Carrie Charles has built her career as a serial entrepreneur. Her first experience as an entrepreneur was a financial planning practice: Financial Solutions for Women a disruptive idea for the time.
When Charles moved to Tampa, she and her husband had a large mortgage company. They were growing fast and built a commercial building as their headquarters just as the mortgage crisis hit. The two decided to pivot. At 49 years old, Charles co-founded her current company, Broadstaff, with a partner and an investor, ultimately assuming the role as chief executive officer when her partner exited the firm.
Broadstaff is a full-service national staffing firm specializing in providing workforce solutions for telecommunications and information technology. Under Charles leadership, Broadstaff grew from $6 million to $30 million in revenue in four years.
Using her diverse background as a lifelong entrepreneur, certified financial planner, certified master life coach, and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Charles is passionate about creating a culture of wellness and excellence. For over 30 years, she has helped thousands grow personally and professionally and has helped companies like General Dynamics, Hewlett Packard, and Eli Lilly attract, engage, and retain their employees.
Charles has been a featured expert on Axios, Entrepreneur, Inc., NBC, HSN, Clear Channel networks, Thrive Global, and other assorted tech publications, and has received local news coverage on WTSP-TV and Spectrum Bay News 9 in Tampa. Her entrepreneurial story earned her a feature as Tampa Bay Business & Wealth magazines cover story in December 2022. In 2023, Charles earned the cover story for the first edition of BA Magazine. The firm has also been recognized by Inc. Magazines Inc. 5000, the Tampa Bay Business Journals Fast 50 four times, and Charles was named Tampa Bays chief executive officer of the year.
Leadership is not about holding a position; its about continuous growth and adapting to new realities, said Charles. Todays leaders must embrace new technologies not just to keep up, but to drive innovation and efficiency within their organizations.
Authenticity and transparency have become non-negotiable, and the foundation of trust and effective communication for Charles as a leader. When leaders are open and genuine, they create an environment where teams are empowered to contribute and innovate, she said. My passion for others shapes every aspect of my leadership style and business operations, and I believe that fostering strong relationships with my team, with clients, and with candidates is the key to success.
