From Small Business to Big Impact: Leadership, Confidence, & Community at the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Businesses Summit | 362

Summary

Podcast Summary: This Is Woman's Work with Nicole Kalil

Episode: From Small Business to Big Impact: Leadership, Confidence, & Community at the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Businesses Summit | 362
Host: Nicole Kalil
Date: November 17, 2025

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Overview

In this live episode from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Summit, host Nicole Kalil explores the authentic journeys of three powerhouse women entrepreneurs: Natalie Katis (Katis Enterprises), Tessa Arneson (Maven District), and Perla DeLuca (Southeast Constructors/Pink Hard Hat Foundation). The episode centers on how small business ownership is as much about leadership, confidence, and community impact as it is about profit and growth. Nicole and her guests dig deep into redefining “woman’s work,” building confidence through action, balancing purpose and well-being, and making a lasting difference beyond the bottom line.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Redefining "Woman's Work"

• Nicole Kalil kicks off by reframing "woman's work" as any work that feels "authentic, true, and right for you."
• Women now own over 12 million businesses in the US, employing more than 10.7 million people.
• Small business ownership is compared to “jumping out of a plane and building your parachute on the way down,” highlighting the courage and adaptability required.

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2. Natalie Katis: Leadership, Confidence, and Community (05:00–11:22)

Supporting Others and Representation

• Natalie Katis (CEO, Katis Enterprises) stresses the power of using her positions on powerful boards (Federal Reserve, US Chamber of Commerce) to bring small business voices to key decision-making tables.
  • Quote: “How do I take the opportunities that I have been afforded and…help others come to the table, make sure their voices are heard at the table, even if they physically can’t be there?” (04:19)

Building Confidence as a Muscle

• Confidence wasn’t innate; it was a learned, practiced skill.
  • Quote: “You don’t have to have all the answers today. That’s okay.” (05:47)
• Attributes her growth to the Goldman Sachs program teaching her to "dream big" and iterate.
• Nicole draws parallel to confidence being a muscle: “It’s a skill we get to develop. The only way to do that is through practice.” (06:42)

Giving Back through Impactful Initiatives

• Natalie launched a financial literacy program for her manufacturing staff—92% participation, with team members buying first homes and focusing on health.
  • Quote: “One of my team members came to me and he says, ‘For the very first time in my life, I’m okay. Me and my family are okay.’" (09:03)

Embracing Growth, Overcoming Fear

• Shares struggles with anxiety and the constant pressure as a business owner.
• Highlights importance of “lifelong learnership” and intentionally staying in rooms where she isn’t the smartest person.
  • Quote: “As soon as I start to feel like the smartest, I need to change rooms.” (10:45)

Memorable Moment

• Girl Scout advice: “Here we grow, ladies. Here we grow.” (10:57)

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3. Tessa Arneson: Self-Care, Boundaries, and Prioritization (15:37–32:21)

Rejecting the “Hustle Harder” Myth

• Tessa Arneson (Co-founder, Maven District) rejects unsustainable workaholic cultures.
  • Quote: "You cannot do it all … That is not sustainable.” (16:08)
• Shares her experience living with a head injury, emphasizing the need for “livability” over work/life “balance.”

Self-Awareness and Energy Management

• Introduces the concept of “tickets”—energy units—for each day and guarding them for high-impact tasks.
• Leans into morning and evening routines to support mental and physical health:
  • Breathwork and movement upon waking.
  • No screens an hour before bed.
  • Avoids social media: “For me, it’s not great for me.” (18:22)

Choice Management > Time Management

• Nicole reframes time management as "choice management."
  • Quote: “Time is fixed. … What is different are the choices we make with the time that we have.” (21:00)

Practical Prioritization

• Tessa’s team uses daily “top three priorities” to stay focused.
  • Social media and unproductive meetings are seen as “ticket” drains unless they align with goals.
  • Confesses to sometimes failing and having to reset priorities.

Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

• "Do it sooner." Regrets waiting until age 30 despite entrepreneurial instincts.
• Importance of finding mentors (“someone you can ask really dumb questions to”) and community.
  • Quote: “You don’t actually have to be alone in this.” (25:04)

Handling Criticism and Feedback

• Nicole shares a four-step process for reframing negative feedback:

  1. Identify the facts.
  2. Separate facts from what you're making up.
  3. Consider a more empowered perspective.
  4. Get into action.
  • Quote: “Action builds confidence. … We put one foot in front of the other towards what matters most.” (29:58)

• Tessa’s business partner’s method: “Maven - Meet the Moment” (31:09)

  • Meet the moment.
  • Align from within.
  • Venture into the next step.
  • Evaluate and celebrate.
  • Nurture your next step.

