Tara James
Career and life coach for accomplished professionals over 40
| Hourly rate range | $90 to $175 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | Career changeCareer clarity and purposeResume and LinkedInMid-career and over 50Executive presence and communicationNonprofit leadersTransitions and new rolesPurpose and directionLife transitions |
| Works with | Executives, Professionals, People over 40 and LGBTQ+ |
| Also coaches | Executive coach and Life coach |
| Credentials | Master's degree in human development and psychology, Harvard Graduate School of Education |
| Practice | MacGuffin House |
Tara James is a career and life coach who helps accomplished professionals plan their next chapter. She founded MacGuffin House, a coaching and strategic communications practice. Before coaching, she worked as a private investigator and then spent over twenty years in child and youth policy. She holds a master's degree in human development and psychology from Harvard. Her work starts with what a client wants from life, then builds the career and communications plan to match.
What Tara helps with
Tara helps high achievers get clear on what they want, then build the positioning to make it real. Life comes first, and career supports it.
- Getting clear on what you actually want from work and life
- Moving past old stories that hold you back
- Finding and naming your core strengths
- Rewriting your next career chapter
- Building a stronger LinkedIn profile
- Writing an executive bio
- Preparing keynote speeches
- Stepping away from outside definitions of success
Who Tara works with
Tara works with accomplished professionals and high achievers who are tired of chasing outside measures of success. Her focus areas include nonprofit executives and nonprofit leaders, and professionals over 40. She welcomes all clients, including BIPOC and LGBTQI+ clients.
How Tara works
Tara's work moves in two directions at once. The inward side helps clients get clear on what they want. The outward side builds the positioning and communications strategy to support it, such as LinkedIn profiles, executive bios and keynote speeches. Life comes first, and career serves it. Her coaching draws on human development and psychology.
Background and qualifications
Tara started as a private investigator and was the first in her family to graduate college. She earned a master's degree in human development and psychology from Harvard's Graduate School of Education. She then spent over twenty years in child and youth policy, working for families and communities facing the biggest barriers to success. That work gave her a deep understanding of the systems people live within and how they shape what people believe is possible. She now runs MacGuffin House.
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The CoachVouch take
Tara blends life coaching with strategic communications, building LinkedIn profiles, executive bios and keynote speeches alongside the personal work.
Best for accomplished professionals, including nonprofit leaders, who want to redesign their life and career on their own terms.
Common questions
How much does Tara James charge?
Coaching with Tara runs $90 to $175 an hour. Message Tara from this page for an exact quote.
What does Tara James help with?
Tara James helps with getting clear on what you actually want from work and life, moving past old stories that hold you back, finding and naming your core strengths and rewriting your next career chapter.
Is Tara James certified?
Tara James lists: Master's degree in human development and psychology, Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Does Tara James work with nonprofit leaders?
Yes. Nonprofit executives and nonprofit leaders are among the groups she lists as a focus.
Does Tara help with LinkedIn profiles and bios?
Yes. Her outward work covers positioning and communications, including LinkedIn profiles, executive bios and keynote speeches.
How do I contact Tara James?
Send Tara a message from this page. It's free and takes a minute.
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Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.