Building a Business That Loves You Back

Featuring: La Tonya Roberts | The Amanda Kaufman Show

What if the thing burning you out isn’t the workload… but the fact that you’re building someone else’s dream?

In this week’s episode of The Amanda Kaufman Show, I sat down with powerhouse consultant and fractional COO, La Tonya Roberts, to explore what it really means to step into your purpose and build a business that gives back — not just financially, but energetically.

La Tonya’s story is one of courage, alignment, and strategy — and if you’re a high-achieving woman with a dream of going out on your own, this one’s for you.

From Big 5 to Bold Moves

La Tonya’s journey started in the high-stakes world of Big 5 consulting. She spent years helping massive organizations streamline operations, transform culture, and lead strategic change — all while juggling motherhood and managing the pressures of climbing the corporate ladder.

Eventually, though, something shifted.

“I realized I had two choices: leave as a partner… or leave building my own business.”

That pivotal decision came just before the pandemic, and with clarity (and a little divine push), she packed up her life, moved to Atlanta, and leapt into entrepreneurship. Within 30 days, she was all in.

What Does It Mean to Build a Business That Loves You Back?

One of the most powerful things La Tonya shared was the shift in how she felt about her work.

“A 60-hour work week feels completely different when you’re doing it for you. I had energy again.”

That’s the magic. When you’re aligned — when you’re building something that’s an extension of your vision, your purpose, and your values — work doesn’t feel like depletion. It feels like creation.

This is such a powerful reframe, especially for the women in our community who are exhausted from pouring everything into jobs, teams, or companies that don’t pour back.

You don’t have to earn exhaustion as proof that you’re doing well.

You deserve to build something that gives as much as it takes.

You Don’t Need All the Answers — You Just Need a Decision

La Tonya dropped a truth bomb that had me nodding hard:

“You’ve got to make the decision first. Do I want this? Yes? Okay — then we’ll figure out the how.”

We talk a lot about imposter syndrome, fear, and overthinking in our space — and often the root of it is avoiding the decision. Waiting until everything is perfectly mapped out before taking the leap.

But the truth is: clarity comes from commitment. You decide first — then support, ideas, and opportunities show up.

Sometimes, the how shows up as a person. As La Tonya says:

“I’m the how for a lot of women.”

Whether it’s operations, team structure, or scaling, she helps expert women turn their brilliance into a sustainable business model. Because even the most powerful vision needs systems to grow.

The Freedom in Owning Your Space

Another standout moment from our conversation was when La Tonya declared:

“I’m 5'4", but I feel 6'4" when I walk in the room. I own the room.”

Talk about confidence.

This isn’t just about height — it’s about presence. It’s about the energy shift that happens when you stop second-guessing your expertise and start owning the value you bring.

For high-achievers who’ve been the “fixer,” the go-to, the MVP in someone else’s business — this is your permission slip. You can bring all that brilliance into your business and be the expert you’ve already proven yourself to be.

Stop waiting for someone else to validate your readiness. You’re already ready.

Who’s Your Dream Client? Speak to Her.

When I asked La Tonya who her dream client was, she didn’t hesitate.

“She’s a badass consultant who’s been the star in someone else’s business for 10+ years… and now she’s ready to build her own empire.”

That level of clarity is a reminder to every entrepreneur: know who you’re talking to. Speak directly to her — not to everyone.

When you speak to your dream client with clarity, you magnetize the right people and filter out the wrong ones. And you begin to build something that’s not just profitable, but fulfilling.

From Expertise to Ecosystem

Now, La Tonya’s not just building a business — she’s building an ecosystem.

She’s launching a podcast, creating training programs for future operators, and holding space for women to shine brighter in their zone of genius — not just as solopreneurs, but as CEOs.

And here’s what I love: she’s scaling with structure and soul. She’s not preaching hustle. She’s teaching alignment.

What We Hope You Take Away

If you’ve ever felt tired, burnt out, or out of alignment… let this be your reminder:

✨ You’re not too late.
✨ You’re not underqualified.
✨ And you’re not alone.

