We were lucky to catch up with Tiffany Jones recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Tiffany thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you have any thoughts about how to create a more inclusive workplace?

Creating a workplace that prioritizes inclusivity is a multifaceted endeavor that requires a leadership team who understands their team’s need to be heard and valued.

I vividly recall a time when my workplace lacked inclusivity – siloed communication, missed opportunities, and an uncomfortable absence of connection among team members was heavily present. In these moments I realized the critical impact of EQ, and what happens to an organization when it’s missing. When leadership teams understands the tie between the human emotions of all people, irrespective of their background, role, or perspective, a transformative shift occurs. Conversations became more meaningful, collaborations more dynamic, and a collective sense of purpose can begin to emerge.

I’ve also had the privilege of joining workplaces that championed inclusion. These were environments where EQ was embraced and practiced by leaders at every level. Here, the impact was clear. There was a sense of belonging permeated and a feeling that everyone was an integral thread in the success of the organization. In these moments, innovation flourished, and diverse ideas led to powerful solutions. It was a testament to the fact that inclusion isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a catalyst for growth, innovation, and shared success.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started my business in 2017 after leaving my corporate career as a Technical Designer for Spanx working in product development. What started as a blogging hobby in 2014 just for fun quickly turned into a photography, web and brand design business. I’d fallen in love with the creative process and I felt most excited when using my gifts to help others.

Over time I learned to understand the power of energy and how to use it to optimize your life and business. I leaned into astrology, Kolbe, MBTI and Human Design to understand my own unique human energy type and the best way to work for me. I gained insight and experience on how our thoughts create our reality and the power of meditation and mindfulness as a practice, and I felt at home on this path.

On my podcast, Alignment Recess, I share stories about human emotion, the intersection of personal power and leadership development. Each week I share insights and techniques for cultivating greater alignment in our lives, finding inner peace through meditation, harnessing the power of affirmations, and developing the personal power and leadership skills needed to create the life and business we want.

This is a unique approach to business because it’s emotion-centric, focusing more on human behavior and wellness, quite the opposite of what we typically see in digital marketing and business in general.

I support my clients by helping them identity and understand their own unique energy type and what their specific needs are to create the life and business of their dreams in a way that feels good. There’s power in self mastery and learning to work in ways that energize instead of drain you is an incredible tool in creating your desired reality.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

I’ve had to pivot my business several times and in those moments, there was an immense about of pressure to continue to show up, even when everything felt like it was falling apart. When I had to change my services or offers due to market changes or world events, I thought my business was done for good but really, they were opportunities for better alignment.

I’ve tried several business models – everything from coaching to group programs, online courses and physical products. Sometimes it was out of genuine curiosity and enjoyment, but sometimes it was out of ego and the desire to follow the paths of others I deemed more successful. I ignored my intuition many times and had to grow into my confidence as a business owner through a lot of trial and error that significantly impacted my mental health and finances.

But, what I learned in those moments is that the answers are always in front of us, and it’s the fear of change that leads to the resistance that keeps us stuck and creates those “close calls” in business. The recovery process began when I decided to fully own my role as a CEO, which is the same advice I was giving my clients, and not let setbacks cause me to feel like a failure.

Learning how to trust your gut and flow with the changes is critical to the survival of you and the business. When things look like they’re taking a turn for the worst, that’s when it’s time to stay grounded in what you know and persevere. Change is either an opportunity to fall into old patterns, repeating lessons and cycles that keep us stuck, or an opportunity to step more into who we’re meant to be and catalyze fear into transformation.

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

My business started as a blog in 2014 when I was working in corporate and growing my career in Apparel Product Development. I was looking for a creative outlet and starting sharing lifestyle content on my self-made website. Slowly, people around me took notice and began requesting creative services like website design, photography and more.

I fell in love with the process and as social media was born, like others, I learned the power of marketing and how to create a business online. It felt like the foundation to the time freedom and flexibility I was seeking in my life. Over the years the majority of my growth has been completely from organic social and word of mouth referrals. I’ve yet to dive into advertising as I’ve been focused on refining my niche and honing in on the type of business I want to have long-term.

That’s been the most significant key milestone, understanding who I am in relation to my business and gaining clarity on how to integrate the core of who I am as a person into my work. To me, this is they key to creating a life and business you love that doesn’t feel like work, because essentially you’re getting paid to be yourself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tiffanylaurenjones.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiffanylaurenjones
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanylaurenjones/

Image Credits
VS Davis Photography, The Gathering Spot