Business Connector and Coach, Free to Flourish, LLC: Age 38
Tatiana Cole
Tatiana Cole said she was inspired to become an entrepreneurial coach by several family members, including her father, who had a side business cleaning commercial and residential buildings, and her mother, who sold quilts and sewing items.
She also earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology from Central Connecticut State University and Springfield College, respectively, and built a background in event planning in higher education, from campus-wide events to professional conferences.
Marrying those aptitudes and inspirations, in 2017, Cole launched Free to Flourish, LLC, which aims to empower women entrepreneurs through coaching, strategic business planning, and networking opportunities.
As part of those efforts, she has curated large-scale Flourish Conferences in Massachusetts and North Carolina, as well as Flourish Connections networking events across Western Mass. and Connecticut.
“Free to Flourish focuses on the professional-development side of entrepreneurship,” she explained. The conferences feature the stories of real women who have overcome difficult personal struggles — from a pair of heart attacks by age 36 to ending an engagement — while running and growing their business.
“They give hope to other women that you’re not alone, that you can make it through to the other side,” she said. “As entrepreneurs, they show how they navigated that space and what lessons they had to learn.”
The networking events, typically held at women-owned businesses, also feature business owners speaking about overcoming challenges. Cole does one-on-one coaching and consulting as well and is looking to add new events to her offerings.
“I enjoy seeing the growth, a seed planted in an interaction that turns into an action plan — and I’m all about the action plan,” she said. “I’m their biggest cheerleader. They just need someone to see them, to help them walk a little taller and hold their head high because they know at least one person is on their side.”
Cole is also active in the community, serving on the board of Dress for Success Western Massachusetts, where she mentors women on career development and financial independence, and as a mentor for EforAll/EparaTodos Pioneer Valley, helping minority and immigrant entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses.
All of this is summed up by one of her nominators, Mydalis Vera, owner of Guerrera Writer, LLC, another of this year’s 40 Under Forty class, who appreciates how Cole empowers others. “Whether through her entrepreneurial initiatives, academic leadership, or civic engagement, she continues to make a meaningful impact in the lives of students, professionals, and business owners.”
—Joseph Bednar
