Exclusive with the Founder of Ride the Tide Collective, Julia Toothacre
Julia Toothacre equips ambitious corporate professionals who value the stability of the 9–5 to strategize and take action to control and advance their careers. Currently based in SLC, Utah, but hailing from Southern California, Julia started Ride The Tide Collective to provide career information for those who are eager to control their career path and who want more from their career and life.
Since starting Ride The Tide Collective in 2018, Julia has started a podcast focused on career management and advancement, partnered with the production company, Madecraft to produce a career course now offered on LinkedIn Learning, and has helped her clients increase their clarity, control, and salary in their career. With well over $100k in promotions secured by her clients in 2021, Julia harnesses her client's natural talents and strengths to create custom strategies for them to be successful — whatever success means to them.
For more details, visit their website here.
Here we sit down with Julia, to know a bit more about her journey as an entrepreneur.
Q. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
Julia: Life circumstances sparked my interest in becoming an entrepreneur. I lost my parents and had my son within a year and a half window and I knew my life needed change. While I had a job offer waiting for me to change functional areas and industries, I wanted to try my hand at starting a business and I haven’t looked back.
I changed my career path to fit my values, personality, and needs in a really tough season. I help my clients do the same. Whether it’s a big life event, stress, burnout, or overwhelm, I help my client navigate and find strategies that will help them manage and be successful, specifically in their career, but life is always a factor in career decisions.
Q. How did you get started?
Julia: I’ve been in the career development world for over 10 years. I started in higher education working as a career coach in career offices. I eventually ended up leading an office before I started my company. I partnered with recruiters and hiring managers to learn what they expected from candidates. I was trained to counsel and coach and received certifications for various assessments used in the career world.
My inspiration to start my own company and continue career coaching came from my own career journey. I’ve been lost and switched functional areas and industries, I’ve been in toxic situations that elevated my stress so significantly it caused health issues, and I’ve experienced major life changes that altered what I thought I wanted in my career. Not only are parts of my story relatable for most professionals, but I’m also highly trained and experienced to help professionals work through their own situations to find success and happiness.
Q. What was your biggest startup challenge? What steps did you take to overcome it? What did you learn?
Julia: My biggest challenge was learning how to run a business in the online environment. I knew the basics to run a business thanks to my time working for an MBA program and previous experience working for small businesses, but the strategies and systems for the online environment were foreign to me. I figured out what I didn’t know and started learning as much as I could to fill in the gaps. As time went on, I tried new services and strategies until I found a rhythm and group of services that works for me. Thankfully, I love learning and creating systems so the act of running a business appeals to me!
Q. What is the Most Memorable Thing You’ve Done Since you Started your Business?
Julia: There are two things.
After a few years of running my business, a production company reached out to me to create a course. This course ended up being picked up by LinkedIn Learning and has been an amazing way for me to promote my coaching and other services.
The second was a long-term client of mine who made a big career change where they were able to secure a $25k signing and relocation bonus and a $20k salary increase from their previous position. While I don’t usually use salary as a measure of career success (it looks different for everyone), this client’s goal was a salary increase and they went through 6 rounds of negotiation to make it happen. Outside of the financial increase, my client has been happy and motivated by the management, team, and general leadership of their department and the company. All around, they made a good move because they were clear and intentional about what they wanted and didn’t settle.
Q. What is one book you recommend, and why?
Julia: Anything by Brené Brown, but specifically Dare To Lead. I think this is a book all professionals need to read and re-read at various transitions in their careers. Dr. Brown has a way of breaking down emotional information to make it accessible for those who may not be comfortable with that part of themselves. For anyone aspiring to be a people leader, this book is a must-read.
Q. What are your top 3 favourite online apps, tools, or resources and what do you love about them?
Julia: Canva — even though I have a background in graphic design and own the Adobe Suite, Canva is easy and quick to use for social media posts and one-off design needs.
ConvertKit for email is a must. Their analytics and options are stellar and it connects with my WordPress site seamlessly.
LinkedIn is my go-to for sharing career management and advancement content, keeps me knowledgeable on what’s happening in the recruiting world and world of work in general, and is the number one place I source clients.
Q. In terms of legacy, what is the mark you’d like to leave on the world?
Julia: I want people to be happy with career choices and feel like they have control over what’s next. While my podcast will likely be what leaves a legacy, I know the impact I have had with my clients is significant. Whether it’s financial with their salary, helping them find clarity, or helping them manage situations in their career and life if my client’s life is made better by being their coach, I’m happy.
Q. In one sentence, what’s the best advice you’d give to someone just starting out on their entrepreneurial journey?
Julia: Be clear about why you want to be an entrepreneur or own a business because you have to want it every day.
To keep up to date with Julia and her journey, connect with her on LinkedIn.
