Leading Ladies Kathryn Baker

Summary

In this episode of the Leading Ladies podcast, host interviews Dr. Katherine Baker, President of Oxom, an IT managed services company. With over a decade of experience, Oxom specializes in co-managing IT services for businesses with existing IT teams. Dr. Baker, an alumna of Walsh College with an MBA and Doctorate in Management, discusses her journey from entrepreneurship to leading a tech company without a background in IT. She emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning, a growth mindset, and the ability to adapt to new challenges. The conversation highlights leadership lessons, the value of positive self-talk, and the impact of a strong work ethic on personal and professional success.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Dr. Katherine Baker is a double alum of Walsh College with both an MBA and a Doctorate of Management.
• 💼 Dr. Baker is the President of Oxom, an IT managed services company that provides technology support and co-manages IT teams for other organizations.
• 🔧 Oxom focuses on augmenting existing IT teams, which has been a strategic sweet spot for the company, especially in the area of cybersecurity.
• 🚀 Dr. Baker transitioned to the tech industry from a non-IT background, demonstrating adaptability and a lifelong learning approach.
• 🌟 She emphasizes the importance of mindset, positive attitude, and self-talk in personal and professional development.
• 🛠️ Dr. Baker's career includes a mix of corporate experience, entrepreneurship, and consulting, which she leverages in her current role.
• 🏆 Her leadership style involves being deeply involved in client relationships, viewing them as partnerships and focusing on exceeding expectations.
• 📈 Dr. Baker believes in the value of hard work, showing up, and going the extra mile, attributing success more to actions and decisions than to luck.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 She credits her parents, who were entrepreneurs, as her primary influence, instilling in her a positive attitude and the belief that she could achieve anything.
• 🔗 Dr. Baker discusses the importance of feedback, self-awareness, and the ability to change behavior as key to growth and leadership.

Q & A

What is Oxom's primary business focus?

Oxom is an IT company that provides managed services, primarily offering IT support and technology management for organizations. They specialize in co-managing IT services alongside a company's existing IT team, augmenting their capabilities in areas such as infrastructure, technology roadmaps, and end-user support.

How did Dr. Katherine Baker become the president of Oxom?

Dr. Katherine Baker initially started advising and coaching at Oxom about four or five years ago. Over time, she fell in love with the company's culture and people. After running her own business for about 13 years, she decided to join Oxom full-time, transitioning into the role of president.

What is Dr. Baker's educational background?

Dr. Baker is a double alum of Walsh College, holding both an MBA and a Doctorate of Management from the institution.

How does Oxom approach working with companies that have their own IT teams?

Oxom focuses on co-management, where they work alongside a company's existing IT team to enhance their services. This approach allows Oxom to fill in the gaps and provide support in areas such as security and technology advancements that the internal team might struggle to keep up with.

What is Dr. Baker's perspective on mindset and its role in her success?

Dr. Baker believes that having a positive attitude, especially during challenging times, is key to success. She emphasizes the importance of self-talk and the need to replace any negative voice in one's head with positive reinforcement. This mindset, along with a growth mindset and lifelong learning approach, has been instrumental in her career.

How does Dr. Baker define 'grace under pressure' in the context of her leadership?

Dr. Baker defines 'grace under pressure' as maintaining a positive attitude and not letting challenges or demotivating events get one down. She believes in focusing on the positive aspects and not letting negativity or naysayers impact her drive and determination.

What advice does Dr. Baker have for individuals looking to transition into a new industry or role?

Dr. Baker advises individuals to be open to new challenges and not be afraid to jump into new areas. She suggests having a 'revenue lens' and focusing on sales and growth, as well as leveraging one's strengths and learning from others.

How does Oxom differentiate itself in the managed IT services market?

Oxom differentiates itself by focusing on co-management and building strong partnerships with its clients. They aim to understand their clients' needs deeply and provide tailored IT support that complements the clients' existing IT infrastructure and team.

What is Dr. Baker's approach to dealing with feedback, especially critical feedback?

Dr. Baker believes in taking the useful parts of feedback and letting go of the negative aspects. She emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and understanding how one's actions impact others, using this understanding to improve and grow both personally and professionally.

How does Dr. Baker's educational journey at Walsh College reflect her approach to lifelong learning?

Dr. Baker's pursuit of both an MBA and a Doctorate of Management at Walsh College exemplifies her commitment to lifelong learning. She believes in continuous education and applying the knowledge gained in the classroom to real-world situations, which has been a driving force in her professional development.

What role does Oxom play in the community and in the tech industry?

Oxom is actively involved in the community through its owner Matt Lautia's networking and relationship-building efforts. They aim to build a legacy business that provides not only excellent service to clients but also a supportive and growth-oriented environment for their employees.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Welcoming Dr. Katherine Baker: Walsh College Alumna and President of Oxom

The podcast begins with an enthusiastic introduction of Dr. Katherine Baker, a double alumna of Walsh College with both an MBA and a Doctorate of Management. She is welcomed as the president of Oxom, an IT managed services company. The host expresses excitement to discuss Dr. Baker's journey, her role at Oxom, and the leadership lessons she has learned along the way. Dr. Baker's experience at Oxom started as an advisor and coach, and she eventually transitioned to a full-time role after falling in love with the company's culture and people. The conversation hints at her non-traditional background in technology and sets the stage for a discussion on leadership and adapting to new challenges.