Make the decision. Bet on yourself. And let yourself receive support from people who can walk with you.

You deserve to build a business that gives you back time, energy, purpose — and yes, money too.

Listen to the Full Episode

This episode is packed with so much more — we talk about identity, mindset, and what it means to lead with clarity and confidence.

🎧 Listen to “Building a Business That Loves You Back” on The Amanda Kaufman Show
📺 Or watch the full episode on YouTube

Have a friend who’s building her thing or thinking about it? Share this blog and the episode with her. It might just be the spark she needs.

Chapters List

00:00 Introduction to Latonya Roberts and Her Journey

03:02 The Transition from Corporate to Entrepreneurship

06:02 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

08:52 Identifying Your Ideal Client

11:31 Future Projects and Empowering Women

14:19 Final Words of Wisdom and Closing Remarks

Full Transcript

La Tonya Roberts (00:00)

the freedom that you have in running your own business gives you this extra energy that you don't have when you're building someone else's dream.

Amanda Kaufman (00:26)

Well, hey, hey, welcome back to the Amanda Kaufman show. I'm so excited to chat with Latonya Roberts. She transforms fledgling organizations into high performing businesses because she's a fractional COO and HR consultant. So if you don't know, listener, a COO is somebody who's really great with process, helps you with your operations and dials all of that in. And HR, of course, is dealing with people.

So she is drawing from 18 years of experience across 30 different countries, which is just amazing. That's incredible. And she helps companies to scale their operations, build inclusive cultures, love that, and develops leadership teams that drive growth. Latonya, welcome to the show.

La Tonya Roberts (01:14)

Thank you, happy to be here.

Amanda Kaufman (01:16)

Amazing, amazing. I love to ask people, like, what got you here? Like why, you know, one of the coolest things about being an entrepreneur is all the freedom and the choice that we get. So, you know, what compelled you to choose to help organizations with operations and people?

La Tonya Roberts (01:34)

Yeah, so I started my career about 20 years ago working for some of the big consulting firms and I was doing operations type work even though I didn't know that's what it was. So strategy, the process improvement, the org transformation, the change management, the learning and development. And when I was at my last company, Deloitte, I said either I'm gonna leave here as a partner or I'm gonna leave here running my own business. So I knew I was like there is only two ways out of this thing.

And four years later, I was like, all right, I think I'm getting that entrepreneurial itch. And then the pandemic happened. And I was like, I need a major change. And so I had a dream. And in my dream, I was living in Atlanta at the time. I was living in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area, the DMV. And

Amanda Kaufman (02:08)

Whoa.

Yeah.

Okay.

La Tonya Roberts (02:23)

And I had this dream of moving to Atlanta and starting a business and having this new life and it just being beautiful. And also there was a message in there that said, okay, I've given you this vision and if you don't execute on it, I'm going to take it away. And that scared me. So within 30 days, I packed up my kids, sold my house and I moved to Atlanta and

As soon as I got here, a friend of mine that I went to college at, ironically I helped her start her own HR consulting firm by kind of advising her through the process. She called me and said, hey, I have this potential opportunity. It's working with another person, doing diversity, equity, inclusion in HR.

Would you like to join us? said, give me a week to unpack. And then let's talk. And that started my entrepreneurial venture. And we worked together for four years. Eventually, I became the COO of that company. A year later, I quit Deloitte. We had built a million dollar business. And now I realize that all of my gifts are what led me to serving in operations. And so now I do that with other women consultants, coaches, and service providers.

Amanda Kaufman (03:29)

That's really, really cool. Well, you know, Latonya, I don't know if you knew this, but I also grew up in Big Five Consulting and I also got that entrepreneurial itch, bit of a different story kind of apart from that. But I just really love the theme here, which is you need to have some skills. You need to have some sort of a direction to be able to operate at a higher level of premium consulting or coaching or anything like that.

