Elaine Bell
Content Manager at Together & Co.
This week marks our 28th anniversary of serving Columbus, Ohio doing what we do best – bringing people together through wholehearted hospitality! And as a catering business owned and operated by women leaders, it’s always a treat that we get to celebrate our anniversary during Women’s History Month.
To celebrate both, we sat down with several women at Together & Company who have made an impact on who we are today and asked them to share some of their words of wisdom.
Angela & Carly - Growing the Next Generation of Women Leaders
First up is our Founder, Angela Petro, and President, Carly Buzby. In 1997, when Together & Company (then Two Caterers) first started, Angela was snapping green beans for events in her apartment kitchen with a vision of offering opportunities to others who cared deeply about delivering wholehearted experiences. 28 years later, our company employs over 100 passionate team members, almost two dozen of which have been with the team for over 10 years!
Carly is one of these team members, joining us over 15 years ago as a Sales Partner. Since then, she has grown into a leading force behind Together & Company, supporting the business and team members alike in reaching new heights. Check out our conversation with them:
How have women in leadership supported you in your journey to where you are today?
AP: I left home at 17 and while I had loving female family members, I didn’t really feel empowered by women in leadership until later in life. The first aha moment for me was when a client, Jane Ely, the Executive Assistant to the CEO of OhioHealth, reached out to me directly and gave me hard feedback. While that sounds like the opposite of “empowerment”, it was such a gift. She told me that she knew I could do better and that she felt I deserved to hear hard things and have the opportunity to make it right. It was a pivotal moment in my life – putting me on a road to get my arms around the company, while also being foundational in forming my own leadership style moving forward.
So many women are not given hard feedback in their careers which directly contributes to why women may not progress as fast and as far as men. Feedback is a gift, both in the giving and the receiving. Jane was confident enough to say hard things to me with the intent to empower, not deflate. I’ll never forget that.
CB: Women in leadership have been a constant source of support and guidance throughout my journey. Our shared experiences and collaborations have been invaluable. Whenever I face challenges, I turn to other women as a resource, and their advice has always been empowering. I’ve admired how other women leaders approach their roles, and I surround myself with women who are not only supportive but also willing to challenge me, helping me grow and improve.
How have you influenced each other in the time you’ve worked together?
Our 2024 annual meeting, when Angela announced Carly’s new position as our President (and yes, we were all wearing superhero capes at our annual meeting)
CB: Angela has been an incredible mentor to me, offering guidance, challenging me to step outside my comfort zone, and allowing me to make mistakes along the way.
AP: When faced with a hard decision I ask myself, how is this young woman going to see me? Will the lesson be that she wants to handle difficult things BECAUSE of me or am I teaching her how NOT to act. From the first meeting with Carly, I saw potential and an open curious mind. That has led me to push her into situations where she isn’t comfortable because I KNOW she can come out stronger and more fully aware of her power.
CB: We’ve come to understand each other’s strengths and areas for improvement, and we know when to lean on one another. While we lead in different ways, it’s not about right or wrong; it’s about sharing our experiences and learning from them.
AP: [Carly] has been a grounding force for me. I can be impulsive, awkward, speak before filtering…Carly has never made me feel judged, but in her own calm way has reminded me that I can show up better for others without beating myself up for what I get wrong. I can’t imagine being the leader I am today without her in my life.
What legacy do you hope to leave for future women leaders and entreprenuers?
Goofing around at the Together & Company offices at High Line Car House!
AP: Carly is a better leader at her age than I was at mine in some ways because I invested in her journey. And she has developed younger women that understand at a high level what empowered leadership looks like at a younger age than she did . If I leave women better through experience sharing, connecting and having those direct honest sometimes uncomfortable conversations then I will feel that I lived in alignment with my values and purpose.
CB: I hope to show women that if you’re willing to take the journey, I’ll be right there with you! I want women to recognize their power and the impact they can make on their people. It’s important to figure out what kind of leader you want to be and how you want others to see you in your leadership role.
AP: Together we see those young leaders pushing on others to step into their power. It’s a righteous circle and the ripple effect of coaching, mentoring and empowering women to full fill their potential is what fills my bucket after 28 years of entrepreneurship.
CB: As a leader, you will make mistakes along the way, but as long as you lead with compassion, clarity, and directness you’ll stay on the right path. I want future women leaders to know they are supported and that they have a strong network ready to help them succeed, me being one of them!
Check back here throughout Women's History Month!
We’ll be adding to this blog throughout the March with other inspiring conversations as we continue to celebrate women leaders at our company. Stay tuned!