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4. Perla DeLuca: Social Impact, Resilience, and Gratitude (33:53–42:44)

Access, Leverage, and Giving Back

• Perla DeLuca (Southeast Constructors, Pink Hard Hat Foundation) credits the Goldman Sachs program for teaching her about financial leverage, which enabled her to open a school and a foundation for women in trades.
  • Quote: “I didn’t have money to give back, but I knew I had time and experience and maybe could empower other women.” (35:19)

The Power of Connection

• Acts as a connector, helping others succeed by connecting people and providing opportunity.
• Leadership through integrity and loyalty.

Redefining Success

• Previously valued external markers (offices, status), now values impact: “I was never driven by money; I was always driven by people.” (37:35)
• Success is celebrating students’ growth and well-being, not personal wealth.

Lessons Learned from Failure and Change

• Lost her Florida real estate businesses in the crash, struggled with guilt and a “failure” mindset.
  • Quote: “I realized that I lost just the business—I am the business.” (39:40)
• Emphasizes kindness and self-compassion in adversity.
• Practices gratitude as a discipline and a conscious choice.
  • Quote: “If you are grateful, every day is a new day.” (40:57)

Ending on Perseverance and Community

• Reminds women in male-dominated industries, especially construction, “You can do it. A lot of people said I couldn’t do it too.” (42:30)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Nicole: “Small business ownership is daily proof that winging it is, in fact, a strategy.” (01:30)
• Natalie: “You can’t buy a gym membership and hope to lose weight. You have to show up, you have to do the work and the results will come.” (06:51)
• Tessa: “Build with your whole self, but not at the expense of yourself.” (16:08)
• Tessa: “What is the most important thing you can do with your time rather than doing everything with your time?” (20:22)
• Perla: “I was never driven by money. I was always driven by people.” (37:35)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Podcast Theme & Intro: 00:55–03:58
• Natalie Katis Interview: 03:58–11:22
• Tessa Arneson Interview: 15:37–32:21
• Nicole’s Four-Step Criticism Response: 29:29–31:09
• Perla DeLuca Interview: 33:53–42:44
• Host’s Takeaways and Closing Reflection: 42:44–end

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Closing Reflection & Themes

Nicole ties the episode together with the message that growth sneaks up on you—not just in profit, but in resilience, boundaries, confidence, and a deepening sense of purpose. These women are living proof that “business is never just about business—it’s personal. It’s who you become when you refuse to give up, when you decide to bet on yourself one more time. And that kind of courage, that kind of confidence, well, that is woman's work.” (41:40)

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Recommended for:
Aspiring and current women entrepreneurs, leaders seeking an authentic perspective on confidence and growth, and anyone interested in the human side of small business and community impact.

Links to explore:

• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program
• Each guest’s businesses and foundations (see show notes)

Connect and share:
If you’re interested in building your own business, redefining success, or simply curious how other women are leading with impact and confidence, this episode delivers inspiration and actionable insights straight from the source.

Transcript

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Only on Netflix. I am Nicole Kahlil, and you're listening to the this Is Woman's Work podcast, where together we're redefining what it means, what it looks and feels like to be doing woman's work in the world today. From boardrooms to studios, kitchens to coding density, your street to Wall street, we explore the multifaceted experiences of today's woman, confirming that the new definition of woman's work is whatever feels true and real and right for you. You are the decider. And one of the many ways that women are doing that is by starting, building and running their own businesses. In fact, today women own more than 12 million businesses in the US and employ over 10.7 million people. But being a business owner isn't just about spreadsheets and sales goals. It's about leadership, resilience, and impact. It's also daily proof that winging it is, in fact, a strategy. Because if you've ever run a small business, you know, it's a lot like jumping out of a plane and building your parachute on the way down. The truth is, running a business changes you. It stretches how you think, tests how you lead, and reveals what. What you're made of. So in this episode, we're going to talk about starting and running small business with the graduates of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program women who've turned their experience into growth that goes well beyond the bottom line. The lessons they've learned have shaped how they show up, how they connect, and how they give back. We'll explore how the skills they learned through the program impacted not just their businesses, but their leadership, their confidence, their lives and their communities. From strengthening local economies to serving on national boards, these women are creating ripple effects that go far beyond their successful businesses. And at the center of it all is confidence, which is, of course, what I would see. Because if there's one thing about being a business owner that teaches you, it's how to trust yourself when there's no roadmap, no guarantees, and. And no one coming to save you. So let's dive in. I could not be more excited to be here live at the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Summit with three incredible women whose journeys prove that when you own your business, you also build your leadership, your confidence, and your impact. First up is Natalie Katis, CEO of Katis Enterprises and respected business and community leader who also serves as on the San Francisco Federal reserve board. Named one of Utah businesses 30 Women to Watch, Natalie brings sharp insight into leading with confidence and how this 10,000 small business program shaped her growth as a leader. All right, so let's dive in. Natalie, thank you so much for being here.

[C]

Thank you.

[A]

It is a pleasure to be here.

