Reflecting on Episode 9 of the Empowering Women Podcast with Taralinda Willis, Co-Founder & CEO of Curate Solutions

You_got_this photo with podcast

Taralinda earned her MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a focus on operations and project management. She has experience in large-scale public project management, overseeing the creation of a $94M multi-use facility for the state of Wisconsin, sales and account management at a performing arts venue, and customized client solutions as the owner of a consulting business. At Curate, Taralinda leads customer acquisition and business operations.

It was so refreshing to hear another CEO talking about the trials of running a business. It brings a truth to the profession when most of the time we are trying to put our best face forward to be our most effective advocate for the business. The truth is… it’s not all “sunshine and puppies” as she reminds us! Having said that, it’s very rewarding to have built a career in an industry you love with a mission you can be proud of every day!

The most notable quotes from Taralinda’s interview, I found are:

“If you’re trying to get contracts through, they might have a 20% success rate. So, when you get to 8 ‘No’s’ out of 10, celebrate that – because you know you’re getting close. You have to celebrate those and you also have to celebrate the small stuff and the wins. Being comfortable celebrating both sides is really valuable…if 8 people tell me ‘no’, then I will take myself to dinner and have a glass of wine.” “Fundraising is very similar to the sales process. It’s all about your follow-ups. It’s all about making connections with people and being able to share the vision.” “Building a company takes a village…so many people have had an incredible impact on me personally, as well as the company that have made us successful.” “You have to optimize for both the wins and the losses.”

I’d also like to highlight the summary Mel gave us with her statement “Letting go of the answer being tied to your own validity.”

I would, also, like to point out how helpful Curate could be to the Pump & Equipment industry. I have heard so many stories about vendors trying to get on an approved list or even know when bids are happening. I will have to follow up with Taralinda to learn more about this technology! I like the way she invests in “doing what you say you are doing.” Having her team vote on the municipal water polices is one of the examples she gives. This is truly inspiring.

I’d lastly like to comment on and thank her for qualifying the need for building a community of women. She talks about the need for women support groups and how important it is to have someone at the end of the day to talk to about the challenges. I will add that we must also celebrate our wins, together. Whether it’s a sale, a project, a prayer answered, or a job offer, this is life and we are the best at encouraging and celebrating each other! Cheers to more of that!

I normally close these reflections thinking… I hope you will come and celebrate with us at the Awards Gala on Sept 26th. I mean it…I truly hope to see you there!

Listen to more empowering women!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *