Most people think inheriting a family business is a golden ticket. Karla Trotman knows better.

Her journey to leading Electro Soft, Inc. wasn’t about following in her father’s footsteps—it was about earning her place in an industry that wasn’t built for everyone.

From building her own e-commerce company from scratch to taking over the family business and fighting to close the wealth gap in manufacturing, Karla’s story is about legacy, leadership, and breaking barriers.

In this episode, Jim Mayer sits down with Karla for an unfiltered conversation about:

• The reality of family business—why inheriting one doesn’t mean it’s yours to lead.
• Her early years in manufacturing—from cutting wire as a kid to running the company.
• The hard truth about ownership and generational wealth—and why minority-owned businesses face steeper challenges.
• Why she left a successful corporate career to return to Electro Soft, Inc.
• What manufacturing gets wrong about culture, leadership, and inclusion.
• The power of building something bigger than yourself.

This episode is for you if:

• You’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or leader navigating legacy and leadership.
• You believe in building generational wealth and breaking barriers in business.
• You want an inside look at how manufacturing is changing—and who’s leading the way.

Listen now and hear Karla’s powerful story.

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• 00:00 – What It Really Takes to Build a Legacy
• 03:05 – Culture Isn’t Perks—It’s the Foundation of Everything
• 04:47 – From Cutting Wire as a Kid to CEO
• 08:33 – Why She Left Corporate to Take Over the Family Business
• 12:46 – Belly Button Boutique: The Side Hustle That Changed Everything
• 16:55 – Family Business is a Responsibility, Not a Right
• 18:33 – How to Build Generational Wealth in an Industry That Resists Change
• 26:06 – Why Manufacturing’s Reputation is Holding It Back
• 34:39 – Fixing Culture from the Inside Out
• 37:20 – Diversity is More Than a Buzzword—It’s an Economic Imperative
• 46:25 – No One is Going to Hand You Success—You Have to Build It
• 54:16 – The Future of Manufacturing Belongs to Those Who Create It
• 59:58 – One Final Truth About Leadership and Legacy