Contact and About
In the years I’ve been consulting and coaching I’ve had the privilege of working with hundreds of people in a variety of settings – individual and group coaching, workshops, retreats, corporate offices, schools, and more. As I’ve looked back on these experiences one group of clients has emerged as a favorite -
The people who have taken the courageous path of being a one-person organization.
- Some have been freelancers, offering their skills and talents in support of other people, businesses and organizations.
- Some have been culture creators like artists, filmmakers, musicians, performers and authors.
- Some have been peers - coaches and consultants who bring their insights and knowledge to the fore in helping others reach for their best possibilities.
- Still others have taken the real definition of entrepreneur to heart, coming up with solutions, products and services in answer to real world problems and desires in the marketplace.
One thing I share in common with this group of people is the desire to work primarily alone.
This is my tribe.
If this sounds like you, this is your community. I've recently started a free Facebook group for us called My Own Best Company. It's a private group and it will be moderated to ensure the highest quality of experience. Would you like to be a founding member? Join HERE!
 |
| FT Mission Control |
- the conceiver,
- the visionary,
- the strategist,
- the decision maker,
- the systems developer,
- the producer,
- the marketer,
- the seller,
- the packer,
- and the shipper,
- not to mention the accountant and administrator.
I can describe all of these circumstances because they are my own. They are familiar. I left my last full-time salary in 1997 and have been a seat-of-the-pants businessperson ever since. I've had a few part-time jobs along the way that either felt like they were important places for me to be, or that filled in a cash flow gap as I was learning how to build my own business. I started consulting in 1996 when a friend asked me if I'd bring my conflict resolution skills to a retreat he was facilitating to help some corporate executives keep from killing each other as they went through restructuring. This was a strange world for a guitar player from Wyoming to end up in, but I found that I loved the work and the depth of interaction with the people I served. So I sought out mentors and training from some of the best I could find. They encouraged me to consider coaching as my primary skill set because I loved to be engaged in conversations that had a lot of depth and meaning and I had the ability to offer succinct and targeted feedback.
I’ve worked in all four of the roles that my clients tend to be in -
- Freelancing as an advertising copywriter, studio musician, jingle composer, guitar teacher, recording producer and voiceover artist.
- Contributing to my community's culture as a musician and songwriter.
- Coaching and consulting on topics like career transitions, business startup, marketing, and sales; and creating education, training, and support programs for individuals and organizations.
- And running several of my own digital businesses including online shops, website based commerce, content marketing through blogs and podcasts, and audio and video production services.
This body of experience and the training I’ve received through mentoring relationships, professional associations and in the so-called trenches has given me a collection of resources and skills which allow me to quickly identify all the critical facets of a problem or concern, then immediately respond with well-targeted, effective solutions.
 |
| This is what I look like most hours of the week. I like to spend the majority of my time creating new ways to serve my people. |
 |
| Presentation on Podcasting for Fort Collins Startup Week |
The perspectives I bring to you are supported by experience. I also believe that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all template that I can prescribe as an easy solution to all your problems. Your career and business are as unique as your fingerprint. I help you envision possibilities, filter out your less attractive options and discern your best next steps. There is an adventure at hand! Your adventure!
- You may have reached a dead end or burnout in your conventional career and are considering the leap into a more self-directed field, but don't know how or where to start.
- You're confident in your creative talents, skills or ideas but need help translating that into a sustainable or even lucrative income.
- You've been disappointed in the outcome of participating in coaching programs designed for more the socially engaged personality, and would like to work in ways that honor and leverage your unique strengths.
- You know in your heart that you're here for a bigger reason than just showing up at a workplace every day but aren’t sure how to bring that purpose forward.
- You've already started on your career or business path, but have reached a place where it isn't working as you want it to.
- Most of all I’m looking for you who work best in solitude with ample access to the inner riches of your own imagination and creativity, but you're finding some of the challenges of your journey more daunting than you'd expected.
- People who find reasons not to take action, and make excuses instead of being open to reasonable suggestions and aren't willing to take moderate risks.
- People who deflect responsibility for their actions and blame other people and circumstances for their situation.
- People who expect me to do their work for them.
- People who aren’t willing to be courageous, and refuse to experiment in the face of challenges.
- People who are looking for a guru with a proven system for success. I’m a Jedi, not a guru. Use the Force.
- People who have no visible sense of humor or who can’t tolerate mine.
Your results can only be guaranteed if you actually take
initiative, discover your gifts, generate your own vision and do the work that
needs to be done. If you are ready for that commitment, I’ll be with you every
step of the way.
 |
| Presentation on Marketing Messaging for Loveland Chamber of Commerce |
Most of my training has been through mentorships, apprenticeships and on-the-job experience. I've worked with organizations large and small across the US, and where I really work best is with the one-person company. I have been certified as a small business consultant by the Larimer Small Business Development Center and the Loveland Business Development Center. In 2019 I was honored to receive the Extraordinary Ordinary People Award from Northern Colorado Community. I have a bachelor’s degree in music and business that didn’t really prepare me for any of this. The best ways to find out more are to take a look around this website. Listen to some of the podcasts, download some of thefreebies, or watch a video or two.
If you really want a first-hand experience, join one of my free, live online classes. You can request notifications of upcoming classes and events in this contact form.
 |
| 2019 Extraordinary Ordinary people Awards with Ann Baron, Northern Colorado Community |
“Every solopreneur truly needs a business coach to provide outside perspective, see challenges and opportunities, be cheerleader and celebrate your wins with. Franklin was just that kind of coach for me and helped me grow my business to six figures. He was generous with his time and encouragement, but also gave me tough love and hard truths when I needed it. I credit his insight, expertise in creating online courses and copywriting skills to the growth in my one-on-one coaching and online program over three years. I highly recommend the investment in a business coach, specifically with Franklin, to help you get there so much faster and have a lot more fun building your business.”
“As a coach and advisor, Franklin Taggart is as wise as he is supportive. He has a unique ability to see the various sides to any business or career option and to help you discern from discussion which of those directions might be best to pursue. He never dictates your course of action, rather he listens carefully to what motivates you and digs deep to uncover your personal strengths and then offers suggestions for how you might meet your goals based on what he hears. It’s all quite encouraging and empowering. As a solopreneur, most decisions and strategies fall squarely on my shoulders, as does most of the work. It’s been a huge benefit to work with someone who can help steer me in the right direction by offering astute observations and creative solutions to keep me focused on doing my best and most efficient work.”
“Franklin Taggart has pragmatically changed my professional identity more than anyone else—and in a fraction of the time. His genius is his attention and perception, his art of listening underneath my desires and frustrations to discern my unique service, aligned with my core human values. This clarity of professional self—inextricable, really, from personal self—has streamlined my marketing efforts, from website presentation to social-media presence to product offerings. Franklin is truly a champion of others’ grandest expressions in the world.”
 |
| Franklin Taggart |