July 21, 2025 • 20 mins
Carla Briceno is the CEO and Co-Founder of Bixal, a mission-driven organization working at the intersection of human-centered design, technology, and data to help federal agencies deliver more accessible, effective and efficient public services. She leads an unparalleled team of strategists, designers, technologists, and communicators dedicated to solving complex challenges, removing barriers to access, and creating solutions that truly serve the people they’re intended to reach. Carla holds a master’s degree in International Policy Studies and Advanced Spanish from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, a certificate in Business Programming from the Chubb Institute, and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in Spanish from California State University, Long Beach.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
M and T Bank presents CEOs you Should Know, powered
by iHeartMedia. Let's meet Carla Braseno. She is a president,
CEO and co founder of Bixel, a mission driven consulting
company that partners with government agencies and organizations to improve
the delivery of services and experiences to the public. Before
we talk more about Carlo's company, I first asked her
(00:21):
to talk a little bit about herself, where she's from
and her origin story.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
I grew up in Bellflower, California, in southern California, and
I am the youngest of four and when I was
growing up, I was always curious and interested in learning
about other cultures, other people, other experiences, which led me
to join the Peace Corps in nineteen eighty nine. It's
(00:47):
a long time ago, and I served as a health
nutrition extensionist in rural Guatemala and that experience, my Peace
Corps experience, really impacted and really shaped how I see
the world. It inspired me to return to the States
(01:11):
and really think about building a career where I could
be of service to others, have a positive impact, and
you know, help people in practical and tangible ways.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
What are the things that you want to do coming
out of school, Carla, what was on your mind that
kind of motivated you and got you all jazzed up.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
After Peace Corps, I returned to the US and have
the opportunity to lead a nonprofit program in southern California
serving the Latino community.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
And that was just.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Before I went back to graduate school. I decided that
I wanted to get back into international development and that
that would really require a master's degree. And during my
graduate studies, I became super interested in the topic of
microfinance and specifically community banking for women. And that was
(02:08):
basically a direct connection to my experience living and working
in rural Guatemala, where of course women did not have
did not make enough money to invest in their children's
health and nutrition, and so it was kind of a
simple response to wanting to address that help women make
(02:28):
more money so that they could make those investments and
their families. And so I got really interested in.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Women's community banking.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
That led me to the DC area, where I was
looking for jobs in Latin America. I ended up staying
in the DC area and working with organizations with programs
in Latin America. So I did a lot of traveling
to support those programs in DC is where I met
(03:02):
my husband and co founder of Bixel. Around two thousand,
I made a pretty serious career pivot and decided that
I wanted to even have more impact.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
So I decided I was going to become a.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Go into technology and I wanted to become a hardcore
object oriented programmer so that I could develop tools and
solutions to really make a difference. And so I did
a one year full time technology training program, came out
of that, jumped in to the industry, and had the
(03:43):
opportunity to work with various organizations, started getting into managing
technology projects, managing technology teams, and each of those experiences
that I've shared really we were laid the groundwork for
(04:06):
the type of work that Hosselo and I would eventually
two together at Bixel.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
That's really what led to starting Bixel well.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Great, and I wanted to talk about that inspiration a
little bit more. And you know, in this series we
talk about origin stories about when somebody comes up with
a really great idea, even if it's a competitive landscape
and there's a lot of other companies that are maybe
doing something similar to your idea. You obviously saw with
your husband there might be a hole in the market.
How we can serve these clients better and do something
(04:35):
that really turns us on and also do some incredible
things out there. So, when you were coming up with
the inspiration for Bixel, can you kind of tell us
about the origin story, about the thought of it, creating it,
starting this business, and then executing it.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Well.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Salo and I started Bixel based on our belief that
we could use design, technology and communications to drive positive change.
We wanted to build a business where we could both
make a living while making a difference, and so we
incorporated the company back in two thousand and one while
(05:11):
he was working for the Inter American Development Bank. He
was there working on a large digital transformation project. I
was off gaining experience, as I mentioned earlier, in the
technology realm, but it wasn't until two thousand and eight,
and I'm not sure if you remember this, but this
(05:32):
was a pretty important time with a financial crisis.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Well were we were.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
We had two kids and a mortgage, and at that
point in time we decided that we were going to
both jump into this fully dedicate ourselves to building this business.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Fortunately, by twenty ten.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
We were already working with federal agencies, and our goal
was really to bring a more human centered approach to
how government services are designed and delivered. And I will
tell you that that mission to improve people's lives through thoughtful,
human centered solutions continues to guide everything that we do today.
(06:17):
Over the years, we've had the wonderful fortune of attracting
a one of a kind team of technologists, designers, strategists
and communicators who share our passion for doing good work
that matters. We focus our efforts on the public sector
because we believe that that's where we can help the
most people, and we believe that everyone should be able
(06:42):
to count on government services that actually work, and we
want to help make that happen.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
All right, Well, that's a great segue. Let's talk about
programs and capabilities when you work with your customers and
your clients. Let's talk about some of the core ones
that are really important to you and your team, but
also your clients and the people that you work with.
What are they?
