Carolyn b Busse
Carolyn D. Busse is a government operations strategist and entrepreneur based in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. After spending several years working in Washington, D.C. in high-level government and political operations roles, she recently returned to her home state and launched her own consulting firm, Highfield Consulting. Through her firm, Carolyn helps Florida-based organizations build connections in Washington while navigating the complexities of government-related work. Her goal is to bring the experience, insight, and passion she developed in the nation’s capital to support businesses and leaders in Florida.
Drawing on her background in congressional operations and national political organizations, Carolyn provides comprehensive operational and strategic support to clients seeking to strengthen their presence in the government space. Her consulting work includes administrative and operational services, back-end human resources support, fundraising coordination, and organizational strategy. With experience managing complex operations, stakeholder engagement, and high-level scheduling and logistics, she helps businesses create structure, improve efficiency, and position themselves for long-term success.
Carolyn’s career reflects a commitment to resilience, leadership, and strategic problem-solving in fast-paced environments. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a degree in Political Science and Legal Studies, she has built a reputation for bringing clarity and execution to demanding roles. Today, through her consulting practice, she is focused on helping organizations navigate the government landscape while empowering them with the tools and operational support needed to achieve their goals.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison - Bachelor's degree, Political Science and Legal Studies, Certificates in Criminal Justice and Leadership
• University of Wisconsin - Bachelor of Arts, Political Science and Government
• Invited speaker at New Member Orientation for new members of Congress
• Alumni Mentor for University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Kids Against Cancer fundraising support
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to resilience and always moving forward with a future-oriented vision. Working in such a high-demand field like government in Washington, D.C., I had to develop the ability to keep pushing ahead no matter what challenges came my way. The fact that I was able to stick with it for as long as I did in that demanding environment is something I feel quite proud of. I've learned that success isn't just about surviving the present - it's about maintaining that forward momentum and keeping your eyes on what's ahead, even when things get tough.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is that you actually don't need to take advice from people whose life you wouldn't want to emulate. As a young woman, I was very much under the impression that I had to take everyone's comments and take them as something I needed to improve. I kind of just assumed you had to accept all feedback as valid. But realizing that I could be selective about whose advice I valued was a big turning point in my life. It led me to be a lot more confident in what I was building and helped me trust my own judgment about the path I wanted to take.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this field is that building something you're proud of isn't something that needs to make sense to everyone that you know. It's okay to do it by yourself and forge your own path. Starting your own thing is scary and nerve-wracking because you have to represent yourself, which honestly is not really a skill that young women are taught. We're not taught to build that level of confidence or to not feel like we need to apologize for our success or soften ourselves to find ways to be successful. But you don't need everyone's approval or understanding - what matters is that it makes sense to you and that you believe in what you're creating.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field right now is that starting your own thing is scary and very nerve-wracking, because you have to represent yourself. Honestly, this is not really a skill that young women are taught - we're not taught to build that level of confidence and to not feel bad about promoting ourselves. We're conditioned to feel like we need to apologize for our success and to soften ourselves in order to find ways to be successful. Learning to overcome that conditioning and confidently represent yourself and your business is one of the most significant hurdles, but it's also an opportunity for growth and empowerment.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Respect would probably be number one for me. Coming from a political background, that was not maybe something I saw 100% of the time, so I really value it now. I'm the type of person that says what I mean and means what I say. I would also say reliability and dependability - being somebody that is always there when you need them. And I value having a visionary mindset, which to me means always asking 'could we do this better?' rather than just settling for 'well, that's the way we've always done things.' I don't believe in accepting the status quo just because it's comfortable or familiar.