Meet Taja Brown

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Taja Brown. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Taja, great to have you with us today and excited to have you share your wisdom with our readers. Over the years, after speaking with countless do-ers, makers, builders, entrepreneurs, artists and more we’ve noticed that the ability to take risks is central to almost all stories of triumph and so we’re really interested in hearing about your journey with risk and how you developed your risk-taking ability.

Truth be told, I’ve always been a risk-taker since I was a young girl. Granted, my risks have become more calculated and thoughtful over the years, but it would be remiss not to acknowledge that I’ve always been driven to step outside of the box and go for things even when they didn’t make sense to others.

2019. That was the year I decided that taking risks would be my mantra for the year and beyond. I was on a new job assignment and had recently moved to a new location. I had set out to do things on my own—once again. I was on a journey to self-discovery, for real this time. No one and nothing to stop me or hinder me. It was me against me.

Needless to say, it was challenging in the beginning. My new place felt extremely empty. I found myself bored often and facing the never-ending question, “What do I want to do now?” This may seem like a strange question to ask oneself, but I promise, it was VERY necessary. I had lived a life of codependence on family, friends, and romantic partners; thus, I truly didn’t know what I wanted. Heck, I didn’t even know what I liked.

So when faced with that question, I challenged myself to start small, focusing only on what I wanted to eat that day. I bought a whiteboard-style calendar and sat down at my island in the kitchen of my new place and thought long and hard about what I wanted to eat each day of the week. I planned my grocery trips and made a list of ingredients and items I would need, and I stuck to the plan. It was something remedial like meal planning that led me to make decisions more confidently. Believe it or not, my confidence grew to the point where I was no longer questioning myself—something I often did—and I was no longer asking others what they thought.

Self-reliance is key. Self-confidence led me to a sweet spot of self-reliance, which in turn ushered me into risk-taking. And that is how I developed the ability to take risks. I now choose to think of the best that could happen. Taking risks works only when you believe. Believe in what you say? The divine power at work within you. I believe that through Christ, I can do all things. Therefore, I cannot fail—only pivot, learn, and grow. With this mindset, it’s easier to take risks—sometimes big risks.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Well, it’s less about what I do and more about who I am becoming. I am evolving into an unrestricted creative with multiple outlets of productivity and creativity. I started out as a recruiting coordinator, making my way up the ladder to become an HR business partner and project analyst. Before I knew it, I found myself stepping into roles like HR manager and eventually Director of HR and Employment Services. With plenty of experience in HR, I’ve come to realize that my true passion lies in serving others. Lately, I’ve discovered some unique and fulfilling ways to do that. Nowadays, what excites me most is speaking to and interacting with crowds—whether I’m on a panel, standing on a stage, speaking behind a podium, or through a social medium such as a podcast—and sharing my perspective, life experiences, ideas, and thought processes. I’m on an exciting journey of transformation with my brand. If you check out my LinkedIn profile, you’ll see it highlights my professional roles: “HR | Talent | DEI | Speaker | Career Coach | Podcaster.” But on a personal level, my brand truly reflects who I am as a daughter and a Kingdom Servant of Jesus Christ. It’s all about authenticity, resilience, advocacy, empowerment, and love for me! It may seem like a lot, but somehow it all comes together beautifully. If you want to see me in action, be sure to tune into the “Pink Tax Chat Podcast” with my fantastic co-host. We dive into a variety of topics, primarily from the perspective of BIPOC millennial women, and I’d love for you to join us. If you’re curious, come join me on all the Pink Tax Chat platforms—find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. We release fresh episodes every two weeks, diving into topics like relationships, finances, adulthood, dating, career, and so much more. You can also catch me on LinkedIn and YouTube with my consulting business, Taja Brown Consulting, where I offer a bunch of services like career coaching, DEIBA, and HR consulting. I’ve got some exciting projects coming up, including speaking engagements, media content, books, and launches for both the podcast and my consulting work, so make sure to stay in the loop! I’d love for you to subscribe, follow, like, and comment. And if you’re interested in connecting, collaborating, or inviting me for a speaking engagement, feel free to reach out through social media or LinkedIn. I eagerly look forward to connecting!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I’ll keep it short and sweet: resilience, faith, and confidence. Each of these qualities empowered me in my journey and continues to keep me as I grow forward. Mindset truly is a gamechanger. In times of adversity, remain steadfast, unmoved, and recover from anything that may be actively working against you. Muster up the faith to hope for and expect things unseen, unheard, and unknown to come to pass by trusting in God. And lastly, have confidence in yourself and the power working in, around, and through you that not only values who you are but what you can accomplish.

If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?

Getting out of my own way. That may sound a bit dramatic or surprising, but I’ve always been an overthinker and somewhat of a perfectionist. While I have been a risk-taker and stepped out on faith throughout my life, negative thinking has hindered me at times. The power of thought is surreal and real at the same time. I’ve learned that perfectionism is yet another form of procrastination. I have my fair share of obstacles—being Deaf, neurodivergent, and a Black woman. Each has shaped and colored my lens of perspective as I’ve gone about life and undoubtedly will continue to. But the single most barrier has always been me—what I thought, felt, and believed about myself or my circumstances, also how I reacted to my environment. Part of the journey is coming to the realization that our lives are impacted by a summation of faults—faults of our own, our family, friends, or others that we’ve crossed paths with—yet the responsibility always has and always will remain with us. So this particular challenge requires me to truly face me and partner with myself so that my future can be as bright as it can possibly be. It’s a challenge that I have humbly accepted and, for the first time in my life, am actively embracing!

Contact Info:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tajabrown/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TajaBrownConsulting
• Other: Pink Tax Chat Podcast
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  👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5nQT8pkgLLC0DSJ8WBbsFy
  👉 Spotify for Podcasters: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pinktaxchat