[B]

The pleasure is all mine. I'm super excited. So I want to start by asking the question. Well, first, you're not just business owners. You're employers, mentors, role models, lots of things, right? So how do you intentionally use your platform to support or lift up other women or other people in your community?

[A]

That is a really good question. And you're absolutely right. As an employer, you kind of become that mentor and those that look up to you. What I've been really focused on is how do I take the opportunities that I have been afforded and this privilege that I have at the seat that I have, and help others come to the table, make sure their voices are heard at the table, even if they physically can't be there. But their ideas and their. Their solutions come to the table. We're in Washington, D.C. right now. We need more small business voices at these really powerful tables. So for me, it's an honor to be at the Federal Reserve Board. I'm also on the board of the US Chamber of Commerce. I'm with Goldman Sachs. So that is something I take very seriously in my community. I serve with the Salt Lake Chamber, and I'm really trying to make sure that other small businesses have opportunities to do the same thing because their positions and their perspectives need to be heard as well. And I think that it's, you know, that ecosystem between small business and large business is really important. We need each other. So how do we do that? That's what we focus on.

[B]

Incredible. Okay, so how has building your business impacted your confidence and your willingness to use your voice in bigger or bolder ways? You just listed out a lot of things that you do and a lot of things that you're involved in. I can't imagine you started in those places day one.

[A]

No, I did not.

[B]

Correct. So how did. Did your confidence build and how did you find the opportunities to use your voice in such powerful ways?

[A]

Well, yeah, it takes confidence. Right. And I didn't start that way. That's a really good point. But I think one of the things that this Goldman Sachs program helped me understand is how to dream big. Right. Don't think small, dream big. Because these opportunities will. You'll, you'll figure it out along the way. You don't have to have all the answers today. That's okay. It is a little frightening, but it's okay to lean into that and you will develop and you will pivot and you will learn. And I think that that's one of the things that small businesses do really well at is being nimble, being able to pivot, being able to learn along the way. And so that's how I've grown. More opportunities. Like sitting with you builds your confidence. So the more opportunities you can get, the better you'll be at it.

[B]

Right. It's practice. Right? Exactly. It's like how we get good at anything.

[A]

It's muscle memory.

[B]

Right. It's interesting. So much of what you said aligns with what I know to be true about confidence. I think sometimes people think confidence is something you have or something you don't have.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

As opposed a choice we get to make and a muscle that we get to build and a skill that we get to develop. And the only way to do that is through practice.

[C]

Yeah, it's.

[A]

You know, there was a book when I was, oh, gosh. Younger, and it was, you know, feel the fear, do it anyway. And I remember that. I don't remember a lot about the book, but I remember that, like, do it anyway. You're going to learn through the process. Right. Show up. I often tell other small business owners, it's really good that you went through the program, but. But you can't buy a gym membership and hope to lose weight. You have to show up, you have to do the work and the results will come. And that's the exciting part.

[B]

Yeah. It reminds me, I think a lot of women feel like they are supposed to feel ready before they do something, like waiting to feel a hundred percent ready before they dive in. And in My experience, it's equal parts excitement and fear. Right. Like both courage and fear are both holding hands, and you get to decide which one is gonna lead. And it's sometimes a difficult choice.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Takes a lot of bravery. And it. And you know, the other thing that I think about for women is we also want to not be vulnerable, including myself. But that is bravery in itself, and so the bravery is important.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Natalie, how has your business allowed for you to contribute to something bigger in your community, in your industry, in the world? And was that at the forefront of your mind when you started the business?

[A]

So we're a second generation family business, and I took over the company in 2008. So if you remember the economy at that time. Yeah, it's a. It's a hard time to take over a family business. And it was my in laws. So I came in and took over the company. Times were tough, so I was really just focused on survive, and that was all we could do. This program came about after about five years where it was like, okay, now here's a roadmap to not only just survive, but to thrive. So I've taken that responsibility personally, that, look, I've been afforded this opportunity. How can I pay it forward? And one of the things I'm really proud of that I've just done with my team is I have launched a financial literacy program. So we're a manufacturer. I have entry level people who are working really hard and dedicated to the work, but they just didn't know how to manage their money. So I partnered with a local financial institution, and now they come on site and facilitate this. I've had 92% of my team go through the program.

[B]

That's incredible.

[A]

They're buying first homes. One of my team members came to me and he says, you know, Natalie, for the very first time in my life, I'm okay. Me and my family are okay. And now instead of just focused on just surviving, I'm focused on my health. And that is lifting people up, you know, in my. In my community, in my company. And I'm trying to spread that word because that's what it's about, is lifting others up and seeing them do better, seeing them thrive 100%.

[B]

I often say that redefining woman's work is both what keeps me up at night and what gets me up in the morning. What keeps you up at night and gets you up in the morning?

