Episode 218 Released 2025-10-02 Episode Overview

In this episode of The Executive Edge, host Sue Firth sits down with confidence coach and entrepreneur Tara Lafon Gooch to discuss building authentic confidence, personal branding, and the transformative power of gratitude. Tara shares her journey from corporate burnout to becoming a TEDx speaker, author, and CEO, offering practical strategies for anyone looking to step into their power and purpose.

Key Topics Discussed

From Corporate Success to Personal Fulfillment

• Tara's 2022 turning point as a corporate sales director
• The difference between external success and internal fulfillment
• Recognizing when it's time for transformation

The Foundation of Confidence

• How childhood experiences shape our confidence levels
• The seed analogy: understanding your inherent purpose and potential
• Why external validation isn't enough for lasting confidence

The GRASP Method

• Gratitude: Rewiring your brain and taking control of your internal environment
• Responsibility: Developing an ownership mentality
• Action: Moving from theory to application
• Sight: The power of visualization and seeing your future self
• Purpose: Aligning with your natural strengths and fulfillment

Building Your Personal Brand

• Overcoming the fear of visibility and judgment
• Why consistency matters more than perfection
• The "one moonshot a day" philosophy

The TEDx Journey

• Landing a TEDx talk before publishing her book
• Choosing ideas with global resonance
• How TEDx became a launching pad for bigger opportunities

Practical Takeaways

• Start and end each day with gratitude to bookend your life in thankful acknowledgment
• Use "ninja mindset moves" to interrupt negative thought patterns
• Take one daring action every single day (365 moonshots = guaranteed results)
• Control your internal environment first when external circumstances feel overwhelming
• Remember: You can't be what you can't see—visualization is essential

Key Quotes

"Without that contrast of darkness, it can be hard to appreciate and have perspective," - Tara

"If I was to give you 10 million today but you're not going to wake up tomorrow, you don't care so much about 10 million. Every single day you wake up, you won the lottery." - Tara

"An ounce of doing is worth more than a pound of theorizing." - Wallace D. Wattles

"You can't be what you can't see." - Marian Wright Edelman

"You don't need anybody else; you just need you. You have all the tools and purpose within you already." - Tara

About Tara Lafong Gooch

Tara is a confidence coach, TEDx speaker, author, and CEO of Best Branding Solutions. She helps authors, speakers, and thought leaders build their personal brands through coaching, podcasting, and speaking engagements. Her upcoming book focuses on confidence in leadership, applying the GRASP method to team development.

Connect with Tara

• Website: TaraLaFonGooch.com
• LinkedIn: Available for connection (self-proclaimed frequent user!)
• Social Media: YouTube, Facebook
• Company: Best Branding Solutions

Resources Mentioned

• TEDx Nottingham talk on confidence and gratitude
• Book: How to deliver and market a TEDx talk
• Upcoming book: Confidence in Leadership (using the GRASP method)
• The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles (1910)

The Executive Edge provides practical skills you can apply to achieve and maintain success in life and business.