Tatiana Cole empowers female entrepreneurs by building meaningful relationships

MassLive recently asked readers to nominate who they see as Latino and Hispanic leaders in Massachusetts working to bring about change across the state.

Profiles of these leaders will be published during Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. These are individuals who readers have found inspiring, who can do good deeds for their communities. They are recognized for their achievements, leadership and commitment to inspiring change.

Tatiana Cole

Age: 37

Community: Springfield

Her story: Tatiana Cole comes from a family of entrepreneurs.

As the 37-year-old told MassLive, her father started his own carpet cleaning business, her grandfather owned a grocery store and her mother sewed and sold quilts and handbags.

It’s no surprise then that Cole has dedicated her life to helping other entrepreneurs.

“My grandparents were the first generation to come to the States from the island of Puerto Rico,” Cole told MassLive. “They worked various jobs and started businesses to support their families. It was only a matter of time before I caught the entrepreneurial bug.”

Cole sees himself as a business connector and coach for entrepreneurs who want to build “meaningful relationships and strategically grow their business, especially those who are in the early stages of entrepreneurship.”

Her work focuses on helping women connect with potential collaborators, partners, and resources to help them grow their businesses.

Cole did this by hosting Flourish, a traveling conference that took place in Ludlow in 2023 and in Charlotte, North Carolina this June.

Building on the success of the Flourish conferences, Cole began hosting local networking events in Western Massachusetts and Connecticut called Flourish Connections. These events help entrepreneurs connect by sharing stories and experiences from other entrepreneurs.

“I see this in action every day as the connections I’ve made have blossomed into collaborations on events, products, services, speaking engagements and more,” Cole said. “The growth of these businesses not only strengthens the community through building relationships, but also boosts the local economy through the success of these businesses.”

Cole added that maintaining these relationships helps build a support system, which is “crucial to helping you grow and supporting you along your journey.”

That’s what helped Cole as she planned her first Flourish conference while battling thyroid cancer.

“My relationship with God and my support system kept me going, and I organized an incredible conference for women entrepreneurs in Charlotte and seven other states that I attended,” she said. “The impact and transformation was there for those who got to witness it.”

Cole, who has a college degree, said her experience helping students and employees achieve their personal and academic goals helped her in the entrepreneurship sector.

“I use my project management and event planning skills to work with entrepreneurs, whether it’s to help them achieve a new business goal, improve their vendor table at pop-up events, or incorporate events into their business model,” she said. “I also completed a life coaching certification and a personal development coach certification early on in my journey, and I’m always looking for opportunities to further my education so I can apply them to my business.”

Cole also served as a mentor and volunteer at EforAll Pioneer Valley in Holyoke, where she built relationships with alumni and new students participating in the organization’s programs.

In her words: “You have to see the bigger picture. The entrepreneurs I work with have a bigger purpose for the products and services they offer. They want to make a bigger impact on the people they serve, and the small part I can play in building connections, sharing resources and offering coaching creates a domino effect of that impact.”

We are always open to hearing about more inspiring people. If you would like to suggest someone else who should be recognized, please fill out this form.