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Meet Trailblazer Tangia R. Estrada

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Tangia R. Estrada.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was an athletic kid. The kind of little girl that played in the creek, rode bikes until the streets lights came on and played football with the boys.

Despite being that athletic kid, I felt like something was wrong with my body. I was taller and bigger than most girls my age, By the time I was eight years old, I was fully aware of what women were expected to look like. I had also already formed an unhealthy relationship with food and by the time I was ten years old, I put myself on my first diet.

That first diet started a lifetime of yo-yo dieting and a personal shame spiral. My weight gradually increased until at my heaviest of 240 pounds I finally gave up. If a diet had a commercial, I had tried and failed at it. I accepted that I was a failure and it wasn’t going to ever get better.

My body image got worse and even though I was successful in every other area of my life and put on a mask of confidence, I was neither confident nor happy.

Meanwhile, I attended brother’s many bodybuilding competitions for years. I would sit the back row and envy the female athletes wondering what it would feel like to be them.

I was sitting in the very back row of one of those competitions that I made a decision that changed my entire life.

As the female athletes did their thing I had to ask myself if I was willing to spend another year sitting in the back row wondering what it would feel like to be someone else.

I decided then and there that I was done wishing for something and I was going to get it for myself.

I decided that I was going to do whatever I had to do to feel like a badass. 6 months later, with the support of my family and great coach, I dropped 70 pounds and stepped on stage to win my first bodybuilding competition.

My path to feeling badass was unique and not for everyone. You may even consider me an exception to the rule, but the truth is I’m not. I’m a regular person with the same fears and doubts as everyone else. The difference now is that I’ve learned to take care of myself, go after the things that truly move me, and live my life out loud – no apologies.

Feeling strong in my body put me back in control of my life and lit a fire inside of me to teach others that they too have the power to change their lives.

Now, as a wellness coach and creator of both That’s What She Did Podcast and The Skin You’re In Podcast, I help women unleash their inner badass.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My biggest challenge has been getting in my own way by listening to my own self-doubt. What I know is that everyone experiences self-doubt and fear. Our fear is just a defense mechanism a way to keep ourselves safe.

If we allow it, our fear and self-doubt will keep us small and only living inside of our comfort zones.

I’ve learned that confidence is something you earn through action and courage. By having the courage to try the thing that scares you, you show yourself that you can do anything – no matter how scared you may be.

I would advise anyone to explore and do the things that scare you because those are the things that show you what you’re made of.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I’m most known for my work in wellness coaching and podcasting, although I’m involved in other business ventures, I am most proud of the time I spend working women helping them build their confidence and realize their badassery.

I want to speak power to women in everything I do. I want to be part of helping women be the most empowered and happy versions of themselves. That is what I work to create in my coaching and podcasts.

I come to this work with a great deal of love based on my own experience. I know exactly what it feels like to look in the mirror and hate what you see. I know what it means to feel small and afraid to make the decisions that diverge from the path you were told to follow. I think that’s what sets me apart. I’ve struggled with myself in almost every way and I understand how scary it is to want to change your whole life, and the unimaginable risk involved with recreating yourself.

If I can do it, anyone can. I’m not special, I’ve simply learned how to make empowered choices… unapologetically.

What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
There will be people that don’t believe in you, don’t understand you, and don’t support you. Those are not your people – avoid them. Trust your instincts and go after what makes you happy, even if it’s weird or scary or whatever.

Also, everything that you love doesn’t have to be monetized. Everything is not a good business idea and just because it’s trendy right now for people to call themselves an “entrepreneur” doesn’t mean you have to pursue creating a business if that’s not really what makes you happy. It’s ok to have a 9-to-5 job with a side hustle or just a 9-to-5 job. It’s ok to knit afghans in your free time with no ambition to turn knitting into a business.

You get to forge your own path! You decide what makes you happy, no one else.

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Image Credit:
Kacey Cole Photography

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