[A]

Yes. Well, I have a company, so that keeps me up. And, you know, I actually feel like I worry about my team. I worry about where we're going. I worry about how to scale. I worry about all of those things. And then I have to zoom back in and go. And I don't have to know it all today. And so come back, it's okay. Because I also think that I do this. I don't know if women do this, but I think they do. We spiral, right? We can spiral. And so I try to, like, okay, reground myself. Let's not spiral. You're gonna take one day at a time. You don't have to eat it all today. One day at a time. You're gonna learn along the way. So lifelong learnership is a really important thing to not lose focus of.

[B]

Well said. And I often think confidence, again, that's my area of passion. A lot of think confident is knowing what you're doing. And I have found that confidence is trusting that you'll figure it out.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And you said that beautifully. Exactly. Thank you.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

Well.

[A]

And you know, I, I, I absolutely agree. Because you. How do you know? You know? All I know is I know I don't know at all.

[B]

Right. And never will. Exactly.

[A]

And so if I can, one of the things I really am trying to do for myself is always stay in rooms where I am not the smartest person. As soon as I start to feel like the smartest, I need to change rooms.

[B]

Right.

[D]

Let's go.

[A]

You know, it's time to level up again. My favorite saying. I was a girl scout leader for my daughter and for the little girls when they were young, I would say, here we grow, ladies. Here we grow. And they were like, no, it's here we go. Like, no, no, no. You're going to grow every step of the way. Here we grow.

[B]

Love it. There is no growth in the comfort zone, and there's no comfort in the growth zone. Right?

[A]

Absolutely.

[D]

100%.

[B]

Natalie, thank you for doing what you're doing and for being here today.

[C]

Oh, thank you.

[A]

This has been really nice. I appreciate it.

[B]

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[C]

Thank you so much for having me. I cannot wait to learn from you.

[B]

Oh, well, I think it's going to be the other way around.

[C]

No, no, no. I think you're a pro. Thank you. Thanks for teaching me.

[B]

Thanks for pleasure. Okay, let's be upfront that running a small business requires you to wear like 700 different hats at different times, and it's a lot of stuff. So my question is, what have you learned about yourself through the process as a leader, as a woman, as a human being? What are the unexpected outcomes of running a business that you've learned?

[C]

Well, first off, I absolutely do not think you can do it all. Yeah, I don't believe in that. I think we heard from yesterday, we heard one of the sharks say that you have to work, work 17 hours a day, and then when you get to 5 million, you need to work 27 hours a day forever. And for me, that is not sustainable. That is how I've worked with over 10,000 women coming through different businesses. And I see crashes, I see mental health crashes, I see physical crashes, unexplainable sicknesses. I live with a head injury, so that doesn't work for me. It's just not sustainable. So we really want to focus on now that I'm a little more seasoned and in this, been doing this for about 13 years. Really want to focus that, hey, I want to build with my whole self, but not at the expense of myself. I really think from our team internally, we've just developed a way, hey, we don't need you to give your entire everything to us because we need to find some, I don't really like the word work, life balance, but we need to find some livability. And it's great to be passionate about what you do, but that doesn't mean you have to give, give everything. So this, this balance of how do I stay well and how do I show up to work and be my whole self. It, it can't be with working day in and day out. That's, that doesn't, that doesn't work. It doesn't work for your family. It doesn't work for anybody.

[B]

Yeah. And burnout doesn't actually help anyone. Right?

[C]

It doesn't. You crash, you burn.

[B]

Yeah. So you said several things in there first. You know, I talk about this a lot too. I do wonder if you want to be the absolute best at whatever it is that you do, if maybe you do need to work at all hours. Like I think of Olympic athletes or MVPs on sports teams, professional teams or maybe a shark, I don't know. But you can create a ton of success, you can create a really successful business, a really great life without doing that. I guess my question is how did you decide what for yourself when you were willing to make trade offs and when you weren't, where did you decide the line was?

[C]

I think it always happens in the crash.

[B]

Right? Right. Yes.

[C]

When I, when I fell to the bottom of the barrel. I, I have a head injury as I mentioned, five years ago. And recovering from that, I realized I didn't have access to the same energy. My brain cannot function at the level it did before my injury. So I really have to think about how many tickets do I have, what, what am I going to do with my day and how am I going to expend my energy in order to not leave me empty. So we heard from Kat Cole yesterday, who I was, I was so stoked on. She said you can control how you wake up in the day and you can control how you go to sleep. It's one of the things that we talk to women entrepreneurs a lot about. The way I wake up in the day is I immediately do a little bit of breath work and then movement. I don't look at my phone, I'm not texting, I'm not Making a list. I am not checking my email. The email is the big. And I haven't been on social. I. I feel like social media is kind of crushing the world Cell I haven't been on since the birth of my daughter. She's almost five. So it, for me, it doesn't. It's not great for me. So from a mental health perspective, I start my day that way and then I end my day with no screens for an hour before bed. And I try and fuel my body in a way that's gonna set me up for success the next day. And sleep for particularly what I work with is so, so huge. So if I'm not sleeping, it's a recipe for disaster. And so what I do in the in between is I have to really pay attention to how much do I have left over, how much is this one podcast? How many tickets is it going to take? And if I only have three tickets in the day, you're gonna get all those tickets and no. And there's nothing else. And so I've gotta cancel everything else. And that to me is the sustainable way to look at, like, what is the most important thing you can do with your time rather than doing in learning how to say no, you know, then doing everything with your time.

