Women’s History Month - Molly Sandlin
The UTA College of Business celebrates Women’s History Month by recognizing the success and accomplishments of our alumni. Molly Sandlin earned a Master of Business Administration from UTA. She is the owner and president of CAET Project Management Consultants and CAET Construction. Presented below are her contributions, accolades, professional goals, and achievements.
What was your favorite memory of the College of Business?
In the MBA cohort program, the final class is the capstone with Jeff McGee. Part of the class is to do a simulation to balance operations, sales, marketing, HR, supply chain, and everything else that would impact the success of the company measured by stock price. It was a lot to think about as a student and didn’t make as much sense then as it does to me every day now. The things we were doing are the things I have to think about now as a business owner. I think of that often and when we have successful days at work we celebrate, just like we did at the end of that capstone when Professor McGee had us chant at the top of our lungs “UTA MBA, UTA MBA”. It was the final effort we all had to do and everyone in Santa Fe station knew what was happening when they heard that cheer.
Molly’s Headshot
How did the College of Business help prepare you for your career?
It’s a combination of the curriculum, experiences you have at school, and the people you meet. UTA offered me flexibility to work and go to school and that was a really big deal for me. I actually was fortunate to go through two cohorts because the first go round was interrupted by the birth of my twin boys, Caleb and Ethan. I didn’t know how special that would be but it expanded my classmate network to 100 people, and I stay in touch with quite a few of them. We talked about work, career choices, and about family because we all were on similar journeys.
Since graduating, what have been some of your accomplishments?
Since graduating I have started two businesses, won multiple awards including Great Woman of Texas, DBJ 40 under 40, Women’s Business Council Southwest Rising Star, and we were the 1st winner of the MAVS100 annual award for business growth.
What has been a challenge in your career?
Balancing family and work. I want to be the best boss, run a company that is stable and growing, and I want to be with my boys as much as I can. Both of those things take a lot of time, and I am willing to put in but there’s only 24 hours in a day. It makes it hard to take time for yourself but that is important too as it allows you to be your best for others.
Do you take part in any new initiatives, community service, or projects that make you proud?
I served on the board of the Women’s Business Council Southwest for two years. It was a great honor to be able to help influence opportunities; to help other WBEs and corporations grow their business and meet diversity goals. I am now on the Advisory Board with the UTA COB and I love working with other professionals who are passionate about making the school perform and compete with other schools in Texas.
Molly at the 2022 MAVS 100 with David Mack, Gina Lim and Teik Lim.
Is there a particular person in your life that inspired you to be who you are? Who are they and how did they inspire you, personally or professionally?
My mom is the youngest of three sisters. Her oldest sister owns a high-end residential architecture firm in Boston. I worked for her in college, she was my first inspiration for running a business and serving clients. She told me, “The more money I make for my clients or make them successful with what I am helping them with, the more successful I will be.” I believe that was sage advice. My mom has been my biggest cheerleader throughout my entire life. I don’t know that I could have done what I do without her support. She has supported me in a variety of ways from helping me pay for undergraduate school; being there for my boys when I needed some help; to letting me brainstorm ideas when I had challenging days.
What goals are you working towards?
We are growing both the Project Management and Construction side of the business. We are trying to get some leadership between me and the operations so I can focus more on the strategic planning for the two companies.
What advice would you give to female professionals getting started in their careers?
Find a mentor who can help share experiences with you. I was fortunate to meet a woman in Texas who has been in business for 30 years. She has shared her stories with me, which allowed me to think about how I can weather situations better and plan for the future. It’s really helped me as a leader, and we have also become great friends.
Three fun facts about you:
- I love to golf with my family.
- I used to be a figure skating coach.
- We spend almost two months out of the year in our RV visiting state and national parks with our kids. We work while we are traveling but we have made some really fantastic memories along the way.