Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamara Steward.
Tamara, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story started long before I ever launched a firm or called myself a consultant. I have always been the person people came to for clarity, honest reflection, and strategy that felt human. Even during my years in corporate America, working in public relations, strategy, and organizational culture, I was the one grounding people, helping them think, and leading without needing the title. I did not realize it at the time, but I was already practicing the work I do today.
When I finally told my family I was going to start a business, they laughed and said they had been waiting on me to catch up with myself. Building a firm was something I talked about and dreamed about for years, long before I had the language for what it would become.
Stepping out on my own made everything click. Spark the Firm was born from a conviction that leaders and organizations should not have to choose between performance and humanity. I have seen firsthand how burnout, misalignment, and disconnection impact people and communities, and I wanted to build a practice that helped close that gap.
Today, Spark the Firm helps mission-driven organizations ignite purpose, elevate culture, and build people-centered systems. For me, this work is more than a business. It is a calling. My goal is simple. I want the leaders and teams I touch to gain the clarity, confidence, and alignment they need to live out their missions with excellence.
I am still evolving, still learning, and still grateful that what I once dreamed about is now the work I get to do every day.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been a smooth road, but the challenges have shaped me just as much as the wins. When I stepped out on my own, I learned quickly that clarity of purpose does not erase the reality of risk. I had to find my voice in a different way and get used to trusting myself without the safety net of corporate structure.
One of the biggest struggles I had was unlearning habits I built during my corporate years. I was used to clear systems, defined roles, and decisions that were already made for me. Entrepreneurship required a bolder voice and a nimble approach. Partnering with large companies as a small business can be daunting, and I had to develop the confidence to set my own terms instead of simply accepting whatever contract terms were sent to me. Learning to ask simple questions like, Why should this apply to me, and learning how to advocate for myself, changed everything. That was not a muscle I had built in corporate America, but once I strengthened it, the entire way I did business shifted.
There were also seasons when the work was slow or the vision felt bigger than my capacity. I had to push through fear, self-doubt, and the temptation to shrink. I had to learn how to price my value, protect my time, and choose opportunities that aligned with my purpose instead of reacting from scarcity.
What kept me going was the impact. Every time a leader gained clarity, every time a team became more aligned, and every time a client told me the work shifted something in them, it reminded me that I was exactly where I was supposed to be. The road has not been smooth, but it has been meaningful. Every challenge has made me a stronger leader, a wiser consultant, and a more grounded version of myself.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Spark the Firm LLC?
Spark the Firm is a strategy and organizational development consultancy that helps leaders and teams ignite purpose, build alignment, and create people-centered systems that actually work. I partner with mission-driven organizations in the public, nonprofit, and civic sectors, and I specialize in transforming culture, communication, and strategic relationships from the inside out. Whether an organization needs to strengthen trust with employees, deepen engagement with the community, or manage complex stakeholder dynamics, this is the space where I do my best work.
I am known for the clarity and the execution I bring. I help leaders see what is really happening inside their organizations, name what has been hard to articulate, and build strategies that feel grounded and human. Clients often tell me I make excellence look effortless. I bring calm where there is confusion, structure where there is overwhelm, and a sense of possibility where there has been frustration.
What sets Spark the Firm apart is the approach. The work is not cookie-cutter or template-driven. I walk alongside organizations with honesty, emotional intelligence, and a deep respect for the people who make the work happen. I get called for high stakes, highly visible, and high profile challenges where savvy, sensitivity, and strategy all have to converge. I believe that culture, performance, and relationships are inseparable, and I help organizations strengthen all three.
Brand wise, I am most proud of the integrity we operate with and the impact we make possible. Every engagement is rooted in values, trust, and genuine relationship. I hold space with compassion, but I also push teams toward accountability, clarity, and alignment.
At its core, Spark the Firm exists to elevate people, strengthen systems, and help leaders and organizations walk out their missions with clarity and confidence. The work is transformational, not transactional, and that is what makes it meaningful.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was outgoing, fun, and fully myself. I was the life of the party, the kid who could walk into a room and bring it alive. I loved performing and spent a lot of time singing in the choir, acting in community theater productions, and competing in public speaking. I even won the state championship for storytelling, which probably surprised no one who knew me.
I was also wise for my age. Adults often said I had been here before because I carried myself with a clarity and awareness that did not match my years. I felt things deeply and understood people easily, which is probably why I always had a soft spot for the underdogs, the overlooked, and even the stray animals that showed up in our neighborhood.
I have always been bold too. I had a direct, tell-it-like-it-is approach that has stayed consistent. I was kind, but people also knew not to cross me. I was equal parts quick wit and quick temper, and my family would tell you that even though I came by both honestly, I have always loved deeply.
Relationships were everything to me. I grew up in a family where connection mattered, and those strong ties shaped who I became. Even as a child, I understood the value of people, community, and standing up for what you believe in. Looking back, it is clear that the work I do today grew out of those early traits. I was practicing courage, empathy, and clarity long before I had the language for any of it. It is simply who I am.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sparkthefirm.com
- Instagram: @sparkthefirm
- Facebook: @sparkthefirm
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/spark-the-firm
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamarahsteward
Image Credits
Khierra Hargrove, nHzimage Photography
Shelby Keith
Amber Lamb, Samantha Southerland Photography
Chris Palmer, Remlap Productions
Donzaleigh Powell, Donzaleigh’s Photography & Videography
Chris Shaw, Final Flash Photography