La Tonya Roberts (03:57)

Thank

Amanda Kaufman (03:59)

And one of the really great ways to gain that is from your prior work experience. So I'm so curious, like when you made the leap, when you made that transition, what surprised you the most about the differences between working for a big company and driving your own?

La Tonya Roberts (04:01)

to gain that is from your prior.

What surprised me the most was that the freedom that you have in running your own business gives you this extra energy that you don't have when you're building someone else's dream.

So I've worked a lot of hours. Sometimes I still do, right? you know, a 60 hour work week feels different when it's for you.

than it does when it's for someone else. And so I could find myself working till eight or nine o'clock, but I'm like, this is my baby. It's great. And I'm like, I still have energy. Now had I done that while in corporate, I'm like, I am so tired. I'm burnt out. I can't do this anymore. Right? So that extra energy, that creativity, that just...

Amanda Kaufman (04:53)

So good.

La Tonya Roberts (04:59)

you just get in the flow and you're like, is my thing, I'm building this and it's just such a good feeling. So that really surprised me.

Amanda Kaufman (05:08)

That's really, really cool. think like that really speaks to the sensation that pulled me into high performance coaching in the first place, which was when you feel like you're in achievement, but not in alignment, right? And it's like finding that alignment. And especially if you're somebody who identifies as being a hard worker, being a high achiever, being someone who cares about their output, even if they're working for somebody else's like, hey, if I'm putting my human energy towards this,

La Tonya Roberts (05:21)

Mm-hmm. yeah.

Amanda Kaufman (05:36)

then it's gonna be good. But the question is, are you good? Are you okay? Are you feeling like you're building something that you authentically really care about? And I'm a big believer you can be really successful inside other people's containers. There's nothing wrong with having a job. And also, if for whatever reason it's been placed on your heart to build your thing,

La Tonya Roberts (05:42)

Mm-hmm.

Thank

Amanda Kaufman (06:02)

You know, I love your advice and your story, which was just like, you gotta listen to it, because if you don't, then it's gonna get taken away somehow. And I think that that's a powerful motive. What would your top advice be for someone who wants to really win as an expert, as a consultant? I mean, you've got all this deep experience with operations, with talent. If you were to either give yourself advice from

La Tonya Roberts (06:02)

Mm-hmm.

That's right.

Amanda Kaufman (06:31)

a few years ago when you started this thing, or just even knowing what you know now, what's something that you see a lot of entrepreneurs kind of struggle with that you wish they didn't, you wish they knew something new.

La Tonya Roberts (06:42)

you

Yeah, so we talk about a lot of imposter syndrome, right? And I dealt with that too, right? I dealt with them like, my God, this person is better. I see all these things online, whatever. can never be them. But you know what? You really have to look in the mirror and remind yourself who you are and remind yourself of all the amazing things that you have overcome and you have done. And this is not a time to be humble.

Amanda Kaufman (06:48)

you

La Tonya Roberts (07:13)

This is the time to say, know what? I am the freaking rock star that everyone comes to. I'm the fixer. I'm this. I've done that. And you have to just own it. Walk in your power and know that, you know what? This may be hard, but I do hard things well. And I got this. And I know if I bet on myself, I'm always going to win. And so I had to tell myself a lot of those stories of, girl, you remember when you were

Amanda Kaufman (07:24)

Mm-hmm.

Mmm.

La Tonya Roberts (07:41)

First year in consulting and you had one kid and then all of sudden you had two kids and you're surrounded by all these people with no responsibilities and not married and you have to grow your career in 40 hours when other people had all this time to network and do all these amazing things and you just didn't have time to do it and you figured that stuff out and you were a high performer.

So look in the mirror, remind yourself who you are, and know that you are always going to come on top when you're in online.

Amanda Kaufman (08:13)

I love that, I love that. I had the same issue, even though I had performed extremely well inside the container of a company, I had so much doubt and honestly discouragement when I went out into the great big wide world to launch my business. And what I've noticed among business owners is that everyone has strengths. Everyone has opportunities for growth, right? Everybody has that, there is no...

