We recently had the chance to connect with Regina Toliver and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Regina, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Good morning! Thank you for having me. Honestly for me it’s energy. You can have all the intelligence in the world, but if your energy is off, you’re not teachable, approachable or someone people want to work with. Energy affects how you show up, how you treat people and how you handle challenges. Now don’t get me wrong. Integrity is right behind it because if I can’t trust you, we can’t work together. But good energy creates safety, creativity and teamwork. People with the right energy can learn anything and they usually want to learn. That’s who I’d rather be around and that’s who I try to be.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Regina Toliver, and I’m a woman who’s never fit neatly into a box. I work in healthcare, I’m a licensed realtor, and I’ve always had a creative streak that refuses to stay quiet. I love building things, solving problems, and turning ideas into something real. Music has always been part of who I am, and recently I leaned into that side of myself by releasing an AI Christmas EP titled Cookies & Cold Nights under the artist name TaeLa Rae. The full EP lives on SoundCloud, and two singles, Santa Come Eat These Cookies and Chop & Screw for Christmas, are available on all major platforms. What started as a “why not” moment turned into something I’m genuinely proud of. My journey hasn’t been perfect, but it’s mine. I’m building a brand rooted in creativity, professionalism, authenticity, and a little fearless experimentation. I’m always working toward the next version of myself, whether that’s through music, entrepreneurship, or opportunities like this.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I think what breaks the bond between people is when communication stops being consistent or honest. When people start assuming instead of talking, or when they shut down instead of saying what’s really going on, the connection starts slipping. Silence turns into distance. On the other hand, what restores those bonds is vulnerability, accountability and effort. When someone shows up and says “Here’s what happened, here’s how I feel, and here’s how I want to fix it,” that’s what brings people back together. It’s not perfection, it’s honesty and consistency that keeps relationships solid.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There was definitely a moment this year when I almost tapped out mentally. Life hit hard and I felt like everything I’d been working toward was slipping. I questioned myself, my path, all of it. But instead of giving up, I paused, prayed and reminded myself that closed doors don’t mean the journey is finished. They just mean the direction might be shifting. That season forced me to dig deeper and trust myself more. Looking back, I’m glad I didn’t quit, because the opportunities that came after showed me I was never stuck, just being redirected. BUT GOD!
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
For the most part, yes. The public version of me is the real me, just a little more filtered and a little more patient. I don’t pretend to be someone I’m not, but I also don’t offer every part of myself to everyone. The core is the same. I’m direct, creative, funny, caring and determined. But the deeper layers, the softer parts, the parts that took work to build, those are reserved for people who earn access. So what you see in public is still me, just not the whole story.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when my mind is quiet and I’m not rushing or proving anything. It might be when I’m listening to music, being creative, or even just sitting still with a cup of coffee. Peace for me is when I feel aligned, when I know I’m doing what I’m meant to do and I’m not forcing anything. It’s that moment where gratitude settles in and I can breathe without thinking about the next thing.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//ginataeofficial
- Soundcloud: httpa://m.soundcloud.com/regina-toliver
