Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tara Gooch. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tara, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

The idea for TEDx coaching came to me on one of the most pivotal days of my life; the day I delivered my TEDx talk.

We had all been preparing for over six months. Long rehearsals, script rewrites, late nights practicing under stage lights. Each of us knew how important this moment was. TEDx is permanent. It lives online. It becomes part of your legacy.

But when the big day arrived, something unexpected happened. Two of the speakers, both incredibly talented with meaningful messages, weren’t fully prepared. They hadn’t memorized their talks, and unfortunately, their delivery suffered. Their talks weren’t published.

I remember standing backstage and glancing out into the audience. Their friends and family were sitting there, cheering them on. That’s when it hit me. Their stories wouldn’t be remembered. Not because they lacked value, but because they didn’t invest in the support they needed to deliver at the level TEDx demands.

That moment stirred something in me. I didn’t want to see another powerful voice go unheard just because someone didn’t know how to prepare properly. I realized I could help. Not just with performance and preparation, but with landing the opportunity in the first place.

Once I started coaching, I had conversations with so many aspiring speakers. People who had been trying for years to land a TEDx talk with no success. And I was able to help them secure stages in just a few months—typically between 90 and 120 days. The results were consistent. I knew I had something special to offer.

That experience led me to write my second book, Talk Your Way to the Top. I wanted to give people more than just a step-by-step guide to TEDx. I wanted to show them how one powerful talk could build a brand, spark a movement, and open the doors to opportunities they never thought possible.

What excited me most was realizing that very few people were connecting the full picture. Some focused on getting booked, others on performance. But not many were bridging the gap between landing a TEDx talk and using it to grow a business or build a legacy.

I wasn’t just helping people get on stage. I was helping them take the stage with purpose, with clarity, and with the confidence to know their talk could lead to something bigger.

That moment at TEDx, watching those two speakers miss their chance, is what gave me mine.

Tara, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Best Branding Solutions is more than a branding agency; it’s a platform for purpose-driven thought leaders to rise, be seen, and leave a legacy. We specialize in helping experts, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders amplify their voice through TEDx talks, bestselling books, high-ranking podcasts, and high-impact media exposure like online articles and national TV appearances.

As the founder, my journey into this work was deeply personal. I didn’t start out confident or comfortable in the spotlight. In fact, I used to struggle with public speaking and self-doubt. But over time, I discovered that confidence is a skill and when combined with strategy, it becomes a superpower.

After launching my own international bestseller and delivering a TEDx talk that’s now been viewed by hundreds of thousands of people around the globe, I realized that many leaders had powerful stories but lacked the roadmap to turn those stories into influence. That’s why I wrote my second book, Talk Your Way to the Top, and launched our signature coaching programs to help others do just that.

At Best Branding Solutions, we offer done-for-you and high-touch support to help you:

– Land and deliver a TEDx talk that drives impact and opens doors

– Launch a podcast that positions you as a trusted authority and keeps your brand top of mind

– Publish and market a bestselling book that positions you as a go-to expert

– Secure PR features and TV appearances that elevate your credibility and expand your reach

What sets us apart is our holistic, high-integrity approach. We don’t believe in cookie-cutter visibility and vanity metrics. We build custom strategies based on your story, your audience, and your goals. Whether you’re a visionary entrepreneur, a C-suite executive, or a purpose-driven founder, we help you build a brand that is rooted in authenticity and aligned with your calling.

What I’m most proud of isn’t just our success stories; it’s seeing our clients finally feel seen, heard, and empowered to lead from a place of confidence.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

I launched Best Branding Solutions in June of 2020, right in the middle of the global pandemic. While the world was shutting down, I felt something stirring in me. I knew I was meant for more. I had a passion for branding, storytelling, and helping others rise in their influence and I felt called to create a business that helped thought leaders step into their purpose and be seen.

But even with that clarity, I wasn’t quite ready to leave the safety of my corporate career.

At the time, I was also pursuing my MBA. Between work, school, starting a business and having a toddler at home, I was stretched thin but deeply motivated. I knew I needed to finish what I had started with my education before I could fully step into the unknown. So for two years, I kept building my business behind the scenes. I’d work late nights, early mornings, and weekends; serving clients, refining my brand, and building systems from the ground up.

From there, things accelerated. I began coaching speakers and authors, and within months, we were seeing massive results—clients landing TEDx talks and major keynote speeches, hitting Amazon bestseller status, launching top-ranked podcasts, and getting featured in national media and on TV.

But even then, I waited. I was still juggling my corporate job and finishing my MBA, and I felt a responsibility to complete that chapter well.

Once I earned my degree and saw the momentum of my business continuing to grow, I knew the time had come. I took a deep breath, trusted what I’d built, and made the leap to pursue my business full-time.

It was one of the hardest—and most freeing—decisions of my life.

Today, Best Branding Solutions is a thriving, purpose-driven company that helps thought leaders amplify their voice and build platforms that create impact through TEDx talks, bestselling books, profitable podcasts, and PR exposure that positions them as trusted authorities in their space.

What started as a whisper of a side hustle during a season of uncertainty became the calling I was always meant to follow.

And I’m so glad I did.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My story of resilience begins long before I ever stepped on a TEDx stage or became a bestselling author. It starts in rural Maryland, where I grew up as the youngest of five kids in a small, working-class family. We didn’t have much—money was tight, opportunities were few, and confidence wasn’t something that was taught or modeled. I learned early on how to survive in a world that felt stacked against me.

I was the quiet kid. The one who was too afraid to raise her hand in class. The one who often felt overlooked, unheard, and unsure of her place in the world. But something deep inside me always believed there had to be more—more to life, more to me, and more to the purpose I hadn’t yet discovered.

That belief carried me through some of the most challenging seasons of my life.

I worked hard; harder than most people realized. I put myself through college, pushed through self-doubt, and found my way into the corporate world, determined to prove that I was capable of creating something better. But even then, I still felt like I was wearing a mask. I had the titles and the accolades, but I hadn’t yet tapped into my true voice or calling.

In June 2020, during the uncertainty of the global pandemic, I launched my business, Best Branding Solutions, with nothing more than a laptop, a vision, and the grit I had been cultivating since childhood. I kept my corporate job for two more years while also pursuing my MBA. Every night and weekend, I poured myself into this dream, not because it was easy—but because I knew I was building something meaningful.

That little girl from rural Maryland—the one who felt invisible—was finally stepping into her power. And the journey to get here? It wasn’t handed to me. It was carved out one hard decision, one silent sacrifice, and one courageous step at a time.

My resilience isn’t about bouncing back. It’s about rising up—again and again—even when the odds say you shouldn’t.

Today, I help others do the same. I coach thought leaders, speakers, and entrepreneurs to amplify their voice, build unforgettable brands, and step fully into the impact they were born to make.

Because I believe the most powerful leaders aren’t the ones who had it easy—they’re the ones who kept going anyway.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bestbranding.solutions, https://taralafongooch.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taralafongooch
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tara.lafon.gooch
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-lafon-gooch
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TaraLaFonGooch

Image Credits

Josh M. Gooch