La Tonya Roberts (08:34)

Mm-hmm.

Amanda Kaufman (08:40)

perfect superwoman, superman kind of moment that you step out and you're like, my gosh, I have so much confidence, right? And I even really struggled with inadvertently disempowering myself because I took those things that I had accomplished, that I had figured out, because like that is so remarkable, you know, to be a younger mother and to have the time discipline to still achieve in your career.

La Tonya Roberts (08:52)

Mm-hmm.

Amanda Kaufman (09:07)

You know, that's not a small thing. There's a lot of people who might have made a different choice, but you chose the harder thing, which was to figure it out, you know? And I think one way we disempower ourselves is we say, well, if I acknowledge that, if I acknowledge my power, then I'm conceited, right? I'm like this egotistical person. And I really had to work through that. I don't know if you really struggled with that.

as well, but I see it over and over again that people are so worried about bragging or being seen as in Australia, they call it the tall poppy syndrome. And, you know, I'm like, I'm not tall in any kind of away. I'm five foot three. But the point is, you know, owning owning your power.

La Tonya Roberts (09:33)

did.

You

I'm 5'4", Amanda, and I am

6'4", when I stand, when I walk in the room. No, I'm 5'4", but I feel 6'4", when I walk in the room. If I own the room. No.

Amanda Kaufman (09:52)

Year 6-4?

Ding-dong. love that. was like, you what? Because Zoom like

tricks you, man. Like you have no idea, right? I love that. So talk to me a little bit about like where you're going, you know, who have you figured out is your magical dream? We call it the dream avatar around here. Like who do you just love working with and what makes that special? And listener,

You the reason I'm asking her this in front of you is that for many of us that permission to really go for who we really want to work with we again we revoke that power and it's like no no one's disempowering you like let yourself feel powerful. So Latonya you've obviously figured out some things like who's your dream person that you love to work with?

La Tonya Roberts (10:42)

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, my dream person is that, can I curse on this podcast? She is that bad, okay, she is that, she is that bad a female consultant that has 10 years, yeah. no, no, no, no, no.

Amanda Kaufman (10:50)

A little lightly, a little.

Well you wanted to say badass? I thought you were gonna drop an f-bomb. Okay. No, badass is fine.

La Tonya Roberts (11:02)

No, no, no, no. She is a badass

female consultant that has been a rock star for another company for 10 or more years. She is a subject matter expert. She knows her zone of genius and she is ready to own her role and walk in her purpose and actually start her own business. Right. So taking her power back by going out on her own. And what I want to do with her is maybe she's been a freelancer or independent consultant for a couple of years and now

she's ready to scale up in her business, bring on some other contractors or bring on some other employees, but she needs someone to come in and put that structure in place. I want to partner with you and I want to help you do that. Right. Like I'm a wing Six Sigma black belt. love processes. like AI and technology background and human capital consultants. So I know how to put teams together and strategy is my jam. Right. So I want to know your vision. I want to know what you, what story you want to

Amanda Kaufman (11:57)

So good. Yeah.

La Tonya Roberts (12:01)

tell when you're sitting around the fireplace with your grandkids and you're sharing the legacy of who you are and what you've done and pouring into your people. I'm gonna help you build that.

Amanda Kaufman (12:11)

Nah, just, love the energy. I had a feeling, you know, this is not take two of the podcast, y'all. Like this is, I just had a feeling that if I asked you that question, you would have remarkable clarity and you really, really do. And for dear listener, like listen to the energy and the enthusiasm that Latonya has for how she talks about her person. You might be working with somebody completely different, dear listener. Like you might be,

in a completely different realm of expertise. But the thing that I want to encourage sameness in is the enthusiasm, the energy and the clarity for like who's a really amazing person that you really, really want to help that has big ambition and big goals. Like that's something that I really notice Latonya about how you're talking about this is that you have clear vision for her vision.