05:02

💼 Oxom's IT Services and Dr. Baker's Entrepreneurial Journey

Dr. Katherine Baker explains Oxom's role as an IT managed services provider, specializing in co-managing with companies that have their own IT teams. She shares her experience of being with the company for over two years and her previous entrepreneurial ventures. The host and Dr. Baker discuss the importance of adapting to new challenges, the value of lifelong learning, and the transition from corporate roles to entrepreneurship. Dr. Baker's story emphasizes her passion for sales and revenue growth, her experience as a business unit manager at Ingersoll Rand, and her decision to start her own consulting business in 2009. The conversation highlights her background, the importance of mindset, and the courage to venture into entrepreneurship during a recession.

10:03

🚀 Mindset and Overcoming Challenges in Leadership

The discussion delves into the importance of mindset in leadership and personal growth. Dr. Baker shares insights on maintaining a positive attitude, especially during challenging times, and the impact of self-talk on one's beliefs and perspectives. She emphasizes the significance of feedback in leadership, learning from it, and using it for personal and professional development. Dr. Baker reflects on her own experiences with feedback that highlighted the need to balance top performance with maintaining positive relationships. The conversation underscores the importance of self-awareness, the ability to change, and the role of coaching and advising in personal growth.

15:03

🌟 Embracing Lifelong Learning and the Impact of Education

Dr. Baker discusses the role of education in her personal and professional development, highlighting the importance of applying knowledge in real-life situations. She talks about her experiences with Walsh College, including her MBA and Doctorate programs, and her involvement with the Walsh Institute. The conversation emphasizes the value of continuous learning, the impact of great leaders and influencers, and the importance of sharing knowledge to foster growth. Dr. Baker's story illustrates her commitment to lifelong learning and her desire to impart this mindset onto others, whether through teaching or leading by example.

20:05

🛠 Navigating Entrepreneurship and the Role of Grit

The conversation shifts to the challenges and strategies associated with entrepreneurship. Dr. Baker shares her experience of starting her business in 2009 amidst economic uncertainty and the importance of grit in overcoming obstacles. She discusses the learning curve of finding clients and fulfilling business development roles, as well as the importance of getting out of one's comfort zone. Dr. Baker's story highlights the value of authenticity, the power of public speaking in business growth, and the courage to take risks. The discussion underscores the importance of perseverance, the ability to learn from others, and the role of community and networking in entrepreneurial success.

25:06

🤝 Building Relationships and the Future of Oxom

The final paragraph focuses on Dr. Baker's current role at Oxom and her approach to building relationships with clients and managing the company's operations. She discusses the collaborative relationship with Matt, the owner of Oxom, and their shared vision for the company's growth and legacy. Dr. Baker emphasizes the importance of being selective with clients, ensuring a strong partnership, and maintaining a culture that supports employees. The conversation highlights the significance of hard work, the role of luck as a byproduct of perseverance, and the importance of embodying the mindset of success. The discussion concludes with an appreciation for Dr. Baker's insights and her contributions to the Walsh College community.

Keywords

💡Alumni

Alumni refers to graduates or former students of a school, college, or university. In the video, Dr. Katherine Baker is introduced as a double alum of Walsh College, having earned both her MBA and Doctorate of Management from there. This establishes her strong connection to the institution and its educational impact on her career.

💡Managed Services

Managed services in the context of IT refers to a company that provides a wide array of information technology services to businesses on a contract or subscription basis. In the script, Dr. Baker explains that Oxom is a managed services company, offering IT support and services to organizations, which aligns with the company's role as an external provider of technology solutions.

💡Co-managed

Co-managed refers to a situation where an external service provider works alongside an internal team within an organization to deliver services. Dr. Baker mentions that Oxom specializes in co-management, augmenting the services of a company's existing IT team, which is a key aspect of their business model and service offering.

💡Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting internet-connected systems, including hardware, software, and data, from theft, damage, or unauthorized access. The script highlights the importance of cybersecurity as a concern for companies, which is why they seek Oxom's expertise to keep up with the latest security measures.

💡Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is the process of designing, launching, and running a new business, which typically involves risk-taking and innovation. Dr. Baker shares her journey of becoming an entrepreneur, which involved leaving the corporate world to start her own consulting business, demonstrating her passion for taking on new challenges and her entrepreneurial spirit.

💡Sales

Sales refers to the process of persuading someone to buy a product or service. Dr. Baker emphasizes her love for sales and her focus on improving and increasing sales as a key aspect of her career, which shows her drive and interest in revenue generation.

💡Mindset

Mindset refers to a set of attitudes and beliefs that shape how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. Dr. Baker discusses the importance of having a positive attitude and a growth mindset, which she believes have been instrumental to her success, and she uses her experiences to illustrate the impact of mindset on personal and professional development.

💡Feedback

Feedback is information or reactions provided by others that can be used to improve performance or understanding. In the script, Dr. Baker talks about the importance of receiving and processing feedback, particularly in leadership roles, and how it can lead to self-improvement and better decision-making.

💡Grit

Grit is a combination of passion and perseverance towards long-term goals. Dr. Baker mentions her own grit as a key ingredient in her decision to start her business during a challenging economic time, and her determination to complete her doctoral program, which underscores the role of resilience and commitment in achieving success.

💡Leadership

Leadership is the action of leading a group of people or an organization. The video discusses various aspects of leadership, including the ability to handle feedback, the importance of a positive mindset, and the balance between task orientation and relationship building, all of which are crucial for effective leadership.

💡Lifelong Learning

Lifelong learning is the ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for personal or professional reasons. Dr. Baker describes herself as a lifelong learner, which is evident in her pursuit of two advanced degrees and her continuous desire to acquire new knowledge and skills, reflecting the value she places on education and personal growth.

Highlights

Dr. Katherine Baker, President of Oxom, discusses her journey from Walsh College alumnus to leading an IT managed services company.

Oxom focuses on co-managing IT services, partnering with companies to augment their existing IT teams.

Dr. Baker's background in sales and revenue strategy has been instrumental in her success at Oxom.

The importance of lifelong learning is emphasized through Dr. Baker's experiences and her pursuit of a Doctorate of Management.

Dr. Baker's transition from entrepreneurship to joining Oxom as a full-time president.

The value of a positive mindset and attitude in overcoming challenges and achieving success.

Feedback and self-awareness as key components in personal and professional growth.

The significance of embracing new challenges and not being afraid to step out of one's comfort zone.

Dr. Baker's approach to leadership, emphasizing the importance of building strong relationships and trust with clients.

The role of grit and perseverance in achieving long-term goals and overcoming obstacles.

The impact of Dr. Baker's educational background on her approach to leadership and business.

Oxom's commitment to building a legacy business that prioritizes employee growth and client satisfaction.

The importance of embodying the role you aspire to have and the concept of 'dressing for the job you want'.

Dr. Baker's insights on the balance between luck and hard work in achieving success.

The role of mentorship and seeking support in professional development.

Dr. Baker's advice for aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs on taking charge of their careers and continuous learning.