[B]

So there are so many good things in what you just said. And like you, I'm not a big fan of the work life balance term. It never resonated with me.

[C]

It just flows.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

People talk about work life integration. I will tell you that. That doesn't resonate with me as much either. I'm an extreme introvert. So the idea of integrating personal and professional at all times, like, I need sort of that separation. Separation, sure. But what I've come to for myself is instead of thinking of it as time management, I think of it as choice management. Because time is fixed to neutral. Right. We all have the exact same amount of it. What is different are the choices that we make with the time that we have.

[C]

That's amazing. And how do you do that? Can I ask?

[B]

That's what I was gonna ask you. Okay.

[C]

You answer. And then, I don't know, maybe we can add to that. But I think you're gonna probably have more to that. Cause it's a cool way to say it.

[B]

Well, and I think what you were saying is what sparked that thought for me is it's what is the best use of my time and energy and talent in any given day. And so you, I think, said credits. But if you have a certain amount of energy or time available, as we all do, to really think what is the best use of it, both at work and at home. So that was gonna be my question to you, is how in the face of all the things you could be doing with your time, energy and talent, how do you decide what's the best use? How do you decide what gets your energy?

[C]

Well, first of all, I was not born this way and didn't and had to really develop the skill. I have this really rad business partner who is one of the smartest humans out there, Rocky Donati. And she taught me that you have to learn how to prioritize and you have to say no to everything else. So she makes our team do a top three priorities every day. And we wake up and think about what are the three things that we need to do today. And if you don't get them done, that's fine, they go on your list for tomorrow. But the other things, like scrolling social media, for me, that takes a ticket. That scrolling is zapping my creativity every time I swipe up my finger. So if I have limited amount to be great, where am I going to spend it? Am I going to spend it on social media? Am I going to spend it on a coffee meeting that is maybe exciting but not important? If so, I need to move that meeting. Yeah. But if it's important and exciting, then I can keep it. Right. But until that those match up, that's how I learned to make those things. And I actually, it's a practice for me. It's something that I fail at often and then have to reset and say, oof. Why did I just say yes to all of those things? Like, I love mentoring, so I will say yes to mentoring, but sometimes that also takes a ton of energy. Like you said, introvert. I am now kind of qualify myself as an amnivert. I think, like, I get energy from this, but also it'll wreck me too, you know?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So it's a little bit of both. And I love, love, love that, but it is not, it's not going to move the needle on my business at the moment. So until I have more space, I have to put something right that will give some ROI to my time. More so than something I love.

[B]

Right.

[C]

Because that still is, still is important to me as a human. But if it's going to add stress and take away from the. The big things that I'm working on, those, those kind of big hairy goals that we all, you know, are going after at some point or another, I've got to Bump that. So that's how I think about time. And sometimes I'm just getting one thing done. Like today, this would be my biggest thing and I would have scrapped everything else.

[B]

Yeah. So what I'm hearing is what's important. And I would put that in the frame of your goals. Right. So knowing where your business is headed, knowing the goals you have for your personal life or your family, and then using that to define what's important, like important and timely. Right.

[C]

So if it's not timely, but it's important, it might not need to be get done today.

[B]

Right.

[C]

And if it's timely and unimportant, it definitely doesn't need to get done today.

[B]

Yeah. Okay. You mentioned earlier that teaching mentoring is one of your top three priorities. If another woman came to you, and I'm sure they do, and was ready to take the leap into entrepreneurship or running a business, and I would imagine they'd be scared and uncertain and full of fear and doubt like we all are when we start something we've never done before. What's one piece of advice you'd give her that you wish you'd heard or that you would have believed or somebody would have told you earlier on your journey?

