By: Regal Media Press

When Tiffani Barton first entered the world of sales, she didn’t even know what procurement meant. She had come from a background in magazines, pivoted into IT, and suddenly found herself in a role that involved selling to the government. At the time, it felt unfamiliar, maybe even intimidating. Yet what began as a career curveball would become the foundation of her life’s work, a journey that now blends billion-dollar contracts, resilience through illness, and a mission to mentor women in search of their own power.

Today, Barton has helped facilitate nearly two billion dollars in goods and services to the public sector, scaling multiple contracts into significant nine-figure annual agreements. Her expertise has earned recognition and awards across the country. But if you ask her, the numbers don’t tell the whole story. “It’s not just about the sales,” she says. “It’s about serving the people who serve our communities.”

A Heart for Public Service

Barton lights up when she talks about her clients. They aren’t high-profile CEOs or flashy startups — they’re the people who keep cities, schools, and counties running on budgets that are often stretched thin. “Public servants do so much with so little,” she explains. “If I can make their jobs easier, save them time, save them money, and even bring a little joy into the process, that’s a great day.”

She recalls one story of a man working in a small-town public works department in Florida. Overworked and buried in red tape, he was dreading the months-long process of bidding out a major facilities project. When Barton explained how a cooperative contract could cut through the paperwork and get the job done faster, he almost couldn’t believe it. “Thank God you’re here,” he told her. His relief was visible, almost like a weight lifted on the spot. For Barton, it was more than a business win. It was proof that her work could make a real difference.

Photo Courtesy: Tiffani Barton

Shifting Industries, Keeping Purpose

After more than a decade in IT, Barton broadened her focus to support large-scale public sector initiatives that impact communities at every level. Yet the transition was seamless. The product may have changed, but the purpose didn’t. Whether it involves technology, infrastructure, or complex service solutions, her role remains centered on solving real problems for public sector leaders.

“At first glance, it might seem like a big switch,” she admits, “but it’s not. It’s still about people. It’s still about helping communities. I shifted from IT contracts to broader public sector solutions that help communities operate more efficiently.”

Her current work continues to expand her reach, supporting large-scale public sector initiatives that impact communities every day. Barton brings the same energy and commitment she’s always had: the belief that procurement doesn’t have to be painful — it can be streamlined, effective, and yes, even enjoyable.

Photo Courtesy: Tiffani Barton

Breaking Through Challenges

The professional story alone would be impressive, but Barton’s path wasn’t without hardship. In the midst of her success, she faced the challenge of her life: a debilitating illness that left her in crippling pain and emotionally drained for several years. “It was like my entire foundation had crumbled,” she recalls. “I felt powerless.”

She describes that period as realizing that cracks beneath the surface, if ignored, can compromise even the strongest foundation. Strong in most places, but with small cracks that were easy to ignore until the leaks grew bigger and threatened to bring everything down. When her health forced her to stop, she had to confront truths she had avoided. The illness became both her lowest point and her turning point.

“I told myself that if I came out on the other side, I would never abandon myself again,” Barton says. She vowed to become her own best advocate, to speak up, and to model that strength for other women who needed to see it.

The Birth of SHED

During her recovery, Barton began writing. What started as journaling evolved into her bestselling book, SHED. The book tells the story of how she confronted her illness, found her voice, and began to rebuild her life with clarity and strength. At its core, SHED is about self-awareness, the belief that empowerment can start when you recognize your patterns, honor your truth, and make courageous choices.

Her book resonated with women who had been carrying invisible burdens of their own. Messages poured in from readers who felt seen for the first time. Many of them had been successful in their careers but privately struggled with confidence, boundaries, or the ability to say no. Barton’s story gave them permission to face their cracking foundation before they crumbled.

Empowering Women Beyond the Boardroom

Out of this experience grew Barton’s second calling: mentorship. Through one-on-one coaching and her group program, Blueprint, she now guides women to develop the very skills she once had to fight for herself — confidence, self-leadership, and personal power.

She knows firsthand the challenges women face in corporate environments. “I’ve been interrupted, talked over, harassed, and had my ideas stolen,” she says. “But the truth is, when you step fully into your own power, no one can make you feel small.”

Her message isn’t about blaming or dividing. It’s about rising. “When women rise, men rise too,” she insists. “We make the world better when we strengthen both together.”

Building a Future of Impact

Barton insists that she’s just getting started. Despite the lost years to illness, she feels more energized than ever. Her vision for the future includes leading public sector sales at a national level while expanding her mentorship programs to reach women across industries.

“I love my corporate job. And I love mentoring women,” she says. “The two might look different, but at the core, they’re the same. It’s about empowerment, whether that’s saving a school district millions or helping a woman speak her truth.”

Her career proves that numbers and impact can coexist, that scaling billion-dollar contracts can go hand in hand with lifting others. But her legacy, she hopes, will be measured less by dollars and more by the ripple effect of women who learn to stand taller because of her example.

A Life Rebuilt

Looking back, Barton sees her journey as proof that obstacles don’t have to define us. They can transform us. From magazine sales to IT, from public sector contracts to mentorship, from sickness to strength — every chapter built on the last.

She now lives each day with a simple but powerful commitment: to honor herself first, so she can show up fully for others. That, she says, is what empowerment really looks like.

“It’s not about never falling,” she reflects. “It’s about learning to rise. And when you rise, you bring others with you.”