Rose Tafoya is a highly motivated entrepreneur, author, and speaker. In her journey, she has over thirty years’ experience in all aspects of new business development, sales, event and project coordination, marketing, executive team building management, communication, and networking. Her extensive experience includes fund-raising and event programming for nonprofit and for-profit organizations. She has created, programmed, and implemented many fund-raising, trade show, community, and career expo events. She contributes her expertise, support, and energy to the California Women’s Conference as director of programming, and contributes to WomenNetwork.com and the Huffington Post. Rose’s marketing and communication education has led her toward transformational workshop facilitation, public speaking, product building, and novel writing. Her passion for motivating youth prompted the development and production of Tigercamp—a character education youth camp and, most recently, RoseTafoya.com, a transformational service company specializing in helping youth and adults achieve success by providing iGlowSpirit travel adventures locally and abroad, Passion Test and Purpose Workshops, and CAbi^® career opportunities for women. All these services and products promote confidence, clarity, brilliance, and living life with passion and purpose.

I think that men and women are equal in our ability and opportunity to strive toward our aspirations and excel at all levels. The only difference I see is that women might have a stronger desire to nurture and comfort, that they are more sensitive to the needs of others. That’s not to say that men can’t be that way, but our society has conditioned women to be the patient nurturers and to act that way in the home, workplace, and community.

I think the compassion that women have draws me into supporting, motivating, and inspiring others—into being a role model for women, men, and children.

There are benefits and drawbacks to women’s compassionate nature. Sometimes women get so caught up in the role of caregiver, get their compassion levels turned up so high, that it holds things up. They lose their impetus in driving a project forward.

But in the long run, when you are connected with people at all levels, you get better results. In my business, it has helped tremendously to get in touch with what’s going on in my employees’ daily and personal lives and validate who they are as people. It has helped me to retain employees and keep them happy. Forging those personal connections, patience, and the ability to step back and see the big picture have been important to my own success. So have three other qualities I value highly: perseverance, tenacity, and curiosity. I never give up. And I have always been curious. I have a genuine desire to know and understand the world and the people around me. I feel successful when I am connecting with others and inspiring minds, personal awareness, and people’s passion for life.

In fact, helping people discover their true passion in life is probably the most important and rewarding thing I do. When you begin to do what you truly love, what you are passionate about, your life opens up. Don’t worry about how you’re going to do it. Becoming truly clear about what you love in your life will lead you to the how. What do you love? What are you on this planet to do? When you know what that is and open yourself to it, then how to do it will come easily. Being open to possibilities and throwing away your fear and false beliefs will give you the power to make that personal journey and enjoy the trip.

There have been two women in my life who have been especially helpful in inspiring my curiosity and my passion for pursuing new possibilities. The first was an elementary-school teacher who instilled in me a passion for reading and my desire to learn about the diversity in our world. She was a show-and-tell kind of teacher who taught me how powerful words and stories can affect our hearts, minds, and souls. I owe to her much of my positive approach to life.

The mystery novelist Elizabeth George has also had a profound effect on my life. I used to attend the Maui Writers Conference, and one year all the nonfiction workshops I wanted to attend were full. This led me to Ms. George’s fiction workshop. She was a tough and demanding teacher. At the end of the week, though, she suggested that I ought to consider writing fiction. That led me to write my first novel, I of a Tiger. I spent the next year writing the book, giving it so much of my time and attention that it became a challenge to my marriage, which ended in divorce. And yet, writing that book led me to my true spirit and purpose. The creative process got me out of the cage I was in. That year was a major turning point in my life, and it taught me how important it is to share my story and follow my passion. I haven’t looked back.