Written by Eric B. Ndelo | 17 June 2010

Article Index
Meet Jennifer Tardy
The Woman
The Author
All Pages

Meet Jennifer Tardy

Jennifer Tardy, author, speaker, relationship activist, and HR professional, sat down with Eric B. Ndelo of NFNC to provide an exclusive one on one interview.

The interview was split between Jennifer Tardy, The Woman, and Jennifer Tardy, The Author. So, without further ado, Let's Meet Jennifer Tardy!

Jennifer Tardy - The Woman

NFNC: I see you’re from a small town called Hurt, VA. How has being from a small town called Hurt, influenced your gift of encouraging healthy relationships and in healing broken hearts?

JT: Hmm…starting off with a hard question, huh? Well, being from a small town didn’t really affect me as much as the experiences that I went through growing up. It was very difficult for me to connect with other girls and boys in school. I mean, people knew me and liked me, but I didn’t really know how to connect…even though I really wanted to. As I became older and very gradually started to learn to connect with women, my issue then became men. Whew. That was a rollercoaster. But eventually I learned the secret to both…and my life hasn’t been the same since.

NFNC: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

JT: Both. All of the experiences were inspired by true life events.

NFNC: Why do you consider yourself an activist?

JT: Along the way, people kept asking me if I was a "Relationship Expert." I've realized that some people need titles to help them understand exactly what it is that one does--and that's okay. I would always say, "No, I'm no expert although there are many things that I know, have experienced, researched, and later educated/trained others on - regarding relationships." I refer to myself as a Healthy Relationship Activist to help put what I do into perspective for those that need the title. Like any activist, my passion is encouraging healthy relationships and helping to heal broken hearts. I'm an advocate and activist; a passionate person and I love every minute of it. To put it in simpler terms, an expert claims to tell you things about yourself you didn't know, but a Healthy Relationship Activist, like myself, reminds you of Who You Really Are--when you need to hear it most.

NFNC: What are your current projects?

JT: I’ve been spending some time really trying to introduce myself to my readers and market, market, market my first book, His Ingredient Label. I’m working on publishing my second book called Good Job, Great Guy: Finding & Attracting the Man of Your Dreams—the Boss’s Way. This book is set for release later this summer along with a related e-book for job seekers. I’m really excited about both. There is one additional book that I’ve been doing research on for over a year. It’s pretty near and dear to my heart. My goal is to get it out this year also, but I doubt that I’ll have the time. I’ll explain why a little later in the interview, I’m sure.

NFNC: What other ventures are you involved in locally or nationally?

JT: That’s funny. I’m into anything (and everything) that promotes healthy relationships. Currently, my primary goal is in the evolution of my website—creating more visibility, traffic, repeat visits, etc. I’d like to create a sort of resource bank for those in need of information concerning relationships and dating. I’m a life coach—more specifically, a Post Relationship Adjustment Coach. In other words, I coach highly motivated women on the “what’s next” once a relationship has ended. I’m also partnering with two phenomenal women in order to create a society of enlightened women. We are creating a movement of female masterminds. More to come on this later. In my free time (I barely have any…) I’m a freelance/contributing writer to Charlotte Style Magazine and (Charlotte) Examiner.com. Article writing is a recent passion of mine. Hmm…is there anything else? Well…I balance all of this in conjunction with my full time career in HR. It’s a good life…

Jennifer Tardy - The Author

NFNC: How did you come up with the title?

JT: This concept came along as I was on another one of my health kicks, but this time I wanted to take it to the next level and cleanse myself. I wanted to learn how to choose properly those things I consume—what goes in my body. A book that I read really helped me to understand how to read ingredient labels (i.e. what amount is too much sugar, why sodium isn’t the best and what foods provide more potassium). And then I made a joke to one of my girlfriends of how life would be so much easier if men just had ingredient labels. Then we would know what we were about to invest in. For some reason, that thought never left my mind. Here’s a secret: the very first title was, His Ingredient Label: A Woman’s Guide to Understanding What She is Putting in Her Body. That was a bit crass, so I changed it.

