Tara Renze – How to Truly Be Yourself

How can you Become the Best you? Book author, Tara Renze, describes her journey in writing a best selling book on how to become the person you were meant to be. Listen as she tells her story of chasing her dreams and achieving them.

Transcript of Tara Renze Interview, How to Truly be Yourself, by Alan Olsen for the American Dreams Show:

 

Alan Olsen: Hi, this is Alan Olsen and welcome to American Dreams. My guest today is Tara Renze. Tara, welcome.

 

Tara Renze: Thank you honored to be here.

 

Alan Olsen: Tara you have been active in a lot of areas. But before we get into currently what you are working on, could you give us background for what brought you up to where you are today?

 

Tara Renze: Absolutely! First and foremost, I am a born and bred Kansas girl, I grew up in a really rural area of Kansas. And I have actually lived in Kansas my whole life, I went to the University of Kansas. And after college, I moved to Kansas City and went right into the corporate world. I was kind of one of those oddballs who said, Hey, I’m going to go into sales. I remember my dad saying, you are going to go into sales, I was like, absolutely! So I went to work for a company called careerbuilder.com, and spent about almost 10 years, there climbing the corporate ladder, there doing sales, doing sales leadership, I ran a couple of their corporate sales offices, went on to do their national training for leaders as well as their sales force. And then I had a couple big life events, also known as children. And when I was in my early 30s, and at that point in time, I did something I never thought I do. But I shifted gears and I started a home based business, just so I could have that flexible entrepreneurship and be more present in the house as a mother. And I did that for about another eight years. And then it was when I got into my 40s that I decided to really go out on my own and start my own business in my own brand. Writing, Speaking, I’m a keynote speaker, I’m an author, and on a mission to help women be who they came to be.

 

Alan Olsen: So let’s get into the focus of that business. When you are doing an inspirational or keynote speech, and you have the individuals are kind of on the fence of how do I know what my destiny is on life and moving forward? How do you give a person the encouragement to be the person that they want to be?

 

Tara Renze: Well, I think it’s, as I found out as a keynote speaker, it’s easier said than done. I think, for me, first and foremost was really getting focused on who my audience was. And I, you know, I joked early on, when I first started delivering my keynote and my message, sometimes I would go to events, and I felt like M&M at a retirement community. And I was like, these are just not my people, an audience. And it was really just through through that process that I found out that my message really resonates most with working women. So becoming specifically dialed in on the audience and who your message resonates with and making sure that you are delivering it to the right audience, I think obviously, is key. There is that old saying, know your audience, I tell my children, this, Hey, guys, you got to know your audience anytime they’re interacting or doing anything. And when you go back to the heart of the message of Be who you came to be, it was actually a note that my grandmother had left my newborn son, shortly before she passed away. And it was this beautiful note that she had written to this baby boy, her great grandson, and the last sentence that she wrote was, be who you came to be. So it is really this idea that we are all born predestined to do something extraordinary with our lives, that it is a permission slip, to grow, change and evolve. And as mothers and as working women, as much as we relate to that for our children, I think that, women specifically, we get to a point in our lives, and we think, hey, is this it? What’s next? Who am I? And who did I come to be? And so it has been a really just inspiring journey for myself to see the message grow the audience grow. I got a message today from a girl who was gifted my book from someone, and she went to Israel to visit a friend. And she took my book and gave it to her and sent me a picture of her this morning, they were having coffee. And it is those moments that you realize you are making a difference with women in the world.

 

Alan Olsen: Let’s talk about your book. The title is:

 

Tara Renze: It is called Be Who You Came To Be. A Note That Changed My Life And The Secrets That Will Change Yours Too.

 

Alan Olsen: Okay, and the predominant messages of the for the reader of the book, what is the takeaway that they should have?

 

Tara Renze: So be who you came to be. Again, it is a permission slip to grow, change and evolve. But the book really outlines: How do you create it? How do you own it? And how do you live the life that you desire and deserve? The chapters are short, they are snappy, they create a lot of curiosity, and addition to my words of wisdom, I have paralleled each chapter with quotes from different thought leaders, different business people, different women, different men, to just really provide that daily inspiration that someone needs to continue to level up their life and their overall success and happiness.

