Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany Hoeft.
Hi Tiffany, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve worked in behind-the-scenes roles since I was 13. My mom brought me to her office one day, and I ended up helping her most of that summer. I helped a quilter and a Mary Kay Director in college with their bookkeeping while taking classes and waitressing. I’ve always been a hard worker with an entrepreneurial spirit.
After I got married and moved to MN, I worked a corporate job, but once I started having kids I knew I didn’t want to send them to daycare, so needed to figure out what to do next. Luckily at the time, I had a boss who fought for me to be able to work from home. I stayed there through another baby, but then was struggling to keep up with 2 young kids at home. This is really where I figured out my love for systems, both in my work and in my home.
I had started a direct sales side business and was earning more with that, so decided to quit my full-time job and do my side gig. That was such a fun time, I got to travel, meet some amazing people, but unfortunately, the company did not last and they filed for bankruptcy. It was a big hit for all of us in that business, we all lost what we had built pretty much overnight. During that time I realized a few things. First, I didn’t want to go through that again, I wanted to build something that was mine. Second, that I had skills that weren’t being used in that industry. I knew it was time for another change. I wanted to work for an hour and get paid for an hour, for anyone in a sales role you know, that’s not always the case. In January of 2019, I renewed my love of behind-the-scenes tasks and became a Virtual Assistant.
I took on a couple of clients but quickly realized that my skills, due to my experience, didn’t fully align with just admin work, so about 7 months in, I pivoted again to align more as an Operations Consultant. I still did quite a few admin tasks for most of my clients but started to say yes to more systems, operations, and management roles.
As a mom of 4, I have to balance the amount of work I take on, so as I’ve grown I’ve shifted more into a mini agency, and I’ve been able to bring on other mom freelancers to help support our clients. It’s been a journey I’m extremely grateful for that seems to have grown organically over the last couple of years.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My road hasn’t been completely smooth, or quick for that matter. I think many times we can get into business thinking if we just hustle as hard as we can, it will be worth it. And many times it is, but one thing I’ve really been trying to focus on is the journey. How do I enjoy the phase of business I’m in right now, while also looking at my goals and vision, and working towards where I want to go.
My biggest struggle has been time. I have 4 kids, only 3 are in school full time. Chores, driving, and all of the other duties on my plate, I have to be very aware of what I say yes to. I’m definitely a people pleaser as well, so if someone asks to pick my brain or for a zoom coffee it’s been hard to say no to opportunities. My business coach reminds me daily that saying yes to someone today means I’m probably saying no to my family tomorrow, which has kept me on track to prioritize my best yeses.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m an Operations Consultant, Coach, and Fractional Chief of Staff. I help high-level creative entrepreneurs identify, strategize, and implement a solid business blueprint so that they can focus on their zone of genius while their business runs in the background.
The main areas I tend to help clients with are project/task management, client management, schedule management, marketing systems, financial and sales tracking, and automation. I’m usually helping by creating systems around these areas for solopreneurs who are trying to scale but struggling because they are still doing the load of the work.
What’s been great is as I’ve shifted to an agency I can help clients implement new systems with my team. We’ve built out project management apps, updated new client management systems, created and helped execute marketing systems and plans, helped CEOs be more efficient with their own time with calendar streamlining, and even helped clients with onboarding systems and processes.
Most of our clients are solopreneurs with a small team, who are ready to scale themselves but struggling to know the next steps. Or they feel like they are stuck in the day-to-day and don’t have the time or energy to focus on growth.
I’m known as the consultant you didn’t know you needed, and I’ve been told my brain works differently (I’m assuming that’s a good thing). I tend to see every problem with a fix-it mindset and treat my clients’ businesses like they were my own. My biggest accomplishments are when my clients grow, hit their goals and build their teams. It’s so satisfying to see my help create results in their businesses.
I’m extremely proud that I’ve built some amazing relationships with my clients based on openness, excellence, trust, and loyalty and hope to continue to grow in that direction.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I’m an analytical learner. I am very risk-averse, although what’s funny is, I love change. I feel stuck if things stay the same too long and will seek out change, especially if I’m overwhelmed, which doesn’t always work for me.
I’m so busy, let’s add something else to my plate to change things up. My husband just loves that about me, haha.
Stepping into a full-time entrepreneur has definitely pushed my risk level. It’s a challenge to stay confident that every decision is the right one, I’ve tried to remind myself that every decision could be the wrong one, but I’m adaptable enough to learn and adjust when necessary.
I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is to budget my risk. If I want to take a risk, I ask myself, do I have the funds available? That includes actual money, my time, resources, and mental energy. I try to only risk what I can budget losing in case it doesn’t end how I had hoped.
The biggest risk I’ve taken is bringing on a team. I never worried about my business when it was just me, I have a slow month, no biggie. But now that I have other people counting on me for their income, it adds to the stress. I am so grateful for my team, and I know I would not have grown as much as I have without them, they are my best asset.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.tiffanyhoeft.com
- Instagram: @tiffhoeft
- Other: https://www.
tiffanyhoeft.com/linkinbio
Image Credits
Hunter Hennes Photography
