We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tiara Nicole Riley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Tiara Nicole thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Is there a historical figure you look up to? Who are they and what lessons or values have you learned from them?
For me, I prefer to learn and grow from individuals whose story I can most relate to. My “mentors” include first generation wealthy Black Women because that’s who I feel I can learn the most from. Specifically, I have learned a lot from Kandi Burrus, Michelle Obama, Oprah, Beyonce, and so many others who started from nothing and made something for themselves and generations to come.
My favorite business mentor to learn from is Kandi Burrus because her various businesses are so diverse and she does them all incredibly well. As someone who’s always been interested in a variety of things (I called it Career ADHD), she gave me permission to see that as a strength and not a weakness. She showed me that you can do it all and have it all, even if you have to build one layer at a time.
These women clearly don’t know me (yet) but I love learning their stories and seeing how I can grow from it. I remember the first time I watched Homecoming x Beyonce and I was in awe. I walked away from that documentary inspired to work my craft to that intensity and felt motivated to see what would happen from there. She spent 8 months working on a 2 hour performance, what would this world look like if we all applied that effort to our respective crafts?
Tiara Nicole, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Tiara Nicole Riley. I am a Motivational Speaker, a 4x Published Author, and a Development Coach…although my favorite title is Kayla’s Mama!
I got into each of those titles by being obedient to the things I felt God was telling me to do. I have always tried to run my business in that capacity, to make an intentional effort to do what I felt like I was supposed to do in that moment. And being humble enough to stop doing things I no longer felt I was supposed to be doing. Trusting God and being obedient has allowed me to help a number of people along the years.
Everything that I do is rooted in the desire to help the next person through transparency, accountability, and guidance to help them create the life they LOVE! I often challenge taboo subjects with the goal of creating safe spaces for us to discuss the things that stand in the way of our true freedom. In my experience, being open and honest about the things that I have experienced gives the next person permission to share their story as well.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
One of the hardest experiences I have ever (and prayerfully will ever) had to endure was miscarrying my twin sons 3 weeks apart. It was one of the darkest times in my life and I truly had to fight to find a reason to live after that. All I have ever wanted was to be a mother and for my first pregnancy to end in tragedy after 5.5 months of a perfectly normal pregnancy, I had no idea if I would ever be the same again.
Turns out, I was not. Often times I don’t even remember who I was before losing my twins, but they did change me for the better (after I was able to heal). And seeking purpose for that pain was a large push in the direction of starting my business to begin with. Now I am 6+ years removed and I am raising their baby sister, I know that experience is making me a better mother to Kayla. I am actively loving her with the love in my heart for all 3 of my children!
Surviving the grief of miscarriage has also pushed me into my purpose in a way I didn’t expect. I made a promise to my twins as I left them in the hospital that I would find purpose for that pain…I just didn’t know what that would look like. I will forever miss my twins and wish they were here with me, but I do know that experience (eventually) changed me for the better.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
One of my favorite business books was the 4-hour work week (with rich dad poor dad a close 2nd). What I enjoyed most about the 4-hour work week was how it challenged my mind and forced me to think about things differently. It helped me to prioritize productivity over busyness and caused me to question the efficiency of everything I was doing. I haven’t quite gotten down to the 4-hour work week, but it absolutely changed my game forever. I may have to do a re-read sometime soon!
On a personal note, the book that forever changed my life is called “Attached” and I strongly recommend it to EVERYONE! It explains the attachment theory (which I was previously familiar with) but it elaborates and helps you understand a lot about why people are the way they are. It explains what your attachment style is, how it shows up for you, and what you need in your relationships (platonic and romantic) in order to feel safe and secure. It was a beautifully written book that has forever changed my life. And it’s making me a better parent as is currently developing her attachment style and I am being as intentional as possible with that responsibility.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tiaranicoleriley.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/tiaranicoleriley
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TiaraNicoleRiley
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiaranicoleriley/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TiaraNicoleRile
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tiaranicoleriley3647