The Network, The Fellowship, & The SISTERHOOD

Total Diva Konnection (TDK) is a group of professional women dedicated to empowering women to network, share resources, inspire to create and accomplish their goals. TDK was created to lead, inspire, and mentor women to embrace their power, purpose, and value, and to take responsibility for themselves and their relationships. 

Total Diva Konnection ( TDK) is passionately committed to the total woman, this includes her mental, physical, emotional, spiritual and financial health and wellness. They support and encourage women to take responsibility for successful associations, to contribute to society, and to empower leadership development and skills.

TDK was formed during a dark moment in Tiana Burton’s life. Three years ago, she found herself in a dark depression, after the loss of her grandfather and going through a divorce. Tiana was hurt and grieving. As most people do, Tiana needed to heal and found that the support of other women was most helpful in the process. That’s when she realized there was something missing and she contacted her best friend, Kenyatte Smith, and told her, that they need to do something. 

‘’We need to create a platform where women can network and come together. Let’s host workshops and create wholistic healing circles. When you are fighting depression, the worst thing is to be alone, and feel like you’re in this alone.’’

Tiana Burton

In your own words, what do you do?

My name is Tiana Burton. I am the mother of four wonderful children and foster mom to 2. I currently work for the city government; I am the process of completing my Doctor of Education. Aside from my 9-5, I own and operate two businesses. I am a mentor, a consultant and dedicated my life to my passion, women empowerment. Total Diva Konnection is the result of that.

How did the idea of Total Diva Konnection come into your mind?

I formed TDK during a dark moment in my life. Three years ago, I found myself in a dark depression, after the loss of my grandfather and going through a divorce. I was hurt and grieving. I needed to heal and found that the support of other women was most helpful in the process. I contacted my best friend, Kenyatte Smith, and told her, we need to do something. We need to create a platform where women can network and come together. Let’s host workshops and create wholistic healing circles. When you are fighting depression, the worst thing is to be alone, and feel like you’re in this alone. TDK provided that vehicle, not only to keep me busy, (as if I needed more on my plate) but it allowed me a place to connect to other women, and share our life experiences.

How do you think, what is the key thing that makes Total Diva Konnection? Tell us 3 things about what you love in Total Diva Konnection.

The NETWORK, THE FELLOWSHIP, THE SISTERHOOD.

Can you share anything from your services? Who are your clients?

TDK is free and open to all women. The women who participate in our workshops and events are from different communities, backgrounds, careers, demographics, ethnicities, and nationalities. Being a woman is what they all have in common. Each event or workshop is geared towards holistic health of women in totality

What does the future hold for you as an entrepreneur? Is there anything you want to accomplish that you haven’t?  

I am currently in the dissertation phase of my doctorate. My research is on women leadership and what maternal influence impacts women in leadership positions. Women leadership and empowerment are my passion. In the future, I hope to host workshops and conferences that bring women together. I would like to create an environment where women address issues that impact our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and wellness. Eventually, TDK plans to expand our services to empower girls and teens. A mentoring program is in our near future.

What would you say are the advantages and disadvantages of being an entrepreneur or a life coach?

There are several advantages to entrepreneurship/life coaches. For, myself, I love the empowerment feeling it gives me and I’ve used it almost as a self-help guide to get me through some rough times in my life. Throwing other women a life jacket, while trying to keep myself has been rewarding. However, it’s had its disadvantages. In this business, people tend to dump on you, insensitive to your own feelings and current journey. They see you as “Superwoman” and not as a human with the same feelings, emotions, and mishaps. Often you become a diary to a fragile lady, a handkerchief to a precious girl, a dartboard to a mad man, a book to a lost boy, and a bearer of problems to everybody. You have to have a passion for it, or It will drain you.

What sort of advice would you give to someone following in your footsteps?

Set your sights in the end results, and then create your gameplan. Plan and preparation are important. TDK started as a desire to help, and I literally took a leap of faith. It is equally important to be able to step outside of the box, and always operate in plan B or Plan C mode. There will be obstacles! There will be naysayers! There will be downslides! How you handle those will make all the difference in the world. Never give up on yourself.

Any advice for entrepreneurs on moving beyond a failure?

Failure is a part of entrepreneurship. In fact, it’s a big part of it. Everything won’t be a win. I strongly believe in making each disappointment or failure as a learning experience. There can be no successes without failures. Each failure serves as a teaching experience. Once you learn the lesson, you can pass the test, and master the topic. For that reason, embrace the failures.

Who have been your own biggest mentors and what is the best advice they have ever given you? 

I have been blessed to have strong female influences in my personal and professional life, primarily, my grandmothers, my mom, my aunts, and my former exec director Patricia Rillera. Pat ( as an affectionately call her) was my first close up encounter with a female entrepreneur.  She is classy, sassy, and just BADASS all around. She has guided me in my personal and professional life and I often try to emulate her in my own journey. She has always been a go ahead and cry, get it out and let’s keep moving type of person. I have used that skill throughout this journey. I’ve seen her deal with her own failures and still sore.

Do you believe in destiny or do you think you can control your fate?

I believe it is a combination of both. I think who you are and what your skillset is in you, that is your destiny.. what you do with it, controls your fate. I come from a family of entrepreneurs. Literally, everyone in my father’s family, are entrepreneurs. We all have that inside us to build a business and work for ourselves. Literally, from my GREAT GREAT Grandparents to my younger cousins and siblings, the entrepreneurial spirit lives inside us.

Tell us about your proudest achievement? 

My children are by FAR my proudest achievement. I am the single mother of 4. My oldest daughter, who is autistic, is also a second-year college student and maintaining a 3.8 GPA. My children know that mommy has a bachelors, two masters, and finishing her doctorate, they have no option but to succeed educationally, and they have not let me down yet.