Volunteer High-Five: Carlo Stuart, Managing Partner of Tandem Resource Solutions
Finding inspiration from Colorado Companies to Watch
Carlo Stuart has lived all over the country, following his life’s passions wherever they take him for better or worse. But no matter where he lands, he’s always known some unchanging things about himself.
“Every place that I’ve lived at, I’ve always wanted to be a part of something philanthropic, whether its professional or in a volunteer context,” said Stuart, who has volunteered with the Colorado Companies to Watch program for nearly three years. “And I’ve always been able to find something that I’m passionate about.”
Stuart cut his teeth in the highly-competitive Chicago catering and events industry, beginning when he was just 19-years-old.
“I answered an ad in the Chicago Tribune for a special event consultant position,” he said. “I wore an ill-fitting suit to the interview and was completely in over my head. This company turned out to be one of the biggest caterers in all of Chicago.”
But he showed promise and he had ambition, so he got his shot.
“I started from the bottom, bussing and serving, and then over the course of several years I worked my way up to administrative, staffing and scheduling,” Stuart said. “It was one of the greatest times of my life.”
That chapter came to a close when he got married and moved to Colorado in 2013.
Following his 16 years in the hospitality industry, Stuart knew he wanted to get involved with a community that could help him restart his career in Colorado.
“I found Colorado Companies to Watch organically, and I immediately felt that it was right,” Stuart said. “It appealed to me because it was community-oriented but focused on business and business development. That’s exactly what I was looking for.”
He reached out to the team of volunteers that were spearheading the growing CCTW program at the time and was enthusiastically welcomed into their talented fold right before the program’s largest event of the year, the Gala Awards.
“What started as me just executing exactly what I know – organizing the gala (in 2016), morphed into design work, tag lines for the gala, just different things that I chimed in on,” Stuart said. “It was an opportunity to try something different or expand on my talents, and that’s something that I really enjoy about being part of this organization.”
The chance to learn new skills and collaborate with business leaders across the state eventually sparked an idea that would change Stuart’s life.
“There is such a rolodex of talent that have built Colorado Companies to Watch, and they are also an incredible and supportive community,” he said. “Being involved with CCTW has helped me learn, be comfortable with and have the courage to start my own business, Tandem Resource Solutions.”
Tandem Resource Solutions is an administrative solutions company that includes virtual assisting and in-place recruitment for corporate assistants.
“We just started a year ago, so it’s still a startup company,” said Stuart, who is the Managing Partner , Virtual Executive Assistant and Senior Recruiter for Tandem Resource Solutions. “In my own business, there are struggles and it can be hard, but when I meet these finalists and winners though the events at CCTW, it reminds me why I started my own business and what my ultimate goals are.”
He said: “And maybe someday we’ll become a Colorado Company to Watch, too!”
Thank you for all that you do to make Colorado Companies to Watch a successful and sustaining program, Carlo!