We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tarnissha (Moe) Sass a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Tarnissha (Moe), looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

By all accounts I am a statistic. I was a 16 and pregnant welfare mother who made a decision that although according to society I was a statistic, I was not going to be defined by that. I went to the US Army Reserves and left my then 3yr old son with my parents. I came home from the military and shortly after landed a position in a telecom company. I would stay in the company now going on 25yrs. I realized after being in the company for 15yrs and haven been promoted to Management that I was so busy trying not to be a statistic that I wasn’t living my dream. December 4, 2010 I decided to take a risk and become a fitness instructor. I had been going to the gym for years and feel in love with fitness. I decided to go for it. I became certified that day. However, my excitement would be met with tragedy because on December 11, 2010 just 7 days later my oldest son was murdered in my hometown. I would bury my son on December 17, 2010 and within the same week we found that my then husband was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. I took care of my family by getting them grief counseling and cancer treatments. Then I decided that the original risk I decided to take to step outside my corporate box to become a fitness Instructor, I was ready to explore again, I step back into that gym and taught fitness until 2018, when I decided to take my second risk and that was to become a public speaker and vision and empowerment coach.

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?

What made me step into the life coaching industry was I wanted to help transform people’s lives. As an instructor I would watch people come into the gym with so many masks on just hurting in the inside. It was because you can work out your body but unless your work out what’s happening in your mind, life doesn’t change.

I help women create a vision for their life that empowers them to leave a legacy for their children’s children. As a mother of 6 children (5 living) I wanted women to know despite how you start in life you can win. If I could go from Welfare to Winning so can you. It starts with creating a vision for your life. We live in a world where they try to strip imagination. Apart of my job is to bring the imagination back and help my clients dream big again. I offer one to one coaching services. I offer individual and packaged services. I do a thorough assessment of my clients by providing them a Flight (DISC) assessment so we can identify their super power. I also help them to see how their preferences are helping and harming their vision. We set up goals and meet weekly for accountability, mindset work and walk through anything thats in the way of them achieving their goals.

I believe what sets me apart is my vision. I have the ability to see, hear and understand the things my clients don’t say. I help them identify the root of their continued pain and open a space of inner work that they were otherwise not open to exploring. I provide an introspective look that goes past normal coaching.

I’m most proud when I see a client transform their lives. I’m not just helping them, I’m changing their DNA. I know when a person transforms their lives it effects everyone around them. I watch them not just get better professionally but in their personal lives. They are becoming better spouses, parents, and friends. In a world that that tries to show us darkness, I get to see the light. It’s a beautiful thing to experience to see people walk in their purpose. They light up from the inside out as they are finding their way.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

In 2018 I was sitting in my office at the lowest point I had felt in a very long time. I was supposed to go teach my fitness class and I couldn’t move. I was at a loss because I thought teaching fitness was my calling and purpose yet I couldn’t move. I phoned a friend crying. I was explaining how I did not want to go teach. I was just done. I will never forget her saying to me, “you know it’s okay to let it go.” In that moment I knew, it was time. In that moment, I didn’t know it but I was about to step into a new phase in my life. There was something bigger and I had to pivot. I thought I was letting God down. I didn’t know that purpose shifts. A few weeks after I let my fitness business go, I was in my living room feeling down because I thought I knew what my purpose was. I was listening to YouTube and a voice that I had never heard came through the speakers and it was as if I was elevated out of my seat. That voice was Les Brown. I knew in that moment what was next for me. I was going to be a speaker and coach. I realized that in 2015 as a continuing education class, I had already been certified to the be a Life Coach. However that day, I heard him say he went to the National Speakers Association (NSA) Speakers academy and I called that day and signed up. After completing the academy I started Life Coaching w Sass.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When my son was murdered in December 2010, it sent my entire family in a tailspin. We had 5 other children at the time who were very close to their brother. He was also a new father when he passed away, he didn’t make it to his daughters 1st birthday. Within the same week my now ex husband was diagnosed with cancer. We were hit with financial issues on top of that. Even with me planing a funeral, caring for my kids mental and emotional health and getting my husband to his treatments, I didn’t let that stop me. I decided that my sons death would not mean the death to all of us. I was determined to keep my family going, his daughter going and his legacy alive. I decided that I was going to live larger than I ever had because my sone was no longer living. Not long after that my ex husband and I divorced in 2011. Despite all the hardships, pain and grief, I remained steadfast in creating a life that my children would be proud of. I was now a single mom of 3 kids living in the home out of the 5 living and during all of this I maintained a full time management job and created my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.moesass.com
• Instagram: lifecoaching_w_sass
• Facebook: Life Coaching w Sass
• Youtube: @moesass

Image Credits
Candid Creations by Candice