Meet Simone Tai: Mindful Empowerment Coach and Speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Simone Tai and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Simone, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

As a kid I remember daydreaming about being a businesswoman and carrying a briefcase (no idea where that came from!). But then I got a TV job in London and that was my career for the next 20 yrs.  I still had many business ideas but didn’t have the courage or headspace to pursue them.  TV was a fun, creative career but very time-consuming. On paper I was very ‘successful’ working on all the big shows, having the fancy roles, working with talent, and making a good income… but I felt unfulfilled.

One thing that sparked my curiosity again was doing a meditation teacher training. I did this over weekends as I worked long hours on shows during the week. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever become a teacher but the more I learned about mindfulness and how I had the power to transform my own mental suffering – the happier I felt. I began to hear that little whisper inside telling me to leave TV and pursue a career that lit me up every day.

It seemed like a crazy thing to do because TV was all I knew and my income dramatically dropped as a meditation teacher, but it gave me the freedom and energy to spark new business ideas. After a couple of years teaching, something major happened which gave me the audacity to try these ideas out – Covid.  The meditation studio I taught at shut down and it forced me to focus on creating and launching my own online courses.  I knew I could help people who were terrified of public speaking because I was that person once. I learned how to overcome it and become ‘confident’ enough to do a TEDx talk!  ‘Speak Like A Boss (with heart)’ was born – the 6-week program that helps entrepreneurs and leaders transform their speaking skills from cautious to confident.

After selling out my programs and seeing huge transformations, I noticed a need for video confidence, so I created the sister course ‘Video like a Boss’. Here, I infused all of my TV-producing and mindset skills to help coaches and entrepreneurs (who struggle ‘putting themselves out there’) scale their businesses through authentic video content.  I teach them video presence and marketing skills so they can reach their ideal clients and focus on spending more time doing the work they love.

These courses were my first ‘high ticket’ programs and although I had so much self-doubt and imposter syndrome about selling them at first – especially during Covid… I did it.  There are so many hurdles and lessons to learn when you take the leap as an entrepreneur, but I sit here now having completed 6 programs and I feel deeply fulfilled and inspired by the clients I get to work with every day. There is no better feeling than helping someone go from feeling stuck in self doubt to finding the courage and belief in themselves to go out and shine!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

I help coaches, leaders and entrepreneurs overcome their own internal blocks so they can grow their business or develop powerful skills such as public speaking and video creation.  I see far too many talented people who are terrified of putting themselves out there on video, pitching, or even presentations at work. My drive comes from helping them overcome these fears so they can see their true potential.

The results are incredible to witness. It isn’t just about building confidence. Being a clear and engaging speaker allows you to deeply connect with and help your ideal clients or customers. It allows you to go and create your own events, workshops, or courses. If I can go from being a terrified speaker to the TEDx stage and then running my own courses – then anyone can!

I offer powerful speaker and leadership trainings, but the program I’m currently most excited about is ‘Video Like A Boss.’ It’s a 4-week program that helps entrepreneurs and coaches deliver high quality (but low tech) video content so they can significantly increase their visibility, grow their businesses, and make true connections on social media.

In just 4 weeks we make 8 high value videos. As their personal producer, I show them step by step how to make videos with ease, as well as offer feedback and support all the way.  It’s the perfect blend of my experience as a TV producer and speaker coach and it’s wonderful to see everyone’s video confidence increase as they attract more clients.  I also offer a free ‘Video Confidence’ masterclass so make sure you join my newsletter for the dates by emailing hello@simonetai.com or follow my Instagram page @simone_tai_

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

My husband and I are British so most friends and family who come and visit are from the UK, therefore we have to cross off a few touristy things. We live near Runyon Canyon so I love an early morning hike. It can get a little touristy, but the views over the city still take my breath away.  For lunch, I’d head to Larchmont for Cafe Gratitude and wander around the shops.

I love Training Mate in West Hollywood for a fun workout and always grab a cappuccino from this tiny cafe called ‘Coffee Coffee’ on Fairfax. In the same area I love hitting the Trading Post flea market on a Sunday.  Other cafe’s I love are ‘Verve’ and ‘Bluestone Lane’ they do great food too.

We recently discovered the most beautiful place in LA, Huntingdon Botanical gardens in Pasadena. It’s stunning and has an art gallery and cafe’s so I shall be taking friends when they come and visit.

For a bit of art, we’d go to The Broad downtown then to Soho Warehouse because it has a pool so that can be fun for a dip. Bestia is also very tasty for dinner in that area.

I also love wandering down Abbot Kinney for shopping and food so many options!  For a day trip, we would go to Malibu pier and eat at Malibu Farms for lunch overlooking the ocean, then have a walk along the beach.  That’s my kinda therapy.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

Many people! It takes a village.  Only when I became confident in asking for help and support did I thrive. I began my speaking journey with ‘Toastmasters’. I had wonderful meditation teachers/mentors when doing my certification: Heather Prete, Hilary Jackendoff, and Chandresh Bhardwaj.  I also love my business coach, Rachèle Summers – having a coach was transformational for me.

My husband of 9 years Sean always supports and encourages me, and so does my family (this is starting to feel like an award speech ;). I love so many many books but a few stand out ones are ‘Hardwiring Happiness’ by Dr Rick Hansen (how to rewire your brain for more joy), ‘The War of Art’ by Steven Pressfield (I actually love most of his books) and ‘The Surrender Experiment’ by Michael Singer.

Website: https://simonetai.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simone_tai_/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simone-tai-62868613/

Image Credits
Jacqueline Patton Photography