Meet Tiffany Spadola

We were lucky to catch up with Tiffany Spadola recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tiffany, we are so happy that our community is going to have a chance to learn more about you, your story and hopefully even take in some of the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Let’s start with self-care – what do you do for self-care and has it had any impact on your effectiveness?

As I get older, self-care becomes more and more important to me. I want to stay fit and healthy and it’s not necessarily about looking good, it’s about feeling mentally and physically healthy. For my mental health I am very mindful about listening to my body and not overscheduling myself with work, or social activities. I also try not to work on my laptop past 9:30 pm and avoid action-filled shows after 9 pm because it makes it harder for me to fall asleep. I am a huge fan in the rejuvenating and healing power of restorative sleep and try to keep a persistent sleep and wake schedule.

For my physical health, I try to run two to three times a week to help improve my lung health, stretch nightly, as well as use my Theragun. Once I week I do a facial mask and my own lymphatic drainage massage which must work because my facialist pointed out how clear my lymph nodes were. If you’re interested, you can find this video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5mJVNDsYfc

By prioritizing my physical and mental health- I feel more grounded as a person, then I was in
my 20’s.

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?

Hi everyone! I’m Tiffany Spadola—a parent coach, certified potty training consultant, and the founder of Southbay Parent Coaching. I offer virtual support for families navigating the ups and downs of parenting, especially during the toddler and early childhood years. Whether it’s tantrums, sleep struggles, school behaviors, or potty training challenges, I’m here to help guide parents with practical tools and a compassionate approach.

In addition to working with children, I also support parents in prioritizing their own well-being—helping them reduce burnout, improve communication with their partners, and make space for self-care in the midst of busy family life.

I work with families virtually through Maven Clinic and serve clients locally in the South Bay and greater Los Angeles area.

One of my key areas of focus is supporting neurodivergent children and their parents, as well as neurodivergent adults navigating parenthood themselves. Stay tuned—I’ll soon be offering in-person potty training workshops and parenting classes right here in the South Bay!

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?

Three qualities that have deeply shaped my journey are the power of connection, the importance of putting out positive energy, and the value of using lived experience to support others.

I still remember, as a young girl, waiting in the car after church while my grandfather, Louie Garcia, chatted enthusiastically with just about everyone. We were often impatient to get home, but looking back, I realize that he was a king at networking. For anyone starting out in their career, networking can feel uncomfortable at first, but don’t let that stop you. Put yourself out there. Talk about what you do. Attend local business events. Offer free classes or workshops. One quote that I like is: “There’s no growth without discomfort.” I’ve found that to be so true—especially as an entrepreneur.

It’s also important to uplift others along the way. Celebrate fellow small businesses, share resources, and put good energy out into the world.

Another major influence on my work is my own lived experience. I understand many of the challenges my clients face—both as parents and as individuals. I know what it’s like to struggle with noise sensitivity, to have difficulty sitting still in a classroom, or to parent a child who doesn’t follow the “rule book” when it comes to sleep or behavior. This lived experience allows me to have a deeper understanding of my clients and better strategies to support them.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

If I had to choose one book that was important in my development as a parent and parent coach it would definitely be Raising Your Spirited Child by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka. This book changed how I viewed myself as a person and how I viewed my child.

I’ve spent years working with babies and young children, so I thought I had a pretty good sense of what to expect. But my own daughter quickly proved that every child is truly unique. She didn’t sleep independently, would wiggle out of her swaddle, screamed with even small moments of separation, and definitely didn’t sit quietly through Mommy-and-Me workout classes like the other babies.

Through this book I learned about temperament and how much is shapes how we respond to the outside world. My daughter like myself would fall under the intense, persistent, sensitive, and high energy category. By understanding your temperament as well as your child’s you can find strategies to better connect and manage challenging behaviors.

Can I also name drop “The Highly Sensitive Child” by Elaine Aron and “Whole-Brain Child” by Dan Siegel? The first is a great book for understanding how sensitive children process the world more deeply and the latter a great overall parenting book for understanding how kid’s brains work and how we can better support their emotional development.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.southbayparentcoaching.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southbayparentcoaching/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southbayparentcoaching/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffany-spadola-m-s-698a5913a