Meet Tiffany Richards | Business owner, self-defense expert and adventurer

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

Hi Tiffany, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I would think many people from my past would describe me as a workaholic. An idea hits and I’ve been known to go full speed ahead, tossing out any notion of time management or balance.

Over the seven-and-a-half years that my husband, Richard, and I spent building and cultivating one of the premiere martial arts schools in the nation, my workday was about 14-hours long. I recall firing up my laptop as soon as my feet hit the floor and not looking at the clock until well past lunchtime, forgetting that I hadn’t eaten all day. Work consumed me; phone calls, emails, marketing campaigns, errands, cleaning, paying bills, teaching, running the front desk, all while operating my own corporate wellness firm that I had begun five-years earlier. I didn’t have two jobs; I owned and managed two companies that I was ultimately responsible for day in and day out.

I was overwhelmed, anxious, moody and resentful. And it showed. Anytime Richard would leave, he’d lean in to kiss me goodbye, and I would simply offer him my cheek, never taking my eyes off the computer screen.

Then, on December 27, 2017, my world came crashing down. Richard died unexpectedly of a brain tumor. It left a huge, gaping hole in my world and in the amazing community we created through our martial arts school. That memory of merely offering him my cheek because I didn’t have time to turn my head three inches and kiss him farewell, is seared in my mind forever.

Life is fleeting, but I don’t think we realize how fragile and utterly important it is until someone is gone. After Richard passed away, I reprioritized everything I had come to know about “work-life balance.” I didn’t want my career to control my life anymore.

Here’s what I implemented:
1. I say no, and often. If it’s not a resounding “hell, yes!” then it’s a no. That frees me up for opportunities that I really want to take, events that I really want to attend and people that I really want to be around.
2. I rarely skip my morning routine. Before diving into work, I engage in a daily discipline that puts me on track mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. It includes meditation, yoga, Tony Robbins priming exercise, a lifting workout, dog walk and a protein-rich breakfast. This routine sets up my day, and afterwards, I’m so focused and engaged in all of my interactions, I can complete day-long tasks in half the time. For anyone who says they don’t have time for a healthy morning routine…get up earlier.
3. I take a day off. Each Friday is a day just for me. Whether it’s a hike, coffee with a friend, therapy session, massage or mini road trip, Friday is my day for self-care. It gives me something to look forward to and forces me to get out and about.

If I could take one lesson from Richard’s traumatic departure, it’s to be fully present in what you’re doing right now. A way for me to do that is to balance all aspects of my life with the tools above. I’m not saying that I don’t waver or fall into old habits. I love a lazy couch-ridden Netflix binge as much as the next gal. But it’s a lot easier to get back on track when I have something concrete to help regain my focus.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Many would describe me as a serial entrepreneur. I have so many interests and I can’t help but start businesses around them. From hip-hop music tour management to a stint with Cirque du Soleil to bath & body product company to corporate wellness firm to martial arts school to travel & adventure company, these successful ventures have all been a result of visualization, determination and a willingness to give it a go and see what happens. While vastly different, they all have one thing in common: my passion.

For me to get on board with any business idea, I must be absolutely in love with it and envision how it will serve. We all know those people (or are perhaps one of them) who start a business or stay in a job they detest because money is their main driver. The long-term rewards are few and far between.

There is truth in the cliché quote, “do what you love and the money will follow.” But so will self-respect, purpose, enthusiasm and a plethora of other gains.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We’d start out with morning coffee and a New Mexico burrito at 32 Shea, followed by a visit to the farmer’s market at Roadrunner Park and a not-too-crazy hike in the Phoenix Mountain Preserves. Afterwards, we’d browse a few local thrift shops for treasures we can’t live without. I like White Dove, HALO, Thrift to Thrive, Maggie’s and Tranquility Treasures. Next, on to the foot spa to enjoy the 60-minute combo massage…amazing! And we’d finish the day with a homemade meal, game of darts and a funny movie.

I’m always up for a four-wheeling and hiking adventure. My favorite spots to explore are the Payson, Pine and Strawberry area, followed by an ice-cold beer at That Brewery. I also love driving over Four Peaks and coming back to the valley through Globe. It makes for a fun road trip with a mix of off-roading, smooth asphalt and some scenic stops along the way. My all-time favorite is The Apache Trail, a 40-mile trek out near Roosevelt Lake that weaves through the Superstition Mountains. The road has been closed for years due to damage from a flash flood, but word is they are restoring it and when the project is complete, the road ends in Tortilla Flat, the last surviving stagecoach stop. I love saddling up to the bar…literally – the bar has saddles for seats. My order never changes: the El Mesquite Rueben and a glass of Mule Oil.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am blessed and grateful to have the most amazing community a girl could ask for. From my high school besties to business associates who became lifelong friends to people who popped up later in my adult life with whom I’ve forged a lasting bond. Without their support, encouragement, and oftentimes, butt-kickings, I wouldn’t be who I am today.

Website: https://www.thebackrubcompany.com/, https://peacefulwarriorwoman.com/, https://peacefulwarriorphx.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebackrubco/, https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_warrior_woman/, https://www.instagram.com/peacefulwarriorphx/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebackrubco/, https://www.facebook.com/peacefulwarriorphx/, https://www.facebook.com/DaysOutAdventures

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ScottsdaleAZKarate