Her Story
About Carla
At my core, I'm a people person and I've always been talkative. Growing up as a Black female in the 60s, I learned to navigate different worlds and make friends of every stripe, creed, and color. Even in high school, I was the liaison between teachers and students because I could see both sides of situations. My guidance counselor saw that I was a natural negotiator and arbitrator and sent me to Cornell University to study industrial and labor relations, though I wasn't able to continue due to federal program cuts. But that experience showed me what I do today - I am a negotiator who puts two different people groups together so we can move an agenda forward. When majority white prime firms say they can't find minority women-owned firms to meet contract goals, I tell them I'll find them because I know how to make friends with people. I connect the dots and everybody's happy. I did this work in Prince George's County with my first company, then from a government perspective when I moved to Baltimore City in 2007 as director of the mayor's office for minority business. Now I do it through the Nelson Ideation Group, and I've built a reputation that I know everybody. People call me when they need connections because 98% of the time it's true - it's 2 degrees of separation for me. I don't do this work because it's a job, I do it because that's what I'm passionate about, and I thank God I was able to get jobs that allowed me to do that in some form or fashion.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Carla
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
One of my mentors early in my career, back in the mid-90s, taught me a critical lesson about entrepreneurship. He was an 8A liquidator who came to teach my class, and he asked how many people wanted to work part-time. When everybody raised their hand, he said, 'Okay, what 12 hours of the day do you want?' That really opened my eyes. He taught me that being an entrepreneur means you work a minimum of 12 hours a day - and I say it's 25-8 now because we're in a global, technological world that never stops. Another mentor taught me how to negotiate and understand where people's positions are so that you can negotiate from a position of strength. These lessons shaped how I approach my work - understanding that entrepreneurship isn't sexy or cute, it's hard work, and you have to have a burning desire and burden that you cannot shake because you have the answers to someone's questions and the solutions to their problems.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would first ask why they want to do this work, because depending on their why will determine my response. If they think that being an entrepreneur and doing this work is sexy and cute, it's not. There's nothing sexy and cute about entrepreneurship. I tell people that you will never be your own boss - your clients become your boss and they tell you when to do the work and when to get it done. You always have a boss. Being an entrepreneur means working 25-8 in our global world - the world doesn't stop at 6:30 or 7 o'clock so you can go home and have dinner. It has to be a burning desire, a burden that you cannot shake, because you have the answers to someone's questions and the solutions to someone's problem. Part of my daily prayer is 'May I have the answer to someone's question and the solution to their problem.' You can't shut it off - you are the business and the business is you. Sometimes it's hard to separate the two. Your friends change when you're an entrepreneur. So I ask them, why do you want to do it, and how bad do you want it? Then I respond according to their answers.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Right now, the biggest challenge is that the current federal administration has shut down the federal disadvantaged business programs. They're officially on hold, but unofficially they're shut down. This has unfortunately shut down some of our airport clients and the work we do connecting minority and women-owned firms with prime contractors on government contracts. It's affecting the entire ecosystem of minority business development that I've worked in for over 30 years.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Faith is at the core of who I am - I'm a person of faith who has a burden to help people fulfill their purpose in life. Part of my daily prayer is to have the wisdom and understanding of people, places, and their situations, including my own, because sometimes my situation makes me respond or react a certain way without being objective. I pray to understand other people's situations so I can give them grace, because you just don't know what they're dealing with. Definitely since COVID, I always give people a measure of grace. My goal is to be a blessing to someone, and when people tell me that I am, it's heartwarming and humbling. I'm like, 'Okay, God, I must be doing something right.' I believe in supporting the underdog and making a concerted effort to help people succeed. For me and the people I'm around, it's not about how much money you make - it's about how you impact someone's life for the better. That's the premise I go through.
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