Tissa Richards wears cowboy boots to every meeting. Every day, she shows up as her authentic self – and she’s here to encourage you to do the same!

Tissa is a repeat technology founder and CEO on a mission to create a legion of leaders with an unshakable sense of self. As an Executive Coach, she teaches C-Suite professionals how to articulate their value propositions, stand out, be memorable, and get hired.

Tissa has founded, invested in, and run software companies in Silicon Valley. She holds over a dozen software patents and has won awards for her valuable software products. As a keynote speaker and facilitator, Tissa Richards helps leaders and rising stars from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies create blueprints that nurture diverse and emerging talent. Tissa works with the world’s largest private equity and investment firms and corporations as well as innovative startups. She speaks globally on topics affecting executives and leaders. 

Tissa’s inaugural business book, No Permission Needed, is a useful guide to a successful career trajectory at the executive level. Designed as a workbook, No Permission Needed is your #1 resource to help you become your own most powerful advocate. She dedicates herself to help foster innovation, engagement,long-term value, and lift up all team members for equal voices and meaningful contributions.

Pivoting is okay – and even necessary

Tissa Richards was a successful CEO and Tech Founder. Frequently the only woman in the room, Tissa created software that she patented. She had caught the startup bug, and launched project after project in a hyper-competitive industry. 

At the height of her achievement, Tissa came to a troubling realization: She was totally burnt out. Exhausted and depleted, she decided to step back. In a culture that glamorizes the grind and rewards obsession, Tissa made the difficult decision to take time away. It may have been the best choice she ever made.

While on leave, she began receiving offers from companies wanting her to consult. Major brands had questions, and she had the answers. She resolved to make her knowledge her next business, and Tissa Richards Executive Leadership Training was established.

Money and values are not created equally

When Tissa began raising capital as a young entrepreneur, she didn’t ask enough questions. If she were to give other Founders valuable advice, it’s this: Get to know your investors. 

Naive and new to asking for large sums of money, Tissa believed that all money would propel her forward. But now, she knows differently. When asked why, she says that a thousand dollars from two different investors has different implications. Her advice is to get to know investors and their motivations. What are their values? What is their mission? Are your visions for the world aligned? By knowing what is important to you, you will ask the questions that will yield the best funding from the right people.

Know yourself, grow your business

Tissa Richards believes in authenticity – not just as a buzzword, but as a daily practice. Her coaching and speaking are founded on the belief that what sets you apart as a person and as a leader, is the secret sauce that adds value to the world. 

Finding your unique value can help you reach your career goals. Whether you’re trying to set yourself apart in interviews, present to your senior executives for a promotion, manage a team effectively or build your brand, showing up as yourself can help you use your strengths to stand apart from the rest. Tissa is an expert at personal and professional branding – and she is here to encourage us to be ourselves in business and life!

Quotes

“If you’re not thriving, your company won’t thrive.”

“I thought I was writing my book for women. But I’ve had a lot of men reach out and tell me that it really resonated with them. I was surprised, because you want to be specific and go narrow. But the premise of the book is, who are you? You want to know that and do that in a really unapologetic way, both about the value you bring to your work and the values you operate with as a leader.”

“We do a lot of talking about what we do and how we do it…and we don’t talk enough about why it matters. Frontloading with why it matters and then using that to activate talking about what you do – that’s a great way to get hired, stand out and have an executive presence. That’s how you accelerate your career.”

“When asked about their values, people like to say – I lead with compassion. I lead with empathy. But I like to go one level down and say, tell me why! Those are great aspirational statements, but if we can’t get to the heart of why that’s important and how it creates results, then it’s empty. If you articulate it, it helps people know the brand and your values.”

“Every day, I look at my calendar and get really excited! That’s when you know you’re really thriving.”

Links mentioned in this episode:

Podcast Resources

Visit Tissa Richards’ website at www.tissarichards.com 

Connect with Tissa Richards on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tissa-richards/ 

Take an online course or join a Coaching Cohort with Tissa at https://www.tissarichardsleadership.com/ 

Purchase Tissa’s book, No Permission Needed, on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Permission-Needed-Leadership-Potential-Self-Doubt-ebook/dp/B0BF7G3X5H 

Find No Permission Needed on Audible at https://www.audible.com/pd/No-Permission-Needed-Audiobook/B0BHTWLQ9T 

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