An Inspired Chat with Tamra Ryan of City

Tamra Ryan shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Tamra, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
After waking up, I meditate for 10-15 minutes; just a brief level set. Then, I exercise. Depending on the day, I either run, use the elliptical machine, or find some other form of being active. I also do 5 minutes of planks and 15 push ups every day. After these activities, I get a cup of coffee and check email before taking a shower and getting ready for the day. During the getting ready part of the morning, I review my calendar and think about how I want to show up for each commitment I have during the day. These activities generally fill the first 90 minutes of each day.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I recently stepped down after 22 years as the CEO of a social enterprise based in Denver called Women’s Bean Project. During my tenure I became well-known as a respected nonprofit leader in Colorado and a social enterprise leader across the US. I have now transitioned to what I’m calling my portfolio career in which I am leveraging my personal brand to launch the next chapter. I am the Coors Economic Mobility Fellow for a think tank in Colorado called Common Sense Institute. In this role I write reports to inform policy and advocacy around issues related to employment and economic well being. I am also providing technical assistance to social enterprises across the US, helping them scale their operations and respond to the increased demand for products and services that many social enterprises are experiencing. And I’m doing keynote speaking related to my second book, Followship: 16 lessons to become a leader worth following, which was released in January 2025. These activities give me the opportunity to stay engaged and leverage my skills for the benefit of the community.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
My commitment to serving women came after I became a mother and began to ask my own mother about her experiences. By the time my mom was 16, she had lost both of her parents. Her mother died when she was nine years old and her father died when she was in high school. My mom moved to Germany to live with her oldest sister who was in the Air Force to finish high school. After graduating, she returned to Colorado to begin her adult life. I was born when my mom was 20 and she was working at the phone company. At one point my mom shared that she had wanted to go to college and become a nurse. When I asked her why she hadn’t done that, she replied, “How could I? I had no one to help me go to college.” I realized in that moment how much had changed in just one generation in terms of what was possible for me as compared to her. The realization made me feel a responsibility to embrace what my circumstances allowed and make something of them.

My mom taught be to believe in myself and my ability to make good decisions. She supported me in realizing I could do anything I set my mind to, even if it was something she’d never had the opportunity to do, like go to college. Understanding how different my life was, just one generation later, helped me find my purpose and put effort into helping women who circumstances prevented them from pursuing their dreams.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I have a perspective on fear: it can’t be the reason I don’t do something. The key to this is assessing whether my difficulty or resistance to something is because of fear, or something else. When faced with something that feels scary, I do what I call my Park Bench analysis. When I’m 80, sitting on a park bench and looking back on my life, is this something I will regret not having done? If I think I will, then I must do it. I believe fear is a great motivator A person will work really hard at something when they are afraid.

All that said, I am actually quite afraid of the ocean. This is despite the fact that I am a good swimmer. In fact, I taught swimming lessons for years while also working as a lifeguard. My fear of the ocean can prevent me from having as much fun as I might otherwise while on vacation.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
In most ways, the public and private versions of me are the same. I have a good sense of humor and can laugh at myself. I am warm, kind, and intuitive. However, the private version of me is more introverted than the public version might imply. Other than that, I think the public and private versions are virtually the same.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
Despite the fact that we grew Women’s Bean Project ten-fold during my tenure, people may wonder why we didn’t grow even larger and why our operating budget wasn’t closer in size to our out-sized reputation. I would say what they are missing when they ask this is a misunderstanding of the challenges of balancing a business with a mission. Leading a successful social enterprise is hugely rewarding because when it works, it has a huge impact on the people served. However, trying to run a successful business while also trying to fulfill a social mission is very challenging and inefficient.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.tamraryan.com
• Instagram: https://Www.instagram.com/tamramryan
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamraryan

Image Credits
None