Transcripts

well welcome to another riveting episode

of leading ladies in our beautiful Walsh

College Creator Lab podcast studio today

I am really thrilled to be joined by one

of our Walsh College alumni a double

Alum she not only has her MBA from Walsh

but she has her Doctorate of management

Dr Katherine Baker Dr Katherine Baker

Katherine welcome it is so good to have

you here thank you so much thank you

thank you so much for having me glad to

be here a well Catherine it was awesome

to meet you and to connect and to learn

about your work you're the president of

oxom and I would love you to tell a

little bit about what oxom does and then

we'll talk a little bit about your role

and kind of how you got there and the

Leadership Lessons that you've learned

along the way all right that sounds

great so oxom is a IT company um we're a

managed services company and for those

who might not know that in layman's

terms if you need it support or help at

your organization uh we can be your it

provider so we can take care of all

things technology for you uh actually a

sweet spot for us is co-manage so we

work with a lot of companies where they

have their own it

um team in place and we actually augment

their services so that's actually

something we've been focused on the last

couple of years so axum's been around

for 10 years uh I've been there for a

little over two years and actually

started advising and coaching there um

about four or five years ago and then I

kind of fell in love with them and in

love with the culture and the people

there and Matt lauia the owner of the

company and he I always tell him he

finally worked his way uh worked his

magic and got me to come work there

full-time so after my after doing my own

thing for about 13 years uh I decided to

join oxom and I'm glad I did and uh it's

been a whole new world for me cuz

technology is not my background really

okay so this is so great we have so many

things we're going to talk about so

first of all I know Matt speaks so

highly of you and he was so excited for

us to connect he said you have to know

my president is a wal Shalom and I said

well that's great I mean it makes sense

and I always think our alumni live our

mission when they're out there in the

world in the business world so thank you

for being a great example of that but

let's talk a little bit about so the

world of it especially managed services

and I like how you talked about

co-managed as well because you're seeing

that a lot now where companies want to

have internal it folks but also have

some of the services managed externally

it's got to be a little bit of a

stressful challenging climate right

especially with cyber security and and

all those elements absolutely and that's

um you you hit on it so many people are

concerned about how do they keep ahead

of it right they've got their regular

business that they're doing and their

day-to-day business is not technology so

that's why they want to bring us in and

but they also have good people people

that work alongside them at been at

these companies for a long time and have

done a great job but it's impossible for

them to keep up with all the latest and

crazy things going on especially related

to security um and uh so that's uh we

just realized uh a few years back that

that was a sweet spot for us and it was

a big need out there so we love those

relationships uh and we have them where

someone may have one person on staff we

have organizations we work with where

they have four or five full-time it yet

we're augmenting and just in different

areas so whether it's infrastructure and

Hardware um technology road maps uh

enduser support actually helping you

know change passwords whatever we need

to do um so it's um it's there's a

there's a big need out there for us well

and let's talk a little bit about you're

now the president of the company but you

said you don't have an IT background so

share with us a little bit about the

Genesis of that I know you said you came

on kind of as a coach or consultant for

them as well but what advice would you

give to folks that say wow well how

could that work for me and what did you

find was necessary for you for your

skill set to get into this role all

right um so there's a lot in there let

me unpack that a little bit in terms of

um moving into technology I've always

been one to want to try new things I'm

uh what you describe as a lifelong

learner which obviously fits with my two

degrees from Walsh and um just um taking

charge of everything I can do and just

soak everything up I just love

everything about learning so I think

part of what comes with that is also I

could get bored over time as well I want

that new challenge right I want to learn

new things on the other side of it I'm

not afraid to jump into anything new so

I think that's really ingrained in my

Fabric and that's what has allowed me to

move throughout my career into different

uh different things and take on

different challenges so started my

career um with an industrial management

degree from Georgia Tech um and did uh

work through a few different roles and a

lot in related to sales so I love sales

I'm really energized about sales more

about so if I go in and then working

with a company or in in in Prior roles

where I was working and Advising I

always want to focus on sales it's

always more fun to improve sales and

increase sales than it is to cut

expenses so I tend to have a sales or

Revenue um Revenue lens

in so many ways it's not just with the

education but it's even with the company

I can see it yes and I get get a little

bit get a little passionate about it so

um I worked for ingara Rand for about uh

10 years and when I left there was a

business unit manager for their

dispensing Technologies Group so that uh

you know it was engineering so U very

different than the technology side but

again when I when I took on that role

that was new for me as well um and then

I decided I wanted to you know I love

entrepreneurship I grew up in a family

where my parents had um probably what

you'd call Micro small businesses so I

got that flare from that and i' had

always wanted to do that and the Stars

aligned to do that in um in 09 so I went

out on my own uh and did uh Consulting

and Advising for organizations and then

over about 13 years probably worked with

50 to 60 different businesses and I help

them from all things of building their

organization um you know obviously the

usual financial pieces and more profits

and growing revenues um worked on sales

but all in all all areas sort of a whole

lis approach so um and that's how I met

Matt so uh I'd worked with Matt um so I

think I've known Matt about 15 years and

in the business I did some advising with

him and his brother in a prior business

and um so uh stayed in touch with him

and then started advising a few years

ago in the oxium business and just again

really fell in love with the people

there and what he was trying to build

and uh felt like I could come in and

make a difference and um and that's why

I landed Katherine I love this because

you went from you know you worked in the

corporate world then you were an

entrepreneur and now you're an

entrepreneur in a company like an

entrepreneur but I think that's so

important because so many times folks

think well if I go entrepreneurship I

can never go back into working in an

organization or I can never work in a

company if I'm doing an entrepreneur or

vice versa I can't be an entrepreneur if

I have a job and you kind of said well

you know what I went out on my own I I

did this and I love that you got your

doctorate during that time too that you

were Consulting because that just

deepens your knowledge we have so many

students that are saying I'm earning my

DBA and now we have a doctor of Business

Administration not because I necessarily

need to for my job but because I want to

open more doors and options for me later

and then I love how you ended up joining

one of the companies that you were

Consulting and Advising for and I think

that is so valuable for folks to know

that that's a possibility too in fact it

