Tales With Taylor

How to Start a Virtual Assistant Business | Alana Roberts on Helping Small Businesses

Virtual Assisting Before it Was Cool with Alana Roberts. On this episode of Tales with Taylor, Taylor sits down with entrepreneur and executive concierge Alana Roberts to talk about virtual assistance, business growth, AI tools, and lifelong learning. Schedule your complimentary strategy session now! https://bit.ly/FP_StrategySessionAlana shares how she began her journey over 22 years ago helping entrepreneurs with blogging, scheduling, websites, and business support long before virtual assistants became mainstream. Today, she partners with businesses of all sizes, helping entrepreneurs stay organized, reduce overwhelm, and continue growing.Taylor and Alana discuss the importance of delegation, how AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini are helping businesses operate more efficiently, and why staying curious and open to learning new skills is so important in today’s world. The conversation also touches on spirituality, meditation, community, and Alana’s passion for helping others through Packs for Prosperity, an initiative supporting people experiencing homelessness in the Phoenix area.Books mentioned in this episode include The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer and Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson.Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more inspiring conversations with entrepreneurs and community leaders.

How to Grow Your Business by Seeing the Gaps Most Leaders Ignore | Paul Sim

What’s really holding your business back? In this episode of Tales with Taylor, we sit down with Paul Sim, founder of Gap View Business Advisors, to uncover the uncomfortable truths leaders often avoid—and how facing them can unlock real, measurable growth.With over 30 years of experience, Paul has helped businesses transform from struggling operations into profitable, scalable organizations—including turning a $500K loss into a $1.5M profit. His approach goes beyond surface-level fixes, diving deep into the gaps between leadership vision and team execution.In this conversation, you’ll learn:- Why leaders struggle to face hard truths in their business- The biggest gap most organizations overlook- What “radical clarity” really means (and why buy-in isn’t enough)- How to identify and fix performance gaps holding your team back- The importance of systems over talent- How failure can become your greatest growth strategy- The balance between structure and creativity in business (jazz vs. classical 🎷)Paul also shares actionable insights on building aligned teams, improving systems, and creating a “north star” that drives real results.If you’re an entrepreneur, leader, or business owner ready to grow, scale, and lead with clarity—this episode is for you.Books mentioned: Smartrev, Essentialism

Flip Your Mindset and Master Public Speaking Confidence with Frank Kitchen

Flip Your Mindset and Master Public Speaking Confidence with Frank Kitchen. Schedule your complimentary strategy session now! https://bit.ly/FP_StrategySessionWhat if the key to confident public speaking starts in your mind?In this episode of Tales with Taylor, professional growth expert Frank Kitchen shares how shifting your mindset can transform the way you show up on stage and in life. From losing his job in 2015 to becoming a globally recognized keynote speaker, Frank breaks down how focus, belief, and action can turn setbacks into powerful breakthroughs.Learn why “where your mind goes, your body and mouth will follow” and how focusing on fear can hold you back while focusing on purpose can open doors you never expected.Frank also dives into his Live Fresh approach, teaching how to flip stale thinking into fresh results by becoming more focused, resourceful, enthusiastic, strong, and honest. Whether you’re looking to improve your public speaking, grow your career, or build confidence, this conversation is packed with real strategies you can apply right away.If you have ever doubted yourself before speaking or stepping into something new, this episode will help you shift your perspective and take action. https://www.frankkitchen.com/book_motivational_speaker_frank_kitchenShoe Brand: https://candymankicks.com/

The Truth About Aging Nobody Tells You ft. Mary Westheimer

In this episode of Tales with Taylor, we sit down with author Mary Westheimer, who shares powerful (and often surprising) insights from her book What Nobody Tells You About Getting Older. From the impact of deep breathing to the importance of protein and collagen, this conversation is packed with practical tips for navigating life with more energy, awareness, and joy.Mary opens up about aging with honesty and humor—covering everything from physical changes and daily habits to mindset, loss, and finding peace through it all. Whether you're in your 30s, 40s, or beyond, this episode will shift how you think about growing older.Mary Westheimer (who is not ashamed to be 70) didn’t mean to write What Nobody Tells You About Getting Older, a book about aging with both eyes open and a smile on your lips. Then she realized that her longtime collection of observations and helpful tips could help people handle the reality of aging (and life in general) while not taking it overly seriously. Westheimer has written hundreds of articles for national, regional, and local publications including USA Today, Columbia Journalism Review, and Publishers Weekly, and was associate editor of national airline America West Airlines’ inflight magazine for eight years. She and the book were recently featured in Parade Magazine. Learn more at https://www.whatnobodytellsyou.com/

Build a Business That Fits Your Life Stress-Free with Jess Hershey

What if your business actually supported your life instead of taking it over? In this episode of Tales with Taylor, we sit down with Jess Hershey—work-life strategist, creative partner, and founder of Moca—to talk about building a business with intention, balance, and joy.From a funny and slightly scary story about falling into the ocean while chasing her dog, to deep insights on entrepreneurship, delegation, and community, this conversation is a reminder that success does not have to lead to burnout.If you have ever felt overwhelmed, stuck doing everything yourself, or disconnected from why you started your business, this episode will give you a fresh perspective.