Meet Tai Cochran | Project Management Professional & Educational Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tai Cochran and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tai, what role has risk played in your life or career?
As a black woman living in America, I was taught by my elders early (especially by my grandmother, mother, and uncles) in life to play it safe. It was safer to be smart, go to college, major in computer science, get a great paying job, and raise my family. I swear, I rolled no dice for as long as I could. Twenty years, in fact, I held the dice.

In July of 2019, I couldn’t do it anymore. I blew on the dice and let them roll.

I was done! I was done with the way people diminished others’ light. I was done with holding in the true Tai at work. I didn’t want to treat my team any less than they were. They were highly functional humans who deserved to be empowered and trusted to do their jobs. The people above me thought differently.

A.S.K. Academy was conceived the prior year. Now I knew it was time to give birth to my project management and leadership academy. What better way to empower people if not through the dissemination of knowledge?

Here I stood, no regular paycheck, no W-2 form, no PTO, no medical insurance. It was the biggest risk I had ever taken. Yes, I had a couple of panic attacks. God has seen me through.

Once you take the first risk, it becomes a bit addictive. This is especially true when you are in pursuit of your life’s passion and purpose. Your spirit pushes you to keep moving forward.

Unfortunately, risk-taking is often associated with negativity. As a project manager, I was taught even the riskiest risk has the possibility of returning a reward. However, there is a process you should take before jumping out the window. First, you identify the risk. Then, you calculate the risk. Next, you create a contingency plan. A contingency plan assists with navigating the risk when the unforeseen happens. Because ish happens, right? Its best to arm yourself with a solid, well-thought plan.

Becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable has made me a person who isn’t afraid to change, especially when it comes to the trajectory of my business. The risk of walking away from a stable career does not measure up to the reward of equipping new and emerging leaders with the necessary leadership skills to realize personal and organizational success.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My journey as a full-time entrepreneur has been much harder than I expected. Although the move was calculated, I still entered building my business with rose-colored glasses. No one explained to me the difference between operating in the space of CEO and business owner. A CEO is strategic, seeking out the next business opportunities and developing systems. As the business owner, you try to do it all…. ALONE! Take it from me, you can’t do it alone. My biggest lesson learned is that it is ok to ask for help. I am true believer of sharing my vision only trusted individuals. That may not always be your family. If you can cast your vision to a few trusted people, the help will come. This is whether the help is paid for their assistance. I am so very thankful to people on my team who believe in the vision of ASK Academy.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is a funny question because I am so not a city girl anymore. When my cousins come to town, we like to snuggle up on the sofa with our wine glasses while we reminisce on childhood and plan our life on the family compound we plan to own one day.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shoutout goes out to alllll my family! The biggest thank you goes to my grandmother, Eva. Without her, my mother wouldn’t be here, and neither would my uncles. Their encouragement as I pursued my education has allowed me to blossom into the person I am today. To my husband, JC, thank you for being you. To my daughters, Eva and Melia, each calculated risk I take is for the both of you. To my cousins, who are more like sisters, Kiera, Step, and Kaja, your consistent love, never-ending support, and faithful prayers keep me driving forward.

To every black woman who has served as a mentor, motivator, or cheerleader, the words, ‘Thank You,’ don’t mean enough. You are appreciated!

Website: www.askacademyconsultants.com

Instagram: @askacademyconsultants

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