NFNC: What is the main message that you want readers to grasp?

JT: It’s very important that my readers understand that there is nothing you can do to “keep” a man (or woman, for that matter). They must want it and that lifestyle for themselves. In other words, a man (or woman) will remain loyal to you and the relationship if that’s what they want to do. It doesn’t have as much to do with you as it does with them.

NFNC: Do you have a specific writing style?

JT: I love the “conversational” style of writing. When readers open my book, I want them to hear my voice—as if I am in front of them with my glass of wine, during one of our girl’s nights.

NFNC: Is this your first book? If not what inspired you to write the first one and what was the road like leading you to your most current project?

JT: Yes. This is my first book. My boyfriend was “the event/inspiration.” The longer we were together I began to wonder why this relationship was so much better than others in my past. Why was he more dedicated and consistent to me and others before him? What makes him do this? Was it me? Was I doing something differently? And then my “A-ha” moment came to me. It’s because he wanted to. He wanted to be faithful, he believed in commitment, and he had hopes of being with me for the long haul. Those thoughts didn’t come about because of me. He had them long before he knew me. So, the only thing I could do now—was mess that up, but I didn’t want to. I shared my epiphany with so many women and it really resonated with them. As women, we prayed for the answer to some long mathematical formula for making him stay, but at the end of the day, he must want it and that lifestyle for himself. It’s as simple as that.

NFNC: What was the hardest part of writing your book?

JT: The hardest part is staying focused on only one book at a time. I could be in the middle of writing one book and have an extraordinary idea about another book I have in mind. I have to confess that I am that person with my hands in a lot of buckets. I’m always busy doing something, so actually sitting down and completing a book is pretty difficult for me...but not impossible.

NFNC: What can the men learn from your book?

JT: Men will instantly notice that His Ingredient Label is ironically an apology for overlooking the “good guy,” (i.e. the Vegetable and the Hot Pepper). It’s my way of saying that I recognize the benefits in them and I’m doing my part to spread the word. With that said, they can learn a lot about women and why we’ve made some of the decisions we’ve made in our choices in relationships in the past. Many men purchase my book to give to their wives and girlfriends in order to say, “I bet you are glad you chose me, honey!”

NFNC: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

JT: My favorite author (currently) is Neal Donald Walsch. He has the collection of Conversations with God. These books honestly started my journey and quench for an understanding about our life and this universe outside of what was learned in our textbooks. It’s such a transformational read. But, I can’t forget about the book that really put a “fire in my belly” so to say. The Power of Focus. This was the first book I had picked up in a very long time, but it really helped me to understand why I couldn’t “move,” or wasn’t as motivated as I would have liked to have been.

NFNC: Talk to me about your book club. Can anyone join? How?

JT: Well, I have good news and bad news. The Friendship Connection Book Club was a way for anyone who wanted to join to be able to do so along with their girlfriends. Everyone was welcome and it was successful for a while. With that said, it’s coming to an end. I’m going to eventually reinvent that webpage to include quarterly challenges for anyone who wants to participate. Still trying to develop the idea..so, more to come on this later too…

NFNC: What is your vision as an author, where are you going with your writing?

JT: I love this question! I tell everyone (who will listen) that my passion is encouraging healthy relationships and healing broken hearts. My vision is to create a nationwide movement of Healthy Relationship Activists through my writing as well as through my speaking. If we all really knew just how connected we were to the next person we could clearly understand that what we do to anyone else…we are inherently doing to ourselves. (shaking my head…)There’s so much work to do.

To contact Jennifer Tardy:

Jennifer Tardy, MBA/PHR
Healthy Relationship Activist
Post Relationship Adjustment Coach

Website: www.JenniferTardy.com
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Author of His Ingredient Label: A Woman’s Guide to Recognizing a Junk Food Man