She joined Microsoft when it was a startup, when it was not uncommon to run into Bill Gates in the hallway. She never envisioned a career where she would travel to 60 countries, while being a parent to three sons, a wife, and an executive.
Though Kate Isler did not start her career with dreams of globe-trotting, she defied expectations with the help of a supportive husband, who was willing to move as her career thrived with their growing children in tow. Rather than view their lifestyle as a negative, the family enjoyed the adventure of experiencing new cultures.
Isler’s pivot? Today, she is founder of an eCommerce platform for female-owned and -led businesses called TheWMarketplace, which she and her team created during the pandemic. The platform boasts about 400 women-owned brands, more than 2,000 products and services, and is growing rapidly.
Isler is not-your-typical-success story. She focused on work experience first, spent 20 years as an entrepreneur, but realized that with only a high school diploma, she was limited professionally. Another pivot: returning to school and earning her bachelor's degree in education in 2018.
SheVentures is not the only media outlet that finds Isler's life story inspirational — HarperCollins Leadership published her memoir, Breaking Borders, earlier this year.