 

Alan Olsen: So is just the first book that you have written.

 

Tara Renze: This is my very first published book. I did a lot of blogging, I publish a lot online and through social media, but as far as the the hardback edition that you can get on my website as well on Amazon and Kindle and Barnes Noble, this is my first official book, although who knew that I would be an author, I kind of thought, hey, you write the book, and you are done. And then as soon as this one published, I started, I have been starting to work on my second book already.

 

Alan Olsen: What is the writing process like Tara? (For those listeners who want to write their own book.) What is it like to actually go through and put a book together?

 

Tara Renze: Well, there’s times that it seems incredibly empowering it is a process. It takes a lot of vulnerability, it takes a lot of clarity, it takes a lot of dedication and tenacity, to really to really go that core. I do believe that everybody has a book in them, I think that everybody has a story to tell, I think that everybody has wisdom that they learned along the way that they learn from a parent or a grandparent, or an experience or, or just their life in general. And we love stories, we love to learn about other people’s lives. And so I think that the first thing for the writing process is really get crystal clear on the type of book that you want to write, not the type of book you think you should write, or the type of book that you think is needed, but the really the type of book that you want to write. And I know, when I first started writing my book, and when I first got into the keynote world I compete with a lot of big thought leaders and speakers, and I kind of thought, hey, I need a business book, I need that book that’s going to pop on the business section in Barnes and Noble, that corporations are going to be getting their employees to read. And I tried writing that book for years and years and years, and what I realized kind of living through the pandemic and really having to resonate in my own methods of how to create own and live the life that you desire and deserve. I gave myself permission to write the book that I wanted to write, which was not a quote unquote, business book, I wanted a really feminine book, a very pretty book that, that women would want to get that they would feel really special. When they got it when they opened it, I wanted to be filled with quotes. And to have it a highly designed book from front to cover. And once I gave myself that permission to to write the book I wanted to write, it just flowed. And within five months, it was at the publishing house, we were in editing and design. And so that was a it was a really curious experience to go through.

 

Alan Olsen: Yeah, so Tara, first of all, just visiting with you, you are very personal. I can see your leadership inside and the the way you are a keynote speaker coming through. In writing this book, what was the hardes, (this is a tough question) but what was the hardest part about getting through to the end? What was the hardest part in writing the book?

 

Tara Renze: The hardest part was definitely saying, Okay, send it to press, because we always, were always a work in progress. Right. And so I think that, that that is where, during the editing process there was a lot of things I changed that I loved. But then there was always that oh, wait, maybe I should add one more chapter. Oh, wait, maybe we should do this. And I think that to actually box it up and say, hey, send it to the press. Let’s go. This is it. This is this book was a really challenging thing to do. Also, because then it’s in print. I mean, it’s official, right? Like there’s no unprinted 1000s of books that are going to hit the bookshelf. And I think giving myself that permission to say, hey, this was my first book. And it was also the first print of the book, in fact, it printed finally in November, and then we are already back in press now, because it has been so well received. And so we were able to make some minor edits and changes, but the beautiful thing of it is, it is kind of this moment in time, that is forever captured. And I wrote this book on the heels of the pandemic. And going through that event that drastically changed my business. As you can imagine a keynote speaker, there were no events. And we were suddenly thrown into this virtual world. And to have this book is just, it’s something I am really proud of. And I think that was the biggest thing for me is saying, Hey, am I proud of this book? And am I ready to print it and when I got to that point, it was definitely a hard place to get. I didn’t even let my mom read the book before it hit the hit the bookshelves, so that was definitely the hardest thing.

 

Alan Olsen: So Tara when you look at life and look into the future, and then you look back at your journey, what do you want to be known for?

