Taara
(2021 - 2023) Consulting Researcher, Executive Advisor, and Communications Coach
The installation of a Taara unit in rural India. Image courtesy of the X, the moonshot factory blog.
What is Taara?
Taara’s technology uses beams of light to deliver high-speed, secure, and abundant internet connectivity where fiber and wireless can’t. Using a type of optical morse code, Taara transmits information with a narrow, invisible laser. This is called free-space optical communication (FSOC). Pictured above is a prior version of a Taara terminal. Two terminals form a link. Inside each unit is a proprietary mix of mirrors and sensors that track the other terminal to stay aligned.
Animation courtesy of the X blog.
Animation courtesy of the X blog.
My Role
Researcher, Communications Coach, Executive Advisor
I began my consulting work with Taara as a researcher, conducting a study on merchants reselling Taara-provided internet in their communities through a program called “Taara Share.” As the organization evolved, I identified a foundational issue within the team—particularly around executive communications—which led me to take on an expanded role as a communications coach for the General Manager. From there, I developed presentation decks for quarterly executive reviews and funding pitches. To improve internal alignment, I also facilitated and designed team forums, retrospectives, and ideation workshops.
Findings
While insights from this work are confidential, there is exciting news to share: as of Q1 2025, Taara has spun out of X, the moonshot factory into its own company after launching an incredible silicon photonic chip, which takes the secret sauce of Taara and shrinks it from the size of a traffic light to the size of a fingernail.
You can see more of what they are up to at taaraconnect.com and their features in:
Impact
Restored executive trust in Taara by clarifying strategy, focusing quarterly presentations, and coaching the CEO/General Manager on communication and listening skills
Drove the creation of an investment pitch that helped secure tens of millions in funding
Identified operational inefficiencies and co-developed action plans with the leadership team
Balanced their tech expertise with on-the-ground, human insights from internet users, merchants, and ISPs—i.e. clarifying why local merchants chose to opt in or out of reselling Taara internet
Closed knowledge gaps around:
The viability of different business models to pursue, pivot, or discontinue
How to optimize the end-to-end client cycle—from first contact to deployment and monitoring
How to translate complex internal thinking into clear strategies and compelling narratives
Prioritization of internal team needs and fixes
Image of a Taara unit courtesy of the X blog.
Process — Research
While details per each step are confidential, this is the structure I followed. Each study took approximately 1 month from conceptualization to presentation. Topics included how to optimize the end-to-end partner experience, internal goals alignment, and local merchant experiences with a program called Taara Share. A publicly facing video about Taara Share in Nima, Ghana is featured below.
Elicit & Prioritize Team Assumptions & Questions
Clarify Hypotheses & Knowledge Gaps
Define & Align around Research Goals
Select Proper Methodology
Partner with Local Recruiting Agency // Ensure Diversity Amongst Participants
Conduct Research (i.e. in-depth interviews, shadowing, sales data analysis)
Complete Data Analysis through a Business Lens
Present Findings & Recommendations to Stakeholders
Implement Findings (i.e. alter business models, improve internal processes)
“Tracey has a superpower for asking the right questions—the hard questions—detangling our thoughts, and turning them into something crisp and clear.”
Process — CEO Communication Coaching
While my approach is always tailored to the individual, the general process I take follows a consistent arc:
Observe – Watch current communication habits in meetings, presentations, and 1:1s
Ask Questions / Gather a Brain Dump – Understand intent, context, and goals
Provide Feedback → Co-define Principles – Identify what’s working and what’s not with examples, and establish guiding principles
Extract Key Messages – Clarify what needs to land with the audience
Create & Compare Versions – Explore multiple approaches to narrative flow, language, and slide design
Narrow in on Final Version – Choose the strongest direction and refine
Practice / Rehearse – Run through delivery to build confidence and make adjustments
Showtime – Support delivery in the actual meeting or presentation
For Taara, this process began with observing how the CEO/GM communicated—in leadership meetings, executive presentations, and our 1:1s. I offered direct feedback with concrete examples where messaging was unclear, strained, or meandering. Together, we then co-defined principles to apply moving forward—such as clearly demonstrating that board feedback had been heard and integrated.
Through joint work sessions or async collaboration, we’d iterate on presentation versions, comparing different approaches to tone, structure, and visuals. Once we aligned on the most effective version, we’d craft speaker notes and run practice rounds until he felt confident and clear in his delivery.
Image of Taara providing connectivity at the Albuquerque Balloon Festival courtesy of the X blog.
Thank you for reviewing this case study. Some details have been redacted to maintain confidentiality.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out at tracey@trace-grooves.com