We recently had the chance to connect with Dr. Tina Moss and have shared our conversation below.
Tina, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Who are you learning from right now?
Right now, I’m learning a ton from Steven Bartlett, the creator and host of “The Diary of a CEO.” His podcast has become part of my daily routine. What I love about Steven is that he doesn’t just interview successful people—he digs into the “why” and the “how” behind their decisions, mistakes, and turning points. His guests come from completely different fields—entrepreneurs, psychologists, artists, athletes—and each conversation feels like a masterclass in both emotional intelligence and strategic thinking.
Steven is incredibly intentional with his questions. He listens deeply, challenges assumptions, and isn’t afraid to push into uncomfortable territory. Because of that, the insights feel raw, honest, and practical. I walk away from every episode with something I can apply—whether it’s a perspective shift, a productivity approach, or a new way of thinking about leadership and personal growth.
Learning from him has made me more reflective and curious. It’s helped me think bigger about what’s possible, while also reminding me to stay grounded in purpose and values. In short: he’s brilliant at getting to the heart of what makes people tick—and I’m constantly learning from that.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Tina Moss, the Chief Operating Officer and co-founder of City Owl Press, an independent publishing house dedicated to empowering authors and delivering exceptional books across genres. What makes our company unique is that we approach publishing from the inside out: I’m not only an executive, I’m also a USA Today Bestselling Author. When we founded City Owl Press in 2014, my co-founder—author Yelena Casale—and I built the company with a radical question in mind: what if a publishing house truly understood authors because it was run by them?
That perspective shapes everything we do. We believe in transparency, collaboration, and giving writers a real seat at the table. As COO, I oversee operations, strategy, and growth, but at my core I’m still a storyteller. I bring that creative mindset to the business side of publishing, ensuring that every decision honors both the art and the industry. We’ve grown from a passion project into a thriving press with award-winning titles, bestseller placements, and authors who feel truly seen and supported.
Currently, I’m focused on scaling our reach, expanding our partnerships, and championing voices that deserve to be heard. Every book we publish reflects what we believe in: great stories, strong author relationships, and a commitment to doing publishing differently.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that needs to be released is the people pleaser. For a long time, that trait served a purpose. It helped me develop empathy, build connections, and understand people on a deeper level. It made me attentive to others’ needs and emotions — qualities that are valuable in both leadership and collaboration.
But over time, I realized that constantly prioritizing others’ comfort over my own clarity was holding me back. It created hesitation where decisiveness was needed. It led me to soften boundaries that should have been firm. And in some cases, it slowed down the growth of the company because I was afraid of disappointing someone or being seen as “too direct.”
Now, I’m choosing a different path — one rooted in authenticity and conviction rather than approval. Empathy stays. Compassion stays. But the version of me that compromises my vision to keep the peace no longer has a place in the future I’m building.
I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about pleasing everyone. It’s about making decisions that align with your values and your mission, even if not everyone agrees. Letting go of the people pleaser is what’s allowing me — and the company — to grow.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me something success never could: it reveals who people truly are. When everything is going well, it’s easy to assume that everyone has the best intentions and is genuinely in your corner. But hardship removes the mask — it shows who shows up and who disappears, who supports you and who benefits from your silence.
In moments of struggle, I learned to recognize authenticity. I learned who could handle honesty, who could stand beside me when things were messy, and who only wanted proximity to the shine of success.
Success can be loud and crowded. Suffering is quiet — and in that quiet, you see clearly. It taught me discernment, boundaries, and the strength to trust my own intuition. That clarity has become one of the most valuable lessons of my life and leadership.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
I think a lot of smart people today are getting it wrong by treating success like a zero-sum game. There’s this mindset that someone else’s win automatically means your loss — as if opportunity is a limited resource. But that’s not how growth actually works.
Colleagues aren’t competitors; they’re innovators. When we share ideas, challenge each other, and collaborate, we all rise. Even rivals play an essential role — not because we try to pull each other down, but because we push each other to reach new heights. The best competition is mutual expansion, not destruction.
The future isn’t about hoarding information or guarding your lane. It’s about collective acceleration. We thrive by building together, not by shrinking someone else’s success to make space for our own.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Yes — and I believe that experience is a direct by-product of “grind culture.” For years, I bought into the idea that fulfillment lived at the next milestone: the next achievement, the next goal, the next win. You push relentlessly, you hit the target, and instead of feeling satisfied, you immediately look up at the next rung on the ladder.
That mindset fuels progress, but it also creates a moving finish line. You never stop to acknowledge how far you’ve come — you only focus on how far you still have to go. Achieving something you worked hard for should be meaningful, not just a brief pause before the next hustle.
What I’ve learned is that success without presence feels empty. When we stop measuring worth solely by output and start valuing self-awareness, gratitude, and balance, the accomplishments finally feel like they mean something.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tinamoss.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authortinamoss/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-moss/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTinaMoss/
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