allowed you to kind of audition several

companies yep absolutely um you know I

think a lot of times we are only limits

are really the ones that we put on

ourselves right so I'm really focused on

that and and to tell you the truth the

when I was going through the doctoral

program at Walsh the funny thing about

learning more is the more you learn you

realize how little you actually know yes

you just realize how much is out there

and it was just even more energizing and

inspiring for me than I thought it was

going to be so obviously a huge

accomplishment after 5 years but you

know it's like everything else but then

you need to really you need to do

something with it it needs to translate

um and then so working in my business

with um different business owners for

about 13 years um again you know was

looking for that next challenge really

liked uh what was going on at oxum but

also wanted um you know wanted that next

challenge I think we all know in our

careers when we're not bouncing out of

bed in the morning we're not just as

energized and you can feel it and then

if we're if we're having those feelings

and that's the way we're operating we're

not we're not meeting our full potential

we're not doing everything we can be

doing so started thinking about that and

then I said you know what I think I can

do this it's technology is new I do not

have a technology background but I can

learn this I have a track record of

success doing it um which I think is

important for all of us you know mindset

is key for me um something I also have

done I'm an adjunct professor for Walsh

so I've taught for over 10 years um you

know one of the things always talk about

is you know mindset and how important

that is and uh we only limit ourselves

and just make sure we're not doing that

and if we think we are we need to make a

change you know what that is so

important and yes I want to recognize

you too for being part of our ajun

faculty thank you so much for all that

because when we're being able to pay it

forward to students that's when we

really see the difference but let's talk

about mindset a little bit so is that

one of the key factors that you think

has been instrumental to your success

because I can imagine some people

listening to this thinking wow how did

she do this how did she have the courage

to go out on her own and start something

in a Time that it was really a recession

in the country right so that was a

challenging time to say oh I think I'm

going to go and become an entrepreneur

and then how did she move into a company

and get one of the top spots when she

didn't have the background so it sounds

like mindset is very important speak

into a little bit about what you mean

when you say you're mindset and how you

look at life well I think U for me first

and foremost positive attitude and I

know we all talk about it and you hear

it a lot but you know there's a lot that

goes into that and it's not just a

positive attitude when it's easy I think

the key is of course posit POS attitude

when it's not easy um I uh was fortunate

enough to have parents that um

reinforced that and was always told you

can do whatever you put your mind to we

don't understand the words no or no I

can't do um so yes we can do so that's

that's part of it so if you're if you're

if someone's listening to this and has

children or they're influencing other

people they're younger so so so

important to be um that voice of

positive attitude uh and then being the

voice um you know I um someone has I

read um

maybe it's maybe it's common knowledge

maybe it's not that we all have a voice

in our head and that voice in our head

is the voice of our parents when we were

growing up so it's very important to

what that voice is we're giving like

what what are we handing out to our

children to our loved ones to all those

that we influence and um so if I were to

pick one thing um that you could give

somebody it's give help help them have

that positive attitude because so many

things come from that it just balloons

to confidence um and reassurance and um

to me it just makes all the difference

so positive attitude dayto day and then

also not letting things get you down or

not letting things you know events that

can um demotivate us and also maybe

other people maybe we run into people

that are can't do people or saying that

we can't do or um maybe getting in our

way just other things that we run into

as women in business you can't focus on

those things you've got to focus on the

positive pieces and we all run into that

and I think that's that's what's um um

been the difference for me actually

those positive mindset but I also love

how you spoke about it in terms of

positive selft talk so it doesn't just

happen we have to know what drives some

of our perspectives and our beliefs and

it's the voices the voice in our head

and like as you were saying this I'm

thinking I know what you're talking

about I've had that too where all of a

sudden you'll hear that critical voice

for yourself or oh watch out this could

have happened or have you thought about

this or is this a concern and and also

you know you brought something up that I

think is really important to speak into

and that is as leaders and this is one

of those I would say it's sort of a

dual-edged coin or double coin of

privilege of leadership but also the

weight of leadership comes feedback and

many times it comes the visibility of

feedback that you know people are going

to be critical and they're not always

going to understand decisions and you

know we have to be able to I was just

talking to somebody about this the other

day about take the useful kernels of

feedback and maybe let the more negative

kernels go but not dismiss it outright

so talk to us a little bit about

feedback throughout your career cuz I

think that just such an important point

when I talk to leaders they'll say there

was a usually a moment or two they had

some insights whether it was mentoring

or coaching where they got feedback and

how they responded and do you have a

moment like that where maybe you had

feedback come to you and you responded

and tell us how you thought about it and

what you did all right um when you were

saying that what was coming up for me

some of in earlier in my career uh

actually in early years at ingr saww ran

which is I had done a few things prior

to that but um the feedback was the same

it was always the same it was top

performer

but at the expense sometimes of

relationships or people so I am a very

task oriented person if you put me out

to do anything ask me to do something I

will get it done I don't know if you

know um um get a do you know get a

message to Garcia you know what that is

no get a message so anybody can look

that up you type that in and there's

it's a little story that comes up and

the essence of that is it goes through

the background but the essence is there

are some people in this world that you

can tell them what you need done and

there's generally no questions they will

get it done they will find a way to get

it done that's so that's a message to

Garcia I used to have a personal

business actually I have a personal

business card it's on the back of mine

it says I can get a message to Garcia

you know those people in your life who

are that way now I was doing that well

but I was doing it at the expense of not

bringing people along with me or at the

expense of a relationship so that would

be one of my biggest lessons and it took

me a long time for the self-awareness to

understand because even once you

understand it and I was aware of it it

was very hard for me to change it

because that is in my fabric that is the

way I am wired um nothing will get in my

way um so including somebody else

including someone else yes um so if if

of all things when you were saying that

that came up to me immediately um and

it's taken me a long time um and

actually I think part of my coaching and

Advising practice all the studying and

learning I did through that and and you

know what when I was coaching and

talking to other business owners where I

could see them having some of the same