[C]

I wish I would have done it sooner, to be honest. Like, I was born to be an entrepreneur. I knew it when I was a little kid. I was wanting to be a kid in a oversized suit on the Life cereal box. The commercials that I grew up with, I was so certain. I used to say, I want to be a businesswoman. When I was a kid. I knew what I wanted, but yet I waited till I was 30 in order to make that jump because I didn't think I knew enough. And I listened to the adults in the room that said I didn't. I didn't know what I was doing. So just because I didn't know the answers, I didn't do it. But what I wish is that I would have just jumped in sooner. Who knows where I would have been. I had all these really fabulous ideas that were really timely in the market that I let the adults in the room talk me out of. So I would say do it. But also one thing I didn't learn till very a few years in from the Goldman Sachs program actually, is to surround yourself with mentors because you don't actually have to be alone in this. It's a pretty lonely place to be. But if you surround yourself with mentors and then also some like minded entrepreneurs, that's like the, the place to feel less alone. And to feel heard, but also find someone you can ask really dumb questions to. I have like one of my most favorite mentors in the world. I met as a facilitator at the Goldman Sachs small business program. And I still call her. I call her once a month. I'm texting her, hey, I don't know how to get my way through this. Can we go to coffee? And you're not supposed to know and you're not supposed to do it alone. So find people. There are people like me out there that just love, love, love to give back. So find those people and work with them.

[B]

It reminds me, I know Brene Brown talks about it a lot, but there's that old quote about being in the arena. And what I have found is that people who are in the arena with us are generous. They don't expect you to have all the answers. They don't think it's a stupid question. They're happy to share their knowledge and their experience. It's the people who aren't in the arena who are sitting there with all their judgments and their opinions and their things. And it can be really hard to not listen to those people, to drown those voices out and just be proud of getting in the arena, which is a big deal.

[C]

And it's a big part of. Of taking feedback. I think when you understand, like when I get this because of. I'm like slightly public face of the company on occasion with, with my team. But I'm out there a lot. And it's. It's sometimes hard when you get nailed on that feedback. But what I think about what always gets me back to center is are they in the arena with me? Because most of the time I get that really, really critical feedback. They don't understand they're bringing their own history and how much of it is actually true. Right. So you can just steal the nuggets that are true. Leave the rest.

[B]

Yeah. It reminds me of something that somebody told me once that said the only way to avoid negative feedback or criticism is to do nothing. And none of us. And that would be a bummer. Yeah. None of us were put here to do nothing.

[C]

No, we're here to create something amazing.

[B]

So I don't love it, but when I do get a harsh comment or whatever, I just remind myself it's cause I'm up to something big. Ah. That's the only way that would.

[C]

Do you have a practice around it? I'm. I'm curious. Like, if somebody were to come up and say, I hate your podcast, it's stupid.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

What would you. How do you like, how do you not let that seep into your bones and wreck you?

[B]

I. I do have a process. It's a four step process that use all the. Right now I basically say, what are the facts? Only the facts. Sometimes we engage with our opinions or our thoughts or perspectives as if they're facts, but they there are not. So what are the facts? The facts are. I have a podcast. The podcast is called this Is woman's work. About 200,000 people download episodes each month. We've had 350 plus episodes. These are the facts, right? And so separating those out from everything else is, I think, really important. And the second question is, I ask myself is what am I making up about the facts? And so in this case, what I'm making up is that this person is right, that my podcast sucks, or that I'm doing something wrong, or that I'm not good enough or reaching enough people, or that I shouldn't have said that thing or whatever. Like it's the head trash that we all have the noise. And so separating out the facts between what I'm making up about the facts, another option is I'm making up this person's an idiot and they don't need to be listened to. And well, like, there are so many options. But separating them out and distinguishing, I think is important. Then the third question I ask is, what is a more productive and more empowered way to see it? And in this case, it would be, well, I'm up to something big. Of course somebody's gonna have a negative opinion about it. My show isn't meant for everybody, and that's okay. It's clearly not meant for this person, which makes it easier for the people it is meant for to find it something along those lines. More productive, more empowered way to see the exact same thing.

[C]

Lens shift. I love a good lens shift.

[B]

Me too. Reframe, right?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And then the fourth question is, how do I get into action from here? Oof. And so action builds confidence. We don't think hope or fingers and toes cross our way into it. We put one foot in front of the other towards what matters most. And so then that's my opportunity is, you know, how do I step forward into action. And for me, in that situation, it might be trying to find somebody who is the right listener for this, or maybe it's learning a lesson that I needed to learn and developing a skill. Who knows? But that's a process I go through on a pretty regular basis to try to get myself back into a good place so that I can move forward toward what matters and not get stuck in the mire of one other person's opinion. So thanks.

[C]

Do you want to hear mine?

[B]

Yes, please.

[C]

I also wanted to ask. I would be curious about the sources that you've cobbled that together from. Not sources. Inspirations. Like, I heard. Was there a Katie Byron? Katie in there?

[B]

Yes. So she's in there. Lisa Kalman. Who? And I actually write about the process in my book and reference, but it's a hodgepodge of. What did they say? Nothing's ever original, but it's unique or something like that. It's some of that. Anyway. What's your process? Yeah.

[C]

So. So this was developed by my business partner. She's just. The way she thinks. Like, I wish I had this kind of thought available to me. Meet the. This is called Maven. Meet the moment. So what's going on? Yeah. What are you going to do with that information? Align from within. Yeah. Venture into the next step.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

Evaluate and celebrate. Nurture your next step.

