Living The Red Life – Episode Summary

Episode Overview

Title: Top Leadership Coach: Transforming Potential Into Purpose-Driven Influence
Host: Rudy Mawer (with guest host Ray Gutierrez)
Guest: Taquita Trinay, Leadership Coach & Transformational Speaker
Date: January 14, 2026

This powerful and enlightening episode features Taquita Trinay, celebrated leadership coach and transformational speaker. The discussion centers on how purpose-driven leaders are cultivated, how early gifts of influence can shape a legacy, and how faith and authenticity are woven into transformational leadership. The conversation is deeply personal, blending Taquita's own journey with actionable insights for entrepreneurs seeking to maximize impact and lead with authenticity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Discovering the Gift of Teaching and Leadership

• Early Discovery:
  Taquita recalls realizing her calling as early as age four, teaching her dolls and her younger sister in makeshift classrooms. Family, particularly her mother and aunt, recognized and affirmed her gift early on.

  • "That superpower with me naturally teaching and educating... I always knew I had that as a four year old." (02:50–03:31)

• Growing Into Purpose:
  Although she initially resisted the teacher label, Taquita sees now (at 44) how her childhood calling has evolved into her current leadership and coaching work.

  • "I'm not in the four walls of a classroom, but I'm literally providing development and training and teaching in what I do every day." (04:00–04:41)

2. Teaching Leadership: Impact Over Authority

• The Focus on Impactful Leadership:
  Taquita distinguishes merely "good" leaders from impactful ones who build legacy, develop others, and create environments of awareness for people to tap into their potential.

  • "Leaders make legacy. They build, they develop, they create legacy." (00:18–00:33, repeated emphasis at 04:53–05:30)

• Core Values & Curriculum:
  Her leadership philosophy blends lessons from John Maxwell and Les Brown, with an emphasis on faith, resilience, and legacy. Curriculum development is tailored through core values and a deep understanding of client needs.

  • "It's a combination of the Les Browns, the John Maxwell... you create the culture for whoever or whatever organization or client that you have." (06:49–07:27)

3. Faith and Authentic Power

• Faith as a Core Pillar:
  Taquita attributes her driving force to faith and her spiritual upbringing. Her mother and early church experiences grounded her values and shaped her leadership style.
  • "It's faith... My mom introduced that to our household. I just took it, received it, cultivated it, and now it's my pillar." (09:13–09:54)

4. Mentorship, Community, and Support Systems

• Building a Tribe:
  Taquita explains the importance of community for maintaining resilience and sustainability. She surrounds herself with mentors and a support team—behind the scenes and for her mental and physical well-being.

  • "I have a therapist that I'm meeting with every three weeks for her to equip me with the tools that I need when life starts lifing." (15:20–16:24)

• The Role of Mentors:
  She values multiple mentors for different challenges—career, personal, business—highlighting the benefit of diverse perspectives.

  • "It depends on what bucket of challenge that is... I definitely encourage anyone to at least have a mentor. Or two." (10:02–11:14)

5. Authenticity in Delivery (& Stage Presence)

• Pre-Stage Rituals:
  In a vulnerable moment, Taquita shares her physical nerves before speaking as a sign of her passion and humility.

  • "I lose two pounds before I go on any stage. Do you know what I mean when I say lose two pounds? I have to poop." (12:30–13:35)

• Reading & Engaging the Room:
  Her approach is relational rather than scripted. She connects personally—calling out names, making physical contact, sharing her humanity—to break barriers and foster authentic connection.

  • "You have to be able to not be scripted... I like to be so relational and so one-to-one with my audience." (16:46–18:07)
  • "I am not above you. I am stewarding this... I'm right here with you. I am human, too. I am flawed, too." (18:20–19:09)

6. Leadership Legacy and Personal Philosophy

• Key Words:
  Taquita identifies "audacity, delusion, and faith" as central to her philosophy, embracing the boldness to keep moving despite setbacks.

  • "Audacity, delusion, and faith. Those three words... has been audacity, delusion, and faith." (19:19–20:25)
  • "I was crazy enough... to have the delusion to believe that, oh, no, it didn't work today, it'll work tomorrow. Okay, it didn't work tomorrow. I'm gonna do it again." (20:10–20:25)

• Current Projects:
  She’s taking her leadership internationally, speaking at events in London and Canada on community, resilience, and transformational leadership.

  • "I have two tours, I say tours, but speaking opportunities to speak in London and in Canada to people that are craving. What does community look like? What does resilience look like?" (11:19–12:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Early Beginnings:
  “When I walk in a room, it shifts, it lights up, it brightens up... I'm a leadership coach that happens to be a transformational speaker.” – Taquita Trinay (02:02–02:42)

• On Purpose:
  “I realized this is the most memorable accomplishment recently. I received that [John Maxwell] certification, Ray, and I was like, who would have thunk it? I've been using his book this whole time, and now I am facilitating in the name of John Maxwell.” (06:15–06:40)

• On Authentic Leadership:
  “I'm not gonna lie Ray. I give a thousand percent when I'm like coaching, doing a workshop or on stage. Behind the scenes, I'm running... I have a therapist that I'm meeting with every three weeks for her to equip me with the tools that I need.” (15:20–16:25)

• On Boldness and Persistence:
  “I was crazy enough... to have the delusion to believe that, oh, no, it didn’t work today, it’ll work tomorrow. Okay, it didn’t work tomorrow. I’m gonna do it again.” (20:10–20:25)

• On Audience Connection:
  “I’m gonna walk out. I’m gonna touch a shoulder. I’m gonna give high fives to position them to feel like, I am you, you are me... So just because I’m on this stage... I’m human, too. I am flawed, too. I am still developing and growing.” (18:10–19:09)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:50 – Childhood origins of teaching and leadership
• 04:53 – What it means to teach leadership & build legacy
• 06:15 – Curriculum building, Maxwell certification, and influences
• 09:13 – Faith as a root of leadership strength
• 10:02 – Mentorship and support systems
• 12:30 – Stage fright as a sign of alignment and passion
• 15:20 – Sustainable leadership through community & self-care
• 16:46 – Authentic stage presence and engagement tactics
• 19:19 – Three pillars: audacity, delusion, and faith

Conclusion

Taquita Trinay’s story is a testament to cultivating a leadership legacy rooted in faith, boldness, and genuine human connection. This episode is packed with wisdom for anyone seeking to transform their potential into lasting, purpose-driven influence.