characteristics that I have that

actually I learned just as much coaching

and Advising people as I did as they did

yes um so you know it's funny Richard

boach says we teach best what we need to

learn most and I've always thought about

that in terms of what you're saying

about sometimes the feedback that we

need to take in ourselves we can teach

it we can see it in others but we don't

always internalize it and when you're

describing what you were like because

you're just a really strong performer

right a strong achiever I can just tell

it lights you up right and and I have I

can relate to that as well and then you

almost find yourself getting a little

upset when you don't think other people

are having the same Drive right or if

you feel like okay well I'm going to

just go ahead even if nobody's along

with me and I think that's one of the

growth areas that I know I had to learn

as a leader is it isn't always my job to

get everything done because I'd be like

I'll just take it and do it right

absolutely and then that sends the

message to other people well do not

trust me to do it am I not doing it

quickly enough am I not doing it your

way and I know what you mean about you

can be aware of it and yet at the same

time you can struggle with it so I think

it's really important that we can hold

space for both but how did you kind of

finally move was it really with a

coaching and the advising that helped

you move out of that or were there

specific strategies that you even if you

cat yourself now you know kind of acting

into that rooll a little bit how do you

shift out so I think it was the coaching

and Advising although I improved a

little bit I never made near the strides

I just became a different person as I

was coaching and Advising because I can

when you see it in someone else and then

you see the neg the negative pieces

around that and then you you say oh my

gosh am I that's me I'm doing that

that's what I'm trying to solve in

myself and then understanding to get

someone else to change and having

success with and saying well okay you

know now it's the really the rubber

meets Road can can I do it myself so I

think it was through through years of

doing that and seeing it and then um you

know everybody's got their their own

ways that they do it right but the key

is that that space between you you

something happens and you take that

moment of response or that space to stop

what am I you know pause what am I going

to say what am I going to do um and and

you had it exactly right I'm very quick

to jump in and that sends totally the

wrong message I mean I'm trying to be

helpful but the message I'm sending is I

don't trust you or you know you can't do

it as well as I can which is which is

great for a single performer at times

and in certain roles that's great and

you want that but um so I would say that

definitely it's um through all that just

um seeing it in other people and

realizing you know is that the way I

want to show up you know then just just

checking in with myself and knowing I

want to be better I don't want to I

would never want someone to see me doing

that and when I see it and would see it

again and again and then was you know

able to help people get past it um you

know that that really did it for me I

feel like this is a lesson and of itself

because that is such a great strategy if

we're struggling with something and we

know we're getting feedback in something

almost asking ourselves how would we

coach somebody else through this or

being able to see the impact that we

have and I know that's been really

important to me is when I've had team

members say look you know when you said

this this is really how hurtful it was

or how much it disrupted my day or how

much I felt like I wasn't good enough

and I'm thinking really I just said I'd

take it you know like I wasn't even

thinking that I was in my own zone of

Achi achievement so what you're sharing

is really important which is allowing us

to have that empathy of understanding

either through watching somebody else's

experience or seeing the impact of ours

and I think that's just really important

for us as and you have such a growth

mindset approach to life and to

leadership and to education and well

talk a little bit about the role that

your education has played in that so you

know you have your MBA then you went on

to get your doctorate what what might

you have noticed along the journey where

the education the classes whether it was

connecting with students in the

classroom or faculty your opportunities

that you could say wow that really

helped me along my

journey um you know that that's

difficult because for me I've had this

lifelong learning approach as we talked

about and then my education at Walsh was

over a long period of time between the

MBA which I think was three years and

then five years on my doctorate so I was

in I was learning a lot all the time

almost like res yes I was also learning

on my own um but I think that actually

maybe the message more is make sure

you're doing that we can sit in the

classroom we can learn a lot of things

but till it translates and we show up

and I said this um you know many times

to the students that that I've been

teaching is nothing changes unless you

do something different tomorrow when you

show up at work or when you go back home

it what's different because of this um

it's just like all the information we

take in and learn all the time we read

all these great books we do all this but

at the end of the day what's different

um so I think that is it was just I

think that's different that answer would

be different for everybody but I think

the important part is that everybody's

focused on

that um taking what we've seen

demonstrated by others or that we've

learned and actually trying to use it

right away and I'm the type of person

I'll listen to a great podcast I just

mentioned a podcast you were on and got

a lot of great nuggets from that from

you uh and I will use that like I could

use some of that information that

afternoon good like you mentioned the

growth podcast and I went and downloaded

that and I'm listening to it now every

morning I'm like oh this is good this is

motivating um but using it and really

just making it a part of who you are and

I think that's been some of my secret

sauce is it is who I am I have that

growth mindset I'm lifelong learner so

everything is about that and but I also

want to share it I I can't just it's all

great for me but it's it's how can I

multiply it exponentially by sharing it

with how many people get them to change

be more aware you know what's

interesting you have this teacher coach

mindset so it not only showed up in your

entrepreneurial Endeavor with coaching

and Advising businesses but it's also

showing up when you teach classes for

your students because you want to impart

this you're like look this is so great

it works for me I want to share it with

all of you so you can get better and you

can improve so I definitely see such a

mindset from you as well the other thing

that I wanted to mention is you know you

talked a little bit about the selft talk

in the head and why I love pouring in

great leaders great influencers great

business Minds is it helps flood my

brain with that type of thinking that

type of like mindset right so with the

growth Day app and I talked about that

frequently or we have something at Walsh

called Walsh Leadership Academy which is

an incredible you can earn these credly

badges after each session but we teach

things like teamwork and we're having

one coming up on problem solving and we

teach one on on um make like working

together and having the authority to

lead and so many times folks are put in

leadership roles and they don't have the

leadership skills and what I love about

what you're talking about is you you

were like committed to get those along

the way you're like if I need to learn

something I'm just going to grow I'm

going to do it I'm going to figure it

out I'm going to go through another

program or training that's really

important and I think you know what

you're speaking into is that commitment

