Electro Soft Inc. started on the kitchen table of Karla Trotman’s family home when she was 10. “As a little girl, I wanted to help my father, so I cut wire for him using a ruler and a pair of wire cutters, earning 25 cents per hour,” said Trotman. “That was my first job, but believe it or not, I never wanted to take over the family business.”
So, Trotman went to college, majored in business logistics, and had a successful career in supply chain logistics, distribution, purchasing and global scheduling. Her entrepreneurship journey began when she curated an e-commerce site for women who were having uncomfortable and/or difficult pre- and postnatal periods. The process of running an online business led Trotman to realize that she could help the family business with what she learned from running an online site, and she returned to Electro Soft Inc. to work alongside her father, eventually taking over as the president and chief executive officer.
Electro Soft Inc. is an electronics contract manufacturer that specializes in benchtop electronics, focusing on printed circuit boards, cables, wire harnesses and box-build assemblies.
As a second-generation business owner, Trotman took over what was once a flat revenue streak and created a trend of 20% year-over-year growth. “When I took over the company, it was like buying a 30-year-old home,” she said. “The roof needed to be replaced, the electrical wiring was bad and the pipes were leaking.”
Trotman took the time to take a real look at all of the foundational elements of the company before focusing on growth. Under her leadership, the company developed a mission, core values, employee engagement surveys, improved systems, put the right people in the right seats and brought in an organizational psychologist to help create a strong foundation for the company to grow.
“I believe that Electro Soft has a responsibility to be a good steward of the community,” said Trotman. “That is why we’ve adopted the motto, if you can see it, you can be it.” The company consistently opens its doors to young people offering internships and employment while giving tours to schools, companies and neighbors.
“The black wealth gap is also an important issue I feel passionate about,” said Trotman. “I speak on succession, wealth planning and entrepreneurship to change the narrative in the black community.”
As a leader, Trotman said her secret superpower is her ability to connect people. “I spend much time researching and understanding individuals and how to align them with others,” she said. “I get great joy from seeing people win from those connections.”
