Meet Tamara Bond | Author, Professional Mentor & Speaker

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

Hi Tamara, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I started my business based upon my own experience and my passion for serving others. Working in corporate America helped to identify where I needed to be of service. There are things we are not taught in school. As I was making my way through college, studying accounting and business management, while I was learning the mechanics, no one ever taught me or talked to me about the human dynamics of working in corporate America. As a result of that, I was able to do my job, however, I struggled with building a progressive career. I learned lots of lessons along the way, but I always felt like I was two steps behind. The strategic behaviors required to move to the next level were foreign to me. I thought that as long as I did my job and did it well – I’d be rewarded with acknowledgement and promotion. Not so. I believe that if I had a mentor who was genuinely interested in helping me to develop, coupled with some professional development courses, the trajectory of my career would have progressed upward rather than flatlining. That being said, I made a decision to be the help I needed and desired. My God-given purpose is to motivate, encourage and inspire; so instead of solely focusing on building my corporate career, I recommitted myself to serving others.

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?
Serving and helping others to be successful in their individual journeys is a selfless act, which requires the giver to be confident and secure in their own greatness. As a creative and influencer with over 21 years and three presidential awards in the luxury automotive space, not only am I confident and secure, but I have earned my stripes and garnered first hand experience and knowledge to help my clients win. In leveraging this experience, I am positively impacting the development and growth of women across the country. I am leading a wholistic success movement, encompassing professional development, mentorship and custom curated opportunities for women to connect, share and grow.
Getting to this point in my life and business was not easy. Not having all the answers presented challenges and being seen as a competitive threat came with setbacks and detours. Tapping into the resiliency of my mother’s example kept me in the game. The challenges I encountered forced me to be patient and resourceful; in my challenge I had to figure “it” out. As hard as it was, I had to remember that my calling was bigger than me. I quickly learned that the adverse situations and difficult people I was encountering were all contributing towards my growth and indirectly setting me up to be of greater service. Every obstacle is an opportunity and every trial is a test. Once you remove the emotion from your challenges, then you are better positioned to see the bigger picture and to learn from it.

In feeling the gravitational pull of my calling, I’m able to lean into it and serve women and girls in the way God would have only me to serve. As a success advocate, professional mentor, speaker, writer, workshop facilitator and event host, I have committed my efforts towards encouraging and supporting emerging and transitioning professional women. My story is more common than one might think and it’s time for that story to be told. For every woman I’m able to help, a story is being told. For every woman I’m able to connect with, a story is being told. For every woman who walks away whole, a story is being told. Working with me is about more than just professional development, it’s about transformation and claiming your rightful place in career and life.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When I’m not working and looking to get out and about, pre-covid of course, I would start the morning at Yolk in downtown Fort Worth with a filling and tasty breakfast complete with bottomless mimosas. After that, I’d head down to the Fort Worth Water Gardens. It’s a great place to sit and listen to the tranquility of the water and to also take some amazing pictures. Next, I’d take in some fun at Top Golf. There’s nothing like a little competitive fun hitting golf balls and snacking with a cocktail. Alternatively, I would start my day with brunch at Mexican Sugar followed by a day party at Sandaga. Given my love of Mexican food other potential stops includes Campuzano’s, Martha’s Cocina and Javier’s. My other major love is live music. Anywhere I can find a live band or concert, I’m there. With a passion for dance, you can also find me at the latest performance of the Dallas Black Dance Theater or attending a local swing out party. For me, the best outing of them all, is at a friend’s backyard BBQ or crawfish boil. Smaller gatherings with friends, food and fun is my all-time favorite thing to do.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would not be where I am today had it not been for my three Angels, my mother and my maternal and paternal grandmothers. Growing up, my mother worked – a lot. She was a single mom and was committed to providing for my brother and I. Watching her I learned about the importance of work ethic and resiliency. My maternal grandmother was the epitome of commitment and responsibility, while my paternal grandmother was a walking example of class, respect and honor. My family molded me and built up my confidence by pushing me out front every opportunity they got. From Easter speeches to cheerleading, Christmas plays and oratorical contests, you name it, I was out front speaking. These childhood experiences were my training ground for what I’m doing today. I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention my good friend, Dr. Kimberly Ellison. We are a true manifestation of when the teacher becomes the student. In corporate, I was Kimberly’s manager. In that role, I did my best to provide advice and guidance to her. Over the years, as Kimberly left corporate and continued to flourish in her calling, the tables turned and she has become a major source of genuine love and encouragement for me in my business. She pushes me and reminds me of God’s promise to us. For that, I am thankful.

Website: www.tamarabondinspires.com

Instagram: @TamaraInspires

Facebook: @TamaraBondInspires

Other: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1825171147647549

Image Credits
Lawrence Jenkins Pictures Haute Shots by Tanya