to lifelong learning because that's what

people see and they're like this is

somebody that's going to grow my

organization because she's willing to

grow herself with it absolutely yeah and

just having that just taking charge of

your own career your own you know

everything about you is you know we're

responsible for ourselves and there's so

much out there today if you look at what

it was 20 or 30 years ago I mean

compared to everything that's available

uh and a lot of times it's asking so

asking can I take some of these classes

at Walsh or can I um you know take join

some of the leadership programs that you

have and and um actually it used to be

the Walsh Institute years back I was

part of that so I so I so so wal would

work with local companies people to come

in and um teach or do specific things

related to bus application and and I did

that as well and I I really L that as

well you in and get you connected with

us too yeah yeah I that's um and you

know from the from day one of um

learning about Walsh and just being here

um it's been you know it's actually been

a big part of my life when you think

about the MBA the doctoral program the

Walsh Institute I was a sponsor with my

business of some of your programs here

so um I love Walsh I love your mission I

love everything you're all about and um

and I think the difference is the key on

application

it's not you know it's it's it's um what

a Business Leaders need um in their

employees and how can you attach with

that and help them development and show

them ways to do that in a better way um

and then um you know providing that well

and you know what you spoke into is so

critical for us because we are really

applied learning real world learning for

real world results and we want to make

sure students have the grounded Theory

the research the foundation but also

that they can take it and use it right

away in their jobs and I can't tell you

how many times students or alumni have

told us wow what learned in my class on

a Tuesday night I could use the rest of

the week at work and my boss was like

where did you get that tool that amazing

strategy and they said oh I was my class

at Walsh so and that's part of the

benefit of having practitioner

professors folks who have worked in the

field or are working in the field that

are teaching in the areas that they've

worked in so you can bring that real

life experience and say here's something

I just learned on my job let me share

this with all of you to help them grow

so I really like that that focus on it

and thank you for mentioning that about

Walsh we're very proud of that applied

applied Focus and you said that much

more eloquently than I did no you said

it perfectly I just was like reflecting

on it so Katherine who have been the

main influences in your life like if you

were to go back and say these are the

folks and you know maybe it was family

maybe it was mentors who are the people

that maybe your top two or three top two

or three influencers and why would you

say that is um I mentioned my parents

had micro businesses and they were the

ones who um fed into me the positive

attitude and that mindset so so um by

far um they would be my First Choice to

say the the the the biggest influence um

and then I've had so many people along

the way I'm not I'm not someone that

would say oh it was this one or this

second person um it's really been

everybody but I think also that grows

goes back to who I am when I would get a

new manager which I went through a lot

of managers I think in 10 years at ingr

ran I had seven different managers W but

I always focus on okay what can I take

from this person and that person would

have qualities that were that I thought

oh this is great and some that weren't

so and it was what can I take from that

person so um I think that's another part

of it is you know you we can learn from

everybody everybody's got strengths so I

would say um for me it it would it would

be the parents and I'll just I'll just

stick with that because nothing beats

that no that's so great too especially

that they were entrepreneurs themselves

because I was going to ask you like did

did it take a lot of courage to start

your business in 2009 uh it did as you

mentioned the economy things weren't

weren't great uh and um I had but I had

been wanting to do it and a few things

aligned with um uh the business I was

running fingers saw ran they actually

divested the business and I went and so

I went and consulted with the company

that bought it and that and then I had

already um started the program at Walsh

I was like I had already started I was

like I am not stopping this program and

they were also helping me fund the

program which was another challenge with

leaving them in terms of the education

so they're paying for my tuition

basically I was like okay now I'm going

to start my own business let me get this

straight start my own business now I'm

going to cover my tuition but I'm also

uh I don't I have um you know another

key um ingredient I think for me is grit

I you know I have grit I don't give up

and I'm was not once I got in and I just

thought you know one starting that

program I was not going to be the P you

know the Fallout percentage that you

have on those programs I mean a lot of

people just do not complete their a

terminal degree or doctoral program um

so I said no I'm going to do it and the

best way I I can do it is I've got to be

able to control my schedule I've wanted

to be an entrepreneur I wanted to do my

own thing I know I can do this um so

I've got to take the chance and um wow

this is so inspiring and I love how you

said control your schedule because I one

of my mentors once said you control your

life by controlling your time and when

you look at your schedule you want to

run your schedule you don't want your

schedule to run you so I really applaud

that because I think a lot of times

people have a vision of Entrepreneurship

as I'm My Own Boss I can work whenever I

want and well yes you have some

flexibility and freedom you also have to

make sure you're working and scheduling

time and it's a whole different way of

being paid so a lot of times

entrepreneurs will say gosh I feel like

every hour is booked with something in

order for me to get you know the

paycheck I need or to meet the bill so

were there any times along your journey

that you had struggles with that and

then how did you overcome them um well

sure I think there's always struggles um

in that type of um business where you're

a consultant you know the challenge

there is you're doing business

development you have to find people that

want to work with you right and connect

with people and then you have to fulfill

the people that you're working with um

so that was a big you know there's a big

learning curve there so um again back to

my what I usually rely on the learning

from other people um talk to people who

were already doing in the industry

people that were already successful

tried to minimize that learning curve

for me um and then I had to get out of

my comfort zone uh for example on public

speaking I was not big in getting up in

front of a room but I realized that's

where I can be in front of more people

and if I do it for somebody like the

Walsh Institute at the time then they're

going to bring the audience to me and

that is actually how I launched my

business the first couple of years

almost all my clients came from events

so I signed up and said I can I can do

this I can come talk about business I

can come share valuable information and

get to know people um these other uh

business owners that I would like to

engage with and try to work with so that

was actually um so it was a challenge at

first because I was very nervous about

the the public speaking and delivering

and being you know having something of

value that um people were interested in

um but as it turned out um it was a

great fit for me um I'm very authentic

down to earth and I have a that mindset

of you know what I'm going to show up I

would have I did some presentations on

my own that I set up and would have two

people yeah and then I had one that I