 

Tara Renze: First and foremost, there is one audience I care most about; sometimes I get emotional talking about these things, and that is my children. At the end of my life, at the end of my day, if my kids say you are a great mom, I am so proud of you, I love what you did with your life. And they have this book and my husband is shining light that is my most important audience. And it always will be. So I think that there is that, but really, I want my goal, every time I speak, anytime someone picks up my book is that it gives them the confidence, to own it, to show up as authentic them and to say, to really step into their authenticity, which is, being comfortable with who you are, not who you think you should be, or who you think other people think you should be, and to saying, Hey, I know I’m not going to be for everyone. For some people, I am going to be too much. For other people, I’m not going to be enough, but this is who I am. And I’m going to live my life by you know, my values, by my faith, by my love by, you know, my gifts and talents. And I am going to show up as bold, authentic me. And I am going to create an own the life I live and deserve and desire. That is my mission. And so anytime I get a message from a woman who says, this book has already just changed how I view myself has changed. Last weekend, I had the good fortune of speaking to a pretty tough audience. I said, because it was teenage girls in their moms. I’m like, Oh my gosh, how do I deliver this message to teenagers and 40 plus year old women. But it was it was well received because it ultimately were all women. And when I get those notes of saying, I love this, this has given me a lot of confidence to shine my light. That is all that matters to me.

 

Alan Olsen: So for the listeners who want to pick up your book wherever they find it.

 

Tara Renze: So the best place to get the book is on my website Tararenze.com because you get this really pretty hardback gold foil version, and your listeners can use the promo code: Friend and that will get them free shipping. So that is definitely the best place to get to get the book.

 

Alan Olsen: Okay, Tara, I appreciate you being on today’s show. And, you know, for for the listeners picking up the book. It’s Tararenze.com. Thanks for being with us today.

 

Tara Renze: Thank you!

 

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This transcript was generated by software and may not accurately reflect exactly what was said.

Alan Olsen, is the Host of the American Dreams Show and the Managing Partner of GROCO.com.  GROCO is a premier family office and tax advisory firm located in the San Francisco Bay area serving clients all over the world.

Alan L. Olsen, CPA, Wikipedia Bio

Tara Renze is an author, emotional intelligence practitioner, entrepreneur, speaker, inspirer, blogger, thought-leader, wife and mother and is redefining how we unleash purpose, level up our success and create sustainable happiness and fulfillment in all aspects of our lives. After two decades of success in corporate leadership and social selling, she started training, speaking, coaching to share her passions and help others live the life they desire, envision and deserve. Tara has a true passion and talent for guiding others to harness and realize their full potential.

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Through social media, seminars, insights and writings, she helps her audience become the best version of themselves, achieve unlimited success, live fulfilled and pursue their passions. Tara takes a new and refreshing approach to helping others find purpose and be who they came to be. She combines her expertise in emotional intelligence, success in corporate leadership and experience social sales along with her roles as a wife and a mother to offer her audience an experience and a message that are sincere, motivating, relatable and game changing.

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Tara is recognized as an inspirational leader and top achiever. At CareerBuilder.com, she was celebrated as a top national sales leader as she built and led two multi-million-dollar sales teams, facilitated national trainings and provided leadership consulting to sales teams across the country. She left the corporate world to raise her two boys and successfully built a nationwide, multi-million-dollar social selling business with Stella & Dot, a San Francisco-based boutique-style accessories company offering flexible entrepreneurship for women.

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Tara is a frequent keynote speaker and trainer at local and national conferences and seminars. She is also a passionate supporter of breast cancer awareness. Her mother, mother in law, sister in law and aunt are all breast cancer survivors. 2020 marks the 3rd Annual “Breast Night Ever” event. Tara created this event to celebrate women who’ve been impacted by breast cancer and to raise funds and awareness around the importance of early detection.

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Tara is an emotional-intelligence expert certified through OKA-Online. She graduated from the University of Kansas and has studied leadership at the Wharton School of Business, The University of Chicago and the Kellogg Graduate School of Management.

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Tara’s first book “Be Who You Came To Be” will hit bookshelves in September of 2021. Her favorite titles in life are wife to Scott, mom to Ben and Jack, daughter, sister and friend. Her dogs, Olive & Phog, are by far her biggest fans.

 

Bio courtesy of TaraRenze.com