am grateful that my boss (hey that’s me!) can be pretty tough on me, but at times she can also be a lot of fun.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
Truth: I stumbled, not so gracefully, into my purpose. That is, putting stories to paper and guiding them to inspire hearts and minds around the world.
My career began in politics and shortly after transitioned into capital markets, investor relations. It was a work-hard, play-hard environment and my lifestyle very much reflected that. I felt like I never fit in, constantly like a circle trying to force myself into a square. But I thought, this is simply what “work” is. Like they say, its a grind! And it certainly felt that way. I pushed and pushed, stumbling and making mistakes along the way. Finally, I was fired. At the time it felt like the earth crumbled beneath my feet. My foundation and my identity was stripped out from under me. I grieved and then I got back up and tried harder. And it happened, again. I was fired, and this time drowning myself in my sorrows with alcohol. It became apparent that my life needed a complete overhaul. First, I decided to start my journey in sobriety. This left me feeling open, curious, but also full of fear. I met with an individual who guided me to see that what I thought was a hobby project with my grandmother (writing her life story) was what I should be leaning into. So I did. I imagined what it would feel like to introduce myself as a writer. Then, I started doing it. I felt better recieved by others than perhaps I ever had. One client turned into two, then three, and so forth. Almost 7 years later and I transitioned from solopreneur who writes legacy books, to the Chief Inspiring Officer of Life to Paper Publishing, owner of The Bookshop, founder of Life to Legacy Foundation, and creator/host of the annual Life to Paper Book Festival.
Another truth: the path has not been laid out for me in palm leaves. However, I live in Miami, and palm leaves sometimes fall at my feet, but if anything, it’s more of a danger along with falling coconuts. I digress. Every struggle is an opportunity to learn and grow. Each perceived setback is matched with a beautiful synchronicity.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
My beliefs around money and abundance are what I have struggled with. I am in the process of unlearning, realizing I had it all wrong! Realizing that the fear of financial insecurity was informing my actions and decisions, has helped me move through the process of learning a new way.
Money isn’t the root of all evil; in fact, it’s just a symbol for something bigger – love or joy maybe? For me, I realize it directly informs the level of positive impact I can make in the world.
It’s hard to say what brings me happiness because there are so many factors involved, but one thing remains true: I learned I should never lose myself striving towards my goals which means living fully inside out loud here on earth while holding onto hope at every turn (no matter how dim).
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
I believe the best client comes by way of someone I have already worked with. They honestly share their experience and the individual decides if that feels right for them. I truly find it very difficult to put in words what working with me and the Life to Paper team is like. Best to let someone who we have helped share the journey and let the person decide for themselves. There is no pushy sales or skummy advertising strategies here!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lifetopaper.com
- Instagram: @tab_nav @lifetopaper @lifetopaperbookfest @thebookshopbyltp
- Facebook: Tabitha Rose
- Linkedin: Tabitha Rose