Meet Tierra Bonds

We recently connected with Tierra Bonds and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tierra, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

Growing up in Olympia, Washington I am very used to being the only one in the room that looks like me as the Black population is about 2 percent. I vividly remember being a child and being the only dark-skinned person in most of my classes which created a strong desire to fit in. However, I am deeply thankful for my parents and family who consistently reinforced the message that my Black is beautiful which gave me the confidence to be me, unapologetically. This foundation of self-assurance has been pivotal to my success today, allowing me to leverage my distinct perspective and lived experiences as strengths in both my personal and professional life. I recently heard that our unique lived experiences and differences can only be shared by us, and we can capitalize on our differences to create success because it’s what sets us apart from others in the business world. By bringing our true selves to the table, we offer fresh perspectives and innovative solutions that drive success and create value. Being the only one in the room that looks like us means opening doors to new opportunities.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am the founder and CEO of Take Charge Consulting, and we are on a mission to reduce the racial wealth gap by empowering individuals to leverage credit as a means to build wealth. Our focus is primarily on homeownership and entrepreneurship, providing trauma-informed financial education, coaching, and consulting. What excites us most about our work is witnessing the transformation in our clients as they gain financial literacy and confidence to take control of their economic futures. Seeing individuals purchase their first home or get approved for funding to grow their business dreams is incredibly rewarding.
What’s special about Take Charge Consulting is our commitment to collaborating with organizations that share our mission of economic development and racial equity. By working together, we are able to amplify our impact and reach more individuals, many who otherwise would not have been able to use our services.
The newest project we are working on at the moment is a financial coaching program that offers trauma-informed financial coaching, group coaching, and a self-paced financial education course. We will host a wealth building mixer in June of 2025 that will be a space for everyone to celebrate their wins, learn, and connect. What makes this program even more effective is that it promotes the benefits of healing arts. And there will be group healing arts activities at this celebration to allow people to address some of the trauma that many of us have around money. Participants of the program will also be recognized for all of their hard work and growth.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Relationship building: On my journey, relationships have been the most important component. Prioritizing relationships over sales has been pivotal to the success of my organization. 98% of our business is rooted in the relationships we’ve cultivated over time and by focusing on building genuine connections based on trust, mutual respect, and shared missions, we create a strong foundation for long-term success.
Having Faith: Having the faith in God to keep pushing forward despite obstacles and setbacks created a powerful resilience. This spiritual foundation has been instrumental in maintaining a positive mindset, allowing me to view challenges as opportunities for growth and to remain committed to my goals even when the path is difficult which is crucial for achieving long-term success.
Emotional Intelligence: The more that I worked on personal development and growth, the more my emotional intelligence increased. This increase was almost parallel to my revenue increasing. Learning how to understand and manage my emotions in business allowed me to show up fully and also let me know when it was time to not show up and take time for self-care. Emotional intelligence also gave me the ability to emphasize with others which is necessary when helping individuals with something so personal like their finances and know when to give people space, a little pressure, or otherwise.
Advice: Invest time in networking by attending industry events and building genuine relationships based on similar missions. Keep your faith and view setbacks as learning opportunities. Understand your emotional triggers and identify tools that you can use to get you through trauma you might experience, and listen to your body when it’s time to rest.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

With a mission as big as reducing the racial wealth gap, we are always looking to partner and collaborate with individuals and organizations. We value working with organizations that have missions around equity, economic development, homeownership, and entrepreneurship. We are particularly interested in collaborating with: Economic Development Organizations, Mission-Aligned Nonprofits and Financial Institutions.
If you are interested in collaborating, we invite you to reach out through our LinkedIn at Tierra Bonds, or contact us directly via email at [email protected]. We are excited to explore opportunities to work together and amplify our impact in empowering individuals to achieve financial independence and success.

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