[B]

Love it. And I love the word celebrate. We don't do that often enough.

[C]

We don't celebrate enough.

[B]

Yeah. Well, I could celebrate you all day long.

[C]

I know. You're amazing. This is so fun.

[B]

Same friend.

[C]

I mean, should we do this again?

[B]

Yes.

[C]

Will you come on my podcast?

[B]

1000% I do it. And again, I wish I had more time. But, Tessa, thank you for the incredible work that you're doing, for being an advocate for other women, identifying their strengths and their opportunities, and getting into entrepreneurship sooner, and really, most importantly, to lead with their whole selves and with love and curiosity. I couldn't be any more behind that mission. So thank you. Thank you.

[A]

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[A]

Hi.

[B]

I'm here to pick up my son, Milo. There's no Milo here.

[A]

Who picked up my son from school?

[B]

Streaming only on Peacock seven Devils.

[A]

I'm gonna need the name of everyone.

[B]

That could have a connection.

[A]

You don't understand.

[B]

It was just the five of us.

[C]

So this was all planned.

[A]

What are you gonna do?

[D]

I will do whatever it takes to.

[B]

Get my son back I honestly didn't see this coming. These nice people killing each other. All her fault. A new series streaming now only on Peacock. And finally we have Perla DeLuca. She's the owner and CEO of Southeast Constructors and founder of the Pink Hard Hat Foundation. An immigrant woman thriving in construction. Perla's built a successful company and a movement opening doors for women and people of color to access training and high paying careers in the trades. She's living proof that breaking barriers can also pave the way for others to thrive. We're here with Perla DeLuca. Thank you so much for being here. I'm excited.

[D]

Thanks for having me, Nicole.

[B]

And I love the Pink Hard Hat. I mean, come on.

[D]

Thank you so much.

[B]

Okay, so I want to start by talking about how the 10,000 small business program, it's designed to help business owners grow strategically. But so much more than just that happens. So what's one unexpected way that the program has changed your approach to business or leadership or life?

[D]

So the program, I graduated five years ago out of Des Moines, the Des Moines Cohort. The program was basically part of everything that is happening right now. I didn't have the opportunity to go to college, so I entered the program to learn more financials. So what I learned during the Goldman Sachs program was leveraging. So that's what eventually led me to open the school and now I started a foundation. So it's all related in a way, all different segments of my business and my experience. But I wouldn't be able to do it if I didn't have access to capital at the time.

[B]

So you mentioned the word leveraging. And I think a lot of times we as women think we're supposed to do it all, be it all, have it all look good while doing it and somehow make it look effortless, right? Like this sort of be all things to all people all the time. So when you talk about leverage, what does that mean? How are you leveraging people, time, technology?

[D]

So for me, I'm a connector, right? So I'm always like, if I. If I know somebody needs a plumber and I know a plumber, and I'm always like connecting people. I think that's what led me to do the foundation and the school too, because I think like on my situation, construction has been amazing to me. So to be able to go full circle and give it back and just give people the opportunity that I was given when I came to this country 28 years ago, know, it's just an amazing experience. Also, the leadership component of leveraging Is. Is important too. Right. I knew I didn't have money to help people or give back, but I knew I had time and my experience and maybe just try to empower other women.

[B]

Yeah. Great. I think outside looking in, everything looks easy and natural. Like, when we think of social media. Right. We always see the highlight reel, but the reality is this is hard stuff. So what's a leadership lesson or a business lesson that you learned the hard way, and how has that changed how you show up with your team or your clients or in your business?

[D]

I try to lead by example would be one aspect of it. And another thing that I always, like, I carry with me is loyalty. Right. And I try to instill that on my students. I try to explain that the only thing you have is your name and your integrity. And then if you're gonna lead that way, then eventually everything is gonna come, you know, at the. At the right time. I think what changed, too? I used to. I used to have other businesses in Florida, and I used to want at the big office with the glass and all that. I'm past all that.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

I'm really happy with, like, my little house in Iowa now and just seeing my students every day and just try to, you know, inspire women.

[B]

Yeah. So on that note, it sounds like you created a new or different definition of success than what you had early on. I think a lot of us can relate to that. What are some of the things that impacted your changing your definition of success, and what are some other examples of how that's changed for you?

[D]

I. I don't think I changed, to be honest. I was never driven by money. I was always driven by people. So I always, like, I came from nothing. So it doesn't matter if I go back to nothing. You know, it's more like I want to invest in people. I love people. I want people to grow. Like, even my employer, like, on my construction company, my guys, they say, pearl, I bought a house. I'm happy for them. What can I do to help you evolve? You know, as a person, that's more important to me. So I don't think as much has changed. I just, like, found the time to do what I was most passionate about.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay. So one of the things we're often told is it's important as business owners to have a business plan. But the other thing we know is, in reality, plans sometimes go out the window. Right. And so my question is, is there a moment where something didn't go as planned or where you had to pivot or adapt and can you share with us a little bit about that and how you redefine success or your plan through that experience?

