Meet Tara Jaye Frank | Author, The Waymakers and CEO, The Waymakers Change Group

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tara Jaye Frank and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tara Jaye, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?

Interestingly, I never intended to be an entrepreneur. I began working at Hallmark in Kansas City immediately upon graduation from Spelman College and enjoyed a very successful run. I honestly believed I would retire from there, but after seventeen years with the company, I got remarried and moved to Texas. Prior to the move, I’d been in succession for a corporate officer role but because the position was based in Kansas City, that path was no longer viable. Just like that, my career trajectory shifted and I had to reconsider how I would spend the next several years of my professional life.

I’d learned a lot at Hallmark, including how to understand and solve consumer problems. I knew this “product development” mindset could be transferred to other challenges that needed solutions, and much of my work to date had been focused on serving marginalized communities. After some experimentation, I determined that culture and leadership work was a good way for me to blend my passion for equality and inclusion with my experience in research, solution design, and team development. Almost eight years later, I run a thriving consultancy and have worked with some of the world’s largest and most respected organizations.

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?

The Waymakers Change Group, the leadership and culture consultancy I founded, helps professionals lead ALL people well. Through keynotes, workshops, immersive experiences, and strategic consulting, we support executives and their teams in better understanding their current state, defining their preferred state, and building a bridge between those two points.

In this age of increasing diversity, leaders who can’t facilitate equitable outcomes and cultivate inclusive workplace environments won’t be able to lead at all. Unleashing talent fully, freely, and fairly is and will continue to be at the heart of effective leadership, and this truth will only grow more pronounced.

We know it’s easier to sit on the fence–to mind your business and let the gravitational pull of outdated norms run its course. We also know that brave and intentional leaders can improve our work environments by inspiring a tipping point where the “laggers” join the leading group . It’s this coalition of the willing that can change our workplaces for good and make them worthy of the talent and the customers we aim to serve.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

I’m a foodie…

Sunday: Brunch at Breakfast Boys
Monday: Dinner at Apt. 4B in Buckhead – Carribean fare heaven
Tuesday: Happy Hour at Bougaloo – Swings, anyone?
Wednesday: Lunch at Slutty Vegan because YOU’RE IN ATLANTA!
Thursday: The Beautiful Restaurant so you can say you hit a classic
Friday: The James Room, open until 2am: It’s a vibe, and also, pastry.
Saturday: Brunch at Grits and Eggs

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people and organizations that have helped shape my story. My inspiration for writing The Waymakers was a recognition of exactly this–that beyond skills and experience, we reach our highest heights because someone opened a door for us, removed a barrier, and ushered us through to greater levels of contribution.

The Executive Leadership Council has played a meaningful role in my professional journey. First, being among so many accomplished Black executives is a frequent reminder of what’s possible, and the friendships I’ve developed are with people I can call with questions and concerns I may not always feel comfortable asking others. They’ve been there and done that, and are always willing to share what they’ve learned. We all need people who have been where we’re going who can show us the way. Special shout-out to my business mentor and friend Keith Pigues, who lives in Atlanta!

Dr. Maya Angelou taught me a lot about claiming my space. I worked as her editor for a decade while at Hallmark, and every call, every visit, every creative brainstorm was food for my soul, reminding me of my worth and my power. She was known to offer generous praise and loving correction. I experienced both and became stronger and wiser as a result. She was a giver and a teacher, in every way.

I also want to shout out my Spelman sisters and my sister-friends in Kansas City whose love and support keep me grounded. In my most difficult personal moments, having people who “knew you when” and who don’t judge you (or worse, just want things from you) is invaluable.

Spelman College is a true haven. It is the first place, other than my childhood home, where I felt completely free to be me, and not merely a representative of a group. Being surrounded by like-minded women who are all high achievers and who dream of making an impact on the world raises your standards for yourself and for others, and gives you the confidence you need to set boundaries and hold them. To this day, I believe attending Spelman is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Last, my family, and especially my husband John, is my center and my safe place. My successes–and failures for that matter–don’t influence what they think or how they feel about me. I’m a wife, mom, daughter, and sister who just happens to write books and run a company, and at the end of the day, that’s exactly who I want to be to them and for them.

Website: www.twchg.com

Instagram: @thewaymakerschangegroup

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/thewaymakerschangegroup; www.linkedin.com/in/tarajayefrank

Image Credits
Kendra Swalls