Meet Carol Wheeler | Executive leadership coach, trainer, and CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carol Wheeler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carol, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I grew up in an entrepreneurial family, but when I started my career in higher education starting my own business was not part of the plan! The more I learned and the further in my career I got, the more I thought about how rewarding it would be to be out on my own, and how much more agile a small business is than a large university! I knew my knowledge and experience with leadership and teams could make a big difference for other businesses, and I could also do it while having more flexibility for my family and the rest of my life.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
NopaLeadership exists to help leaders keep really great team members. We focus on coaching and training for the leader AND their team, helping them create a culture of high performance, engagement, and collaboration. Teams that work with us report higher morale, higher productivity, and higher retention.

There have definitely been challenges in building this business! One of the most challenging parts has been putting into words what it means to work with us and how much it can truly change your team and/or your organization. I’ve known all along I knew how to help in this process, but finding the right way to “market” that and share it has been eye-opening! I’ve learned the best thing you can do is DO THE WORK. The more teams I work with, the more I hear in their words what the impact is, the more I am able to share with others.

NopaLeadership is named after nopal, the Spanish word for the prickly pear cactus (a native of my home state of Texas). The cactus is an amazing plant – it thrives in difficult environments, makes the most of every drop of resources, and produces beautiful fruit and flowers. This is what I want for leaders that work with NopaLeadership – to learn to thrive and create beauty despite their circumstances!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well I don’t live in Atlanta so I may not be the best person to answer this. 🙂 If you came to my city (New Braunfels, Texas), the first thing we would do is head to one of the downtown coffee shops for great coffee and breakfast tacos. Then we would head to the river – two rivers converge here in New Braunfels, and a visit here wouldn’t be complete without getting to the river! In the warmer months we would grab some paddle boards and head down the river, if it’s colder we’ll go to Landa Park and just sit by the river and drink our coffee. For dinner we would probably head to the Gruene River Grill, one of my favorite places to eat in town, which also happens to be right near Gruene Hall, one of the oldest dance halls in Texas. Saturday night would find us there for some great country music and dancing.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have to shout out some incredible teams I was a part of throughout my career. From the first team of undergraduate resident assistants I ever supervised, I have been lucky to be a part of some truly high performing teams. These folks modeled for me effective teamwork, psychological safety, healthy conflict, and all the aspects of a high performing team. I learned a great deal about how to create, lead and maintain really amazing teams from both members of teams I lead, as well as a few key leaders.

Website: Www.NopaLeadership.com

Linkedin: Www.LinkedIn.com/in/carolannewheeler

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NopaLeadership

Image Credits
Erin Valkner Photography Shutter stock