Today we’d like to introduce you to Frenetta Tate.
Frenetta, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story didn’t begin in leadership meetings or corporate conference rooms. It began in a military household where excellence was expected, discipline was taught early, and “do it right the first time” was the family motto. I grew up in an environment that shaped my work ethic, but inside I carried insecurities that no one could see. People thought I had it all together, but as a young teen, I struggled with self-worth so deeply that I attempted suicide. My mother stepped in, literally walking me back into life with love, truth, and fierce protection.
My early adulthood carried its own storms: depression, homelessness, abusive relationships, money struggles, uncertainty, and the heavy feeling of not knowing how to climb out. But life shifted when I found mentors, returned to my faith, started rebuilding myself, and chose to keep going even when it didn’t feel easy or glamorous. There was a time as a young adult that I was overwhelmed with suicidal thoughts again while alone in a Chicago hotel room during a work trip, and it was God’s voice that stopped me in my tracks and reminded me that my life had purpose. It was a turning point for me.
Through faith, mentorship, and sheer determination, I started rebuilding myself (mentally, spiritually, emotionally, financially). I went back to school, earned two degrees, grew in my career, and began seeing myself differently. I found my confidence. I found my voice. And I found a new commitment to living fully and walking in purpose.
Professionally, I’ve worked across management, operations, people support, and workplace experience for over 20 years. I’ve led large-scale initiatives, supported executives, improved processes, and helped shape environments where people can thrive. Eventually, all my experiences pointed me toward a truth I could no longer ignore: I wasn’t just working a job — I was being prepared to help people, guide leaders, and support women on a deeper level.
Today, I stand as a woman who has lived through a lot, survived a lot, and risen through all of it. My story is one of resilience, redemption, and growth — and every chapter shows up in how I lead, support, and empower others.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the most defining lessons in my life came after my father passed away. I had been at a company for nine years. It was stable, familiar, and a place where I built strong relationships. When my dad died, everything in my life felt shaken. I wasn’t thinking clearly, and I felt an internal urgency to make a big change. So, when another company offered me a Vice President title with $20,000 more, I jumped — not from clarity, but from emotion.
Within a week of starting, I knew I had made the wrong decision. The culture didn’t fit me, the environment didn’t feel right, and I felt completely out of place. I tried to return to my old job, but the answer was no. And that broke me in a way I didn’t expect.
That moment taught me how important it is to make decisions with a grounded mind and a clear heart. It taught me to pause, to check my motivations, and to think beyond the moment — especially in seasons of grief, transition, or emotional overwhelm.
Within a week of starting, I knew I had made the wrong decision. The culture didn’t fit me, the environment didn’t feel right, and I felt completely out of place. I tried to return to my old job, but the answer was no. And that broke me in a way I didn’t expect.
That moment forced me to tell myself the truth: I hadn’t been thinking clearly. I was grieving. I was overwhelmed. And I had made a big decision from a place of fear and urgency — not wisdom and strategy.
On top of that, for years, I didn’t take my mental health seriously. There wasn’t a lot of open conversation about it back then. I struggled silently — through depression, burnout, grief, and pressure — because I didn’t know how to ask for help or even say, “I’m not okay.” I know now how dangerous that silence was.
Today, mental health is front and center, and I’m grateful. But back then, I struggled alone, wore a smile I didn’t feel, and carried responsibilities while drowning internally. That experience — combined with years of battling internal struggles — taught me compassion, taught me awareness, and taught me the importance of checking in on people, not just their performance.
Those painful seasons matured me, humbled me, and strengthened me. They taught me how to think long-term, how to make grounded decisions, and how to guide others through their own emotional and professional storms.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work centers around people — how they feel, how they show up, how they lead, and what they need in order to thrive. For more than twenty years, I’ve worked in roles connected to operations, employee engagement, leadership alignment, people support, and workplace experience. I’ve managed budgets, coordinated major events, improved communication, supported executives, and helped strengthen workplace culture across different environments. Over time, I became known as the person who pays attention to both the big picture and the small details — the things that shape morale, connection, and performance.
Today, I serve as a Workplace Experience Manager, where my focus is creating an environment where employees feel supported, appreciated, and equipped to do their best work every day. I help make work feel more human. I look at the systems that influence the employee experience, the communication that shapes culture, and the daily touchpoints that impact how people show up. It’s people-first leadership in action.
Outside of my 9–5, I am the CEO and Founder of Frenetta Tate Global, which is where my calling, my leadership, and my purpose come together. Through my company, I help organizations streamline their operations, improve their culture, and elevate how their teams work together. I also coach women — especially high-performing women — to rebuild confidence, reclaim their voice, and lead without shrinking or apologizing.
A Business Consultant with a suite of signature services designed for organizations ready to evolve. My consulting work focuses on identifying operational gaps, optimizing processes, improving internal communication, and aligning strategy with the brand’s true identity. Through services like The Operational Snapshot™, The Strategic Tune-Up™, and The Experience Alignment Audit™, I help companies streamline, scale, and sustain performance with systems that actually support their vision.
What I’m most proud of — and what sets me apart — is that I bring my full experience to the table. Not just my professional expertise, but my lived experience, my resilience, and my understanding of people. I don’t lead from theory; I lead from real life. Every lesson I’ve learned — personally and professionally — shows up in the way I guide, teach, and empower others. And I believe that’s why my work resonates: I don’t just focus on operations or culture or confidence. I focus on the whole person behind the role.
That’s the heart of what I do, and that’s the heart of who I am.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory takes me right back to my neighborhood, where I created a little dance group with four of the girls on my block. I was choreographing routines, teaching steps, organizing practices, and putting on “shows” for whoever would watch. We didn’t have a stage, lights, or microphones — just determination, imagination, and a whole lot of confidence.
I also remember the simple joys: making mud pies in the backyard and pretending they were gourmet meals, playing outside until the streetlights came on, and spending hours jumping double-dutch, playing hopscotch, hide-and-seek, and Simon Says. I had a lot of fun as a child — carefree, active, and surrounded by neighborhood kids who made every day feel like an adventure.
Pricing:
- Made For This Purpose Alignment Guide $27
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.frenettatate.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frenettatate/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FrenettaTate
- Other: https://stan.store/FT8Motivate/p/made-for-this-the-purpose-alignment-guide
