Meet Tiffany Vora | Speaker & Thought Leader

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

Hi Tiffany, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I wish I could say that my first business, which focused on science communication, was part of a grand life plan. The truth is that I became a founder out of frustration. Frustration that I was doing the labor of science editing but splitting revenue with an agency. Frustration that I wasn’t building relationships with scientists as they shared their stories. And frustration that science students weren’t being taught the skills underpinning successful communication. After listening to me at dinner one night, my husband said, “Why don’t you just start your own company?”
“I don’t know anything about running a business,” I replied.
He shrugged. “So what?”
That conversation flipped my thinking from “why?” to “why not?” The next day, I found local resources that were willing to help me start up. I tapped my network for early clients. Most importantly, I gave myself permission to step away from the academic path, for which I had spent a decade training. I gave myself permission to take a chance by broadening my definition of what it meant to “be” a scientist.

What’s the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make?

Deciding to shut down my first business was excruciating. It felt like killing a child! My business was successful on all fronts: growth, customer satisfaction, revenue, client relationships. That success made it hard for me to see that my personal growth trajectory had stalled. At the same time, my efforts as an independent science communicator were starting to take off, but the pandemic had injected a huge amount of uncertainty into that business model. Was this really the time to throw away everything that I had built for something new and risky? Coming to a “yes” to that question was a long, slow, and deeply emotional process. Thank goodness for mentors, coaches, friends, and family!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business as a science communicator has one massive purpose: I want to leave a world for my son that is better than the one that I found. Can you imagine a more terrifying challenge? Climate change, political polarization, runaway technological change … it would be simple to throw up my hands and exclaim, “These problems are too big for me!” But I believe that each of us matters. That’s why I’m using my business to build a legacy as a connector. Through my writing, speaking, and consulting, I help to bring people together to tackle the world’s greatest problems. I support companies and governments in mindfully designing for the best possible future(s). Perhaps most importantly, I seek to inspire people to recognize that they’re part of Earth’s astonishing natural world and to embrace the joy—and the responsibility—of that connection.
My path has been quite untraditional; I trained to be a university scientist, and that was the only thing I trained for. But life happened, in both positive and negative ways. I learned to let go of my “plan” and to pursue opportunities that were both exciting and fulfilling. And then I hustled.
The three most important lessons that I’ve learned are to say yes, to ask for help, and to pay gratitude forward. Each of those lessons has meant something different to me at different moments in my life. For instance, these days I’m working to change “say yes” into “say yes to the things that matter.” The pandemic’s effects on my businesses and on my family led me to that realization.
Ten years ago, I had no idea that “talk to people about changing the world” was a job. Some days I still can’t believe my luck! I earn income while challenging myself and supporting others as they build a better future. I can’t wait to see what new opportunities are in store.

What’s one thing about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?

That scientists are passionate, collaborative, creative people! I certainly didn’t sit quietly all day in a laboratory. And I don’t know any scientists today who do that. Science is people asking questions, sharing ideas, telling stories, seeking out new perspectives, and dreaming of a better world. I became a biologist because nature is so beautiful, weird, and surprising that I just couldn’t stop looking at it—or talking about it. This is what I love best about being a science communicator: breathing life into stale stereotypes about who does science and how it gets done. Scientists are dreamers and doers, just like everyone else.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My perfect days involve dirty boots, delicious tastes, and the joy of creativity. That’s what I learned as a kid growing up in Colorado. If I had the chance to show a friend the best time ever, I’d focus on music, nature, and food. In the San Francisco Bay Area, we’d catch live music at two little clubs that aren’t too far from my house (because traffic is a terrible waste of heartbeats). We’d hike Stanford’s private biological preserve, shoot down the coast to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, paddleboard with otters and dolphins, and zipline through towering redwoods. And we’d be eating the entire time, because California is a gift from the food gods. Ripe figs, Cowgirl Creamery cheese, local halibut, and greens, greens, greens!
If my friend came to visit me in Aspen, it would still be music, nature, and food! We’d snag my favorite corner at the Belly Up for some stellar music, hike my favorite trails in the White River National Forest and around Twin Lakes, and soak in the view with a nice crisp Albariño at the Pine Creek Cookhouse. We’d drive slowly up Maroon Creek Road to spot moose and bears and foxes, then head for Home Team BBQ for a long lunch. There’d be icy afternoon paddleboarding in the North Star Nature Preserve, followed by bubbles and art at the Aspen Art Museum.

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?
Shoutout to the Homeward Bound community of women STEMM leaders! Their transformational leadership initiative spurred me to embrace a new step in my career journey. I’ve been so grateful to this international community of women for their kindness, encouragement, enthusiasm, empathy, and drive. What a gift to join other women in safeguarding our planet for the next generations.

Website: https://www.tiffanyvora.com/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanyvora/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tiffanyjvora