Story & Lesson Highlights with Tiffany Castagno of Madison, WI

Tiffany Castagno shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Tiffany, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Have you stood up for someone when it cost you something?
I’ve always been that person, even when it “gets me into trouble”. I like to make Good Trouble. I like to use my Voice For Good.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Tiffany Castagno is CEO & Founder of CEPHR, LLC, a Boutique, woman-and Minority-owned Human Resources and Culture Consulting Firm Headquartered in Madison, WI that supports Small to Mid-sized Businesses across the United States with building strong Employer Brands, teams, and Cultures through a DEIB lens and People-first approach.

Tiffany is passionate about creating equitable workplaces and Communities. Co-Author of a Children’s Book, “Can a Zebra Change Its Stripes?” Tiffany’s writing inspires children to embrace difference, uncover the importance of acceptance, and learn what it means to make Diversity a strength.

As a Community-Builder and Leader-by-Example, Tiffany has earned the Jefferson Award, Powered by Purpose Award, and Top 20 Restorative People Leaders to Watch in 2024 Award. Tiffany serves on two Non-Profit Boards, additionally serving as Chair of the Human Resources Committee on one of the Boards.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I love this quote! There’s a quote by Charles Bukowski that asks, “Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?” This quote sat so resonant with me when I heard it, as I thought about the life I had and the life I wanted. It’s very fitting of my own story of my own Becoming along my Journey, which is detailed in the book “Own Your Story a collection of many women’s stories, and the story I told that I spoke on at an Empowerment Women’s Event in Philadelphia.

I believe this Journey is not just mine, but all of ourse. I believe it’s one for all of us, built to share and inspire confidence in others that I found challenging to do for myself in early days and within the narratives I had to challenge for myself.

I’ve been in spaces where I wasn’t wanted, seen, valued, heard, or appreciated and grew up in an Era where you didn’t assert an opinion, or you’d risk being seen and told you’re disrespectful. It shook my confidence and made me lose my Voice. I had to find my confidence. I had to establish my Values and I learned to fiercely advocate for them, and for myself, which ultimately led to advocacy for others.

I had smart, confident Parents who could hold their own in any situation. They each (and collectively) taught me to be honest, to not back down, to stand up for myself, that I could be and do anything I want, to educate myself, and to have a good job. Some of this came easier to implement in life than others.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
When we’re successful, we can be humble, but when hardship comes you learn to get more humble. Entrepreneurship will humble even folks as humble as me. I have always lived with great Humility but Entrepreneurship has taught me, broken me down at times, built Community, kept me scrappy and Strategic, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

It’s built me and my Character even stronger than working in Corporate ever could, despite the challenges and toxicity I endured on my journey. Giving back to others and relating to their journey and how they can give back, as well as how we can relate to each other and build me up gives me continued strength.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
Michelle Obama. Classic. Classy. Mentor. Family woman. I could go on and on. She was a First Lady, but before and since, she is a Beacon of Hope for so many of us, and a symbol of Women’s Empowerment.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
The Human Spirit and our Capabilities in a way that I feel so intuitively deeply that not everyone can understand- even my fellow Empaths. I love knowing without knowing.

I love being a Safe Space. I love reflecting and being in Community, and knowing what I don’t know until the moment arrives. I love what we are capable of within Society and dreaming of the prospects of what we can and will become.

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