had one and I said but at the end of the

day sat down and talk with them and they

got a great two hours of me sharing lots

of information with them that they were

then able to take and use and um but not

letting that set me back so there were

some struggles at the beginning of you

know you always have that things doubts

creep in can I really do this is this

going to work um should I do something

else but again back to you know the grit

and the if you want to you will and you

can and you just have to figure out a

way to do it so I love that Grit part

that is so important I mean it's

important for leaders and entrepreneurs

but I just think in life now we're

seeing that the folks that can persevere

through challenges through changes tend

to be so much happier on the other side

you don't know it at the moment because

you never connect the dots of your life

going forward you always connect them

going back and so now that you're at axm

you know tell a little bit about like

what does a typical day look like like

how do you and Matt decide who's going

to run this part of the business or that

part and you know do you lead a team and

if so how many and what are the things

you're working on with your team let's

say um so um ad oxum in my role um

Everybody actually reports to me Matt

has no direct reports so he and I have a

really great relationship I understand

the strategy the vision uh the culture

pieces uh Matt is a great connector and

relationship uh person as you know he

does a lot in the community he's out

networking meeting people um so he's

always been focused on the marketing and

sales side of things um and so now me

being there to manage operations and

other things allows him just to do that

more so it's a nice fit um but um d to

day a day to day a day a day to day um

you know a lot of meetings the same

thing that I'm sure you hear from a lot

of people um but you know it's

decision-making it's um having the

having command of the business and um

the puls of our customers um trying to

be in as many client meetings as I can I

want to understand what what's working

well what's not um I tend to um always

focus on the um sales side as well

simply because if we bring on a new

client U we think of it as a partnership

and it's a long you know it's a marriage

yeah and we've got to make sure that

we're careful about clients we bring on

that we can not just meet but exceed

their expectations and that we can do a

good job for them in simple terms and we

don't want to take on the wrong client

where we don't feel we can do that so

either Matt or I are in those first

meetings because we want to be very

careful about that so I spend a lot of

time talking to uh potential uh

companies that might come on and partner

with us and um that we might support and

help um and then the other side of it is

Operation so nice um in a little bit of

everything right and of course um we

want to build a legacy or Matt wants to

build a legacy business where people can

come you know in the tech business a lot

of people move around a lot a lot of

changing of chairs um we want a place

where we want to get large enough um

right size so we can be the right fit

for our for the clients and provide

everything that they need from the

security aspect of the support and all

that good stuff but for our employees

take care of them well where they can

come in and actually um grow and stay

with us for over a period of time or for

a career and have opportunities for them

so as we grow now we're a little over 50

people

so um we're trying to make that happen

as well I'm just so impressed with your

background because it's it's so good to

talk to somebody that values education I

mean you have the highest degree you can

get in a field a doctoral degree I think

it's like only 3.5% of the population

has that so I commend you on that but I

even you're the grit in saying nope I'm

going to finish this program I'm going

to finish what I start even if there was

a change in how you were going to pay

for it the grit in saying you'll figure

something out I mean that is really

important because I think it's so easy

in life for us to look at leaders or

entrepreneurs that are successful like

yourself and say oh they just were lucky

they were in the right place at the

right time and certainly that does play

some role although you create that by

showing up you create that by being

there what role do you think luck plays

versus your own actions and decisions in

success um I I tend to prescribe to the

um you know hard work creates the luck

right being sometimes are you in the

right place at the right time sure but

um you know I am a big believer in in

hard work um and just showing up and

going the extra mile and what people do

when someone's not looking is what

matters and we're trying to get that

next job you act like you already have

that job just like you used to dress for

the job that you want you perform in a

way that um is already as though you had

the job right and that's always what I

coach with people don't uh and you know

ask and ask for help ask for support ask

for training ask for mentorship um you

know just to have that make it happen

mindset yeah the make it happen mindset

I feel like that's going to be the

tagline for this it's so good you know

one thing I'll say and then I know we're

going to wrap up but what you talked

about with you know dressing for the job

you want showing up for the job you want

there's something called embodied

cognition meaning that like if I'm

holding a warm drink and talking to you

I'll actually feel more warmly toward

you because the same part of the brain

that lights up for physical warmth also

codes for emotional warmth so too when

we dress a certain way you know I know

there's a lot of discussion which is

very fair and I I can see all the sides

about what you know people want to wear

in the workplace and Casual days versus

not

when they've done studies they found

when people do dress at a level of their

performance goes up whether it's on a

standardized test whether it's at an

interview a presentation so there's

something about us taking on that

embodied cognition of the role or of how

we show up and I think of the role

sounds great it's like don't wait to be

given the title to do that show up first

right because a lot of times employees

will say I'm not doing that unless you

give me a raise or a title and another

way to look at it is I'm going to step

up into that leadership and earn it

first and then the the company goes wow

just like Matt was like how can I get

you to come and run this company because

he saw what you were doing for other

companies that is the best testimony and

also the best job security in the world

so absolutely yes I'm a I'm a big

believer in that so um I think all that

makes makes a lot of sense but it's um

you know it's also um just goes back to

the mindset too right yes so it's all

wrapped up in and having that grit and

that perseverance grit yes well that was

great Katherine I'm so excited that you

joined us thank you very much there were

so many great things that we talked

about and wisdom and tidbits of

knowledge but you know I just want to

thank you so much and we'll put a link

where folks can get in touch with axom

and they can get in touch with you or

Matt if they want to learn more about

the Managed IT services because I think

that's so great the way you described

how you approach your relationships your

meetings with clients I mean that's a

dream for companies to feel like they

know they're not your only client but to

know that they're important enough that

the president the CEO will sit with them

in the meeting that's significant so

we'll definitely do that but thank you

so so much for joining thank you for

being one of our incredible Alum living

our mission in the world and thank you

for teaching for us and being part of

our faculty and just part of our

community we're very grateful thank you

so much for having me I enjoyed it

absolutely well that's another episode

of leading ladies podcast thank you so

much for joining and we'll see you on

our next Edition