La Tonya Roberts (13:00)

Mm-hmm. Yes.

Amanda Kaufman (13:00)

you know, and that

alignment and you said the word partner, like that's the sauce, that's the juice. Okay, so tell us a little bit about what your next big project is in your business. Like what are you really focused the most on?

La Tonya Roberts (13:12)

So it's a couple of things. One, I am starting my own podcast. So that's my newest baby. Yeah, yeah, I've been on this podcast tour for the last four months and I'm like, all right, I'm ready to get out there and do my own. Right. So I'll be doing that.

Amanda Kaufman (13:17)

Yay!

Very good.

La Tonya Roberts (13:27)

And then I am building out my ecosystem. So I am all about women's empowerment. So I am training other women on how to do what I do. So creating a community, a support system, and educational sandbox, if you will, for us to learn and grow together. And everyone, just walk in your purpose and shine as brightly as you can.

Amanda Kaufman (13:39)

you

La Tonya Roberts (13:53)

bring your gifts to the world. So I do that in, I have a free community and then people that want to get into operations or they think, you know what, this may be my thing. Well, come on, let me show you how to make it do what it do and turn that into a business.

Amanda Kaufman (14:05)

I love it.

It's so good. Well, Latonya, do you have any extra words of wisdom or things that you'd love our listeners to think about as they're going after their next goals?

La Tonya Roberts (14:19)

Mm-hmm. Just, you know what? Believe in who you are. Believe that even when you are in those times of doubt, know that this is happening to you and there's always, or I'm sorry, this is happening for you, not to you. There is always a lesson learned. So I don't believe that you fail, right? Because there's always something that you can get out of it. And don't let anyone tell you that you can't.

Amanda Kaufman (14:42)

Hmm.

La Tonya Roberts (14:45)

because you absolutely can if you want to.

Right? And you got to make that decision first. Do I want this? Yes. Okay. Well, let's figure out how to do it. And it's not always you that needs to do it. It's who's your how? I'm the how for many women. Right? And like, I have this big dream. I don't know how to accomplishment. Hey girl. Hey, I'm right here. Because when you're talking to me, I'm gonna tell you 10 ways to monetize it or 10 ways to do it. Right? So what is it that you want to do? Make the decision and put together your dream team to make it happen.

Amanda Kaufman (14:49)

That's it. Yeah.

Oh, so good. Latonya, how can people keep up with you? What's the best way to follow you?

La Tonya Roberts (15:23)

Yeah, so connect with me on LinkedIn. It's gonna be L-A-Tonya, T-O-N-Y-A-Roberts. Or you can go to my website, HarmonyConsultingGroup.org.

Amanda Kaufman (15:33)

Wonderful, wonderful. And we'll have all of LaTonya's links in the show notes below this episode so you can follow her. Thank you so much for being here on the show with us.

La Tonya Roberts (15:45)

Thank you, I appreciate it. Oh, and I forgot to say, if you follow me on LinkedIn, send me a message, I wanna hear from you, and then I will share with you my operations gold mine checklist, and it's just a little quick little thing to figure out where you need to beef up your operations and figure out what needs to be done.

Amanda Kaufman (15:47)

me.

Outstanding I love that. I love that. I can't wait to dive into that checklist and You know listener Tanya has prepared. She's here. She's like pouring her heart out Go ahead and subscribe so you don't miss future episodes and also Take 30 seconds and leave us a review wherever you happen to be listening to this. It could be a comment on YouTube It could be a review on you know Spotify Apple and the reason why I'm asking for you to do that Explicitly is you have no idea how much it helps

a when there are positive reviews. And you know what? Leave an honest review. If this sucked, like tell us. And then, you know, if you've got friends and especially, you know, women who are very talented looking at maybe building their own thing, even part time, make sure you forward this episode to them. You know, think of three people that you know, like that share this short episode with them. It might just be that little nudge of inspiration that she's been looking for.

All right, y'all, thank you so much for joining us and we will see you on a future episode.