We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tiffany James a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Tiffany, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Having relocated from Chicago to California more than two decades ago, I encountered a culture where women hesitated to stand in the brilliant light of their peers. Struggling to find genuine support, I realized the need for a shift—a movement that embraces and celebrates the greatness of every woman. This journey has led me to not only collaborate with other women but to make the change I wished to see. Over the past decade, I have devoted myself to empowering women through the influential power of my voice, both on and off the stage. I have always been underestimated but I learned how to become the exclamation mark behind my own validation. I am a powerhouse when it comes to encouraging and impacting women.

This endeavor culminated in the creation of the “You Belong in the Room Encouragement Box.” It transcends being just a box; it’s an empowerment movement. Each box stands as a testament to my commitment to supporting women-owned businesses, especially those without a physical storefront. The carefully curated contents aim not only to provide encouragement but to celebrate and empower each woman’s unique journey toward greatness. Moreover, in June of last year, I introduced the inaugural “You Belong in the Room” one-day retreat. The impact was profound, with each woman experiencing a personal and intimate connection. It was truly a moment of awe-inspiring significance.

Tiffany, 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?

My journey’s beginning is quite remarkable, and I’ll do my best to summarize. In 2005, as I was progressing in my career, settling into a new home, and cherishing and creating moments with my wonderful family, an unfulfilled longing lingered within me. Writing held a special place in my heart, and the natural inclination to uplift others through my words became apparent.

Driven by this passion, I initiated the sharing of my writings through a blog. Soon after, I took a bold step and presented some of my poetry to my church community. The turning point occurred in 2006 when one of my poems, titled “Simple Cares of Life,” found its way into the international poet society competition, a move whose initiator remains a mystery to me. Each leap of faith led to the unlocking of new opportunities, fueling my passion even further.

Persistently, I attempted to showcase my poetry and writings in various businesses and stores that embraced literary works, but my efforts were met with disappointment. I remained an unknown name, and it seemed like no one was willing to take a chance on me. In that disappointing moment, Encouraging Touch Enterprise was born right in my garage. I started offering personalized and customized poetry pieces, with the tagline, “Give a gift that creates a legacy that lasts a lifetime.”

My initial passion blossomed into a beautiful business, which, unexpectedly, evolved into a much greater purpose. Presently, I harness my talents in encouragement, writing, coaching and motivational speaking to provide transformative support to women. My aim is to empower them, instilling the courage needed to embrace their passions and wholeheartedly pursue their unique purposes in life.

What I’m most proud of is persevering through numerous challenges and rejections, all while navigating the complexities of being a woman in business. Throughout this journey, I’ve tried to remain steadfast in not loosing sight of what truly matters, such as my family, integrity, and genuine care for others. I make a conscious effort to uphold these values while striving to be authentic to who I am.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In 2019, I felt poised for a breakthrough in my business, particularly as an author and speaker. The momentum was building with a successful book release event, increasing speaking engagements, and securing a contract to host a Christian comedy tour. However, the unforeseen disruption of Covid-19 led to a world shutdown, affecting my in-person engagements significantly. It felt like the years of hard work building a foundation were suddenly erased.

Despite grieving the loss of the familiar, I embraced the opportunity for change. It during this time, I entered a contest on social media hosted by WO3, an organization focused on women supporting women in business. By sharing how I supported women in business, I won a six-month free membership to a co-working space called The Hivery in Marin. Interestingly, The Hivery had recently transitioned to a virtual platform due to the pandemic.

Witnessing the owner’s successful pivot from a physical to a virtual space inspired me. One day, the owner asked me if I would be willing to do a virtual workshop about joy in the midst of disruption ( or something similar). Despite, having no prior experience in virtual presentation I seized the the opportunity. As time past, and my six months was nearing I was invited to join The Hivery as a paid coach, leading group co-working sessions in the virtual space.

While working with The Hivery, I found the courage to further my education and enrolled in school to pursue a degree in English with a minor in Creative Writing. Additionally, I integrated coaching into my business, recognizing the value of this new opportunity and realizing it was aligned with what I had been doing all along, albeit in a different context. I learned the power of pivoting.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Honestly, the most effective method for acquiring new clients, whether in coaching or speaking engagements, has been through word of mouth and testimonials, which I share on all my platforms. I’ve learned that clients and the people I meet when I speak serve as the most power form of advertisement and marketing. Moreover, I firmly believe that staying true to oneself, approaching everything with sincerity and a commitment to excellence, is the key to success. While the progress may be gradual, the investment in authenticity builds trust and ensures long-term sustainability, making it a worthwhile journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.encouragingtouch.com
• Instagram: ncouragtouch
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiffany.james.IAm
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/tiffany-james-8104688