Tamara B. Rodriguez
On Living Life After the Bell
As an entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience in accounting and finance, I have worked in the public and private sectors and my clients range in various industries from technology to media. I started my own practice when I realized that I needed the flexibility in my schedule to raise my two young girls while fulfilling my philanthropic duties, a passion in which my grandfather instilled.
As an author of two children's books which open the door for families to discuss difficult subjects, I also share my experiences and knowledge in my monthly blog, A Cup of T, offering quick tips for self-care and self-fulfillment,
especially for on-the-go women.
Serving as a board member on several local organizations, I contribute my time focusing on areas including: strengthening South Florida's Haitian community, breast cancer research, and creating diverse and inclusive initiatives in schools.
A little over 9 years ago, I experienced a turning point in my life when I rang the bell, symbolizing the end of the excruciating pain that is endured while living with cancer. While ‘ringing the bell’ marks a milestone in cancer treatment — the completion of a ferocious journey — it is also the beginning of another…the journey of living life with a renewed sense of hope, gratitude, and a focus on social and emotional wellbeing. After ringing my bell, I gained a sense of what it feels like to be in the present. I gained the critical sense of not only living my life to its fullest in the moment but the dedication to also share my journey and to give back to those who need to fill their lives with hope.
As I went through cancer treatment, I looked for books that would help my husband and I talk to our young daughters about cancer. However, the characters in the books we found did not look anything like me nor my family — a very diverse set families were presented but none of the characters looked like us nor conveyed the message in my tone. I knew nothing about writing a book, yet this got me thinking that maybe I should start. Taking that first step to write was cathartic for my family and I. Writing became a family project not only during my cancer treatment which ultimately helped my family to heal, but it was also the stepping platform for us to reach out and connect with thousands of educators and families around the world who needed the same dose of hope that I needed. Publishing children's books was the first of many entrepreneurial endeavors that have inspired thousands of others to act and follow their dreams and living a purposeful life with hope.
An ambassador for organizations that are aligned with my beliefs, I create dialogue on difficult subjects, enabling me to use my voice and share my journey with others while instilling hope toward life after the bell. As an entrepreneur, I create a space for me and others to become self-sufficient, so with Cups of T, I share tips on various topics that will help others get ahead toward a purposeful life. With Conversations of Hope, I enjoy having dialogues with thrivers and survivors whose story inspire other patients, parents, spouses and entrepreneurs, so this platform will allow us to share with our audience the diverse journeys of living life after the bell. Until they, too, can ring the bell of their own milestone moment.