[D]

How much time do we. Right, okay, I'll make it quick. I used to own three real estate offices in Florida. I had to close all of them. I had to sell all my properties during the crash. And that for at least on a personal level, I want to bring this one to the personal level. I felt guilt. I felt really bad. For six months, I kept thinking, what did I do wrong? But was just the economy. And then I remember my partner at the time said, when you stop feeling sorry for yourself, we have business to take care of it. And then he's like, let's just do federal contracting. Let's just switch gears. And he is right. You know, it's. We gotta be kind to ourselves. You know, on the sense, like, I felt like back then I felt was my first business, I felt like a failure, right. But then I realized that I lost just the business I am the business. You know, I started again. And I'm on the same position I was when I lost everything.

[B]

So that voice that we all have inside of our own minds that says things that are never kind and very rarely true, like, you know, what did I do wrong or I failed or I suck or whatever version of it is. I call that voice head trash because I want it to sound as dirty and disgusting as it actually is. Right. When that voice pops up for you, as it did in that example, is there anything that you say to yourself or anything that you do to help make sure that that voice doesn't take over?

[D]

So I have mantras sometimes, but I did. I've been through a lot. We don't have time on this podcast, but I learned not to cloud my head with negativity. You know, I think a lot of us go to the gym and we take supplements, but I think our stronger muscle is our minds. So I try to think of everything that happened to me as a lesson to move forward. I'm not saying I don't have bad days where I like, oh, I wish I went different. But I came from basically nothing. So what I try to do is lead with gratitude. So if you are grateful, every day is a new day. Every day is a new start. So you can be grateful. I'm grateful when it's bad, too, because I always know could be worse.

[B]

Yeah. And gratitude is a choice, much like confidence. I think sometimes we think of it as a feeling either we have or we don't have. And I see gratitude and confidence. Similar in that it's a choice we can make anytime we want.

[D]

It's a practice, in my opinion. Gratitude. I practice gratitude. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And that's how we get good at anything. Right? So my last question is around so much of entrepreneurship being framed around hustle and grit and grind and growth. But that's not always the whole story. So how has your definition of success changed from when you started your business to now? And what is your relationship with hustle, grind and all that stuff?

[D]

For me, it was like. Like I say, when you start from zero, everything you are accomplished is. It's already a step up. I never thought. When I was cleaning houses, before I started doing construction in Florida, before I did the real estate, before I did all this, I always thought as a stepping stone for something bigger. I think if you. If you have a passion and if you really believe and you treat people right on the. And you love what you do, you're already doing well. It doesn't matter if it's not financially, you know, like, if I don't measure that, like, financially.

[B]

Yeah. Well, Perla, thank you for the incredible work that you're doing and for reminding us that it's people at the heart of all of this and business and gratitude and all of those important life lessons. If people were talking as much about gratitude as they were about grit, I'd be a much happier person. So thank you.

[D]

Yes. Oh, thank you for having me. And I just wanna say real quick, for all the women out that they told you, you cannot be in construction, look me up. You know, I'll do mentoring and you can do it. A lot of people said I couldn't do it too.

[B]

Okay, friend, as always, we'll drop all the links to find and follow these amazing women and their businesses in show notes. And a big thank you to Goldman Sachs for the work they're doing through the 10,000 Small Businesses program, a $750 million commitment to helping entrepreneurs across the US grow, hire and lead through education, support, and access to capital. Every person here at the summit is proof of that impact. So if you're ready to grow your own business, you can learn more and [e-mail] 10ksb and we'll put that link in show notes, too. And thank you to Goldman Sachs for inviting me and this is woman's work to be a part of this amazing event and for investing not just in businesses, but in the women bold enough to build them. As I wrap things up, what strikes me most about these conversations is how often growth sneaks up on us. You start by trying to build a business. And somewhere along the way, you build resilience, you build boundaries, you build confidence. And before you even realize it, you've become the kind of woman who leads. Not because you have all the answers, but because you're willing to keep showing up for the questions. That's what I see in these women. They've built more than just companies. They've built trust in themselves, in their people, in their impact and their contribution. Because business is never just about business. It's personal. It's who you become when you refuse to give up, when you decide to bet on yourself one more time. And that kind of courage, that kind of confidence, well, that is woman's work. The holidays mean more travel, more shopping, more time online, and more personal info in more places that could expose you more to identity theft. But LifeLock monitors millions of data points per second. If your identity is stolen, our US based restoration specialists will fix it, guaranteeing or your money back. Don't face drained accounts, fraudulent loans or financial losses alone. Get more holiday fun and less holiday worry with LifeLock. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit LifeLock.com podcast terms apply.