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Our work spans five core areas, technology, data, human centered design, content,
all things communications, and a group that we have called KMODAL,
which means knowledge management, organizational development and learning.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
So I'd like to say.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
That that particular group serves as the glue for the
other key areas of work. So depending on the type
of project, we combine these capabilities from these five areas
in different ways to meet our clients' needs. But the
(07:40):
way I describe at a high level what we do
is BIXEL helps federal agencies tackle complex problems and deliver
better digital services to the public. Sometimes that can mean
building secure cloud platforms. Other times we're helping improve data
systems or perhaps supporting teams through change with their change
(08:04):
management capabilities. One example of our work that I'm very
proud of is our work with the Centers Centers for
Medicaid and Chip Services at CMS. We are currently supporting them,
but we help them replace an outdated system with a
(08:25):
modern cloud based platform, and that has improved how data
is collected and shared across states and federal teams and
ultimately has helped improve services for more than seventy eight
million people. We also work with nonprofits and foundations, and
we're starting to explore more opportunities at supporting state agencies
(08:47):
including Virginia and Maryland outstanding Well.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Listen, I'd like to talk about competition and without making
any assumption that there's another company out there that does
exactly what you and your team do. When you are
pitching yourself or people come in you and say, hey,
carlab maybe like to work with you, how are you
differentiating yourself from said competition.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
What makes Bixel different is how we take big, sometimes
complex ideas and turn them into real practical results. We
don't just design for the future, we help build it
side by side with our clients, and we don't just
hand over finished products and walk away from day one.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
We roll up our sleeves and we work.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Alongside our clients to solve real world problems.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
And we're not just focused on the short term. We
help our.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Agency partners build the tools, skills, and systems they need
to keep things going and growing long after we're gone.
That might mean improving how teams work together, designing clearer communications,
or creating toolkits that they can make their own.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
It's really a.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
True partnership and we are learning and adjusting alongside our
clients every.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Step of the way.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
So you know very well, Denis that there's a lot
of buzz around AI and data and that's for a
good reason, but we always start with where our clients
currently are Sometimes that can mean building an AI solution,
or sometimes it means helping them get their data in order,
(10:26):
cleaning up their legacy systems with the goal of building
a stronger foundation so they can really be ready when
the time is right and when AI is the right fit.
We know how to do it responsibly, designing tools that
are secure, practical, and centered.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
On real human needs. So that's what we're about.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
I think that's how we differentiate ourselves, really meeting agencies
where they are helping them move forward and smart and
thoughtful ways and make sure that everything we help them
build is something that they can sustain, scale and really
use to deliver on.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Their mission understanding. Well, thank you for all that, Carl.
Like you know, we joke in this series that a company,
most of them are doing well, the CEOs and the
founders and presidents that we talked to, and we're always
very happy about that, but we also kind of kid
ourselves that it's not always unicorns and rainbows all the time.
There are some challenges out there. So in the industry
right now, what challenges are there that are presented to
you and your team right now that you're fighting with.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
There's a lot happening in the federal government space right now.
Lots of changes both for us in the industry and
agencies themselves. And these are a few themes that we're
seeing that we're trying to help federal agencies navigate. First,
there's a big push to modernize quickly, but agencies are
(11:52):
being asked to do that with limited resources, So we
like to take an approach of helping them break projects
into smaller, more manageable steps that still allow them to
move things forward in meaningful ways. Second, there's a growing
need to rebuild trust in the government and public institutions.
(12:15):
Many people don't think that government services are built with
them in mind. We try to help our agency partners
change that by making their services easier to understand and use,
and by helping them follow through on what they promise
their mission. And I would say finally that the pace
(12:39):
of change is relentless, new tech, new eos, new rules,
shifting priorities. It can be overwhelming, and we see our
role as helping agencies make sense of it and really
build the confidence to move forward.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Yeah, well, message, Recie. We are living in a very
fluid role because of tnology and specifically AI appreciate you
sharing all that. I always like to ask about maybe
a compelling and a great story, and I always kind
of presented as this is why we get up kind
of story every day to do our hard jobs. So
with that said, we know that sometimes you have proprietory
(13:17):
clients you can't mention anybody. You don't have to do that.
But is there maybe a story you can share with
us where you know this is why we get up
every day. We had something really good happened with a client.
It was good for us everybody one. Can you share
something with us, Carla.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Yes, and thank you for the opportunity to do so.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
One part together project that I can share is our
work with the US Small Business Administration. The old SBA
website was super tough to maintain and very hard to navigate,
and this became particularly a parent during the pandemic when
(13:55):
so many small businesses were really looking for support, looking
for information that they needed to sustain themselves during the pandemic.
So we worked with the SBA to completely rebuild the site,
turning it into a modern, secure and scalable platform. It's
now faster, easier to manage, more accessible, and much more reliable.
(14:17):
Infrastructure costs went down by sixty percent, Accessibility scores went up.
They now have a ninety nine percent accessibility compliance rating.
Most importantly, millions of business owners can now find what
they need without.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
Jumping through hoops.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
That's really the kind of impact we aim for and
what we get up every day to do.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
That's cool, That's a big win. I appreciate you sharing that.
I imagine there's a number of those two that make
everybody very excited, not only on your team but the
clients that you work with. Well, I did want to
ask you about leadership. This is always one of the
fun things that we get to talk about and obviously
has to do with work in life, but we always
hear the reoccurring terms of team culture, communication, having fun,
(15:01):
but also working hard and having that great work life balance.
But you know, you lead a lot of people and
with that said, that means there's a lot of communication
and I imagine you have a culture that you'd like
to share with us. But when it comes to leadership
and specifically to your journey your team in Bixel, what
does leadership mean to you?
Speaker 3 (15:18):
I tried to lead by supporting, not directing.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
There's a quote I love from Laotsuit to lead people
walk beside them, and that quote really speaks to how
I try to show up. For me. Leadership is means
trusting your team, staying open to feedback, and making.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Space for people to do their work.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
It means being humble but caring about people's well being
and celebrating wins, whether they be big or small. I'm
always learning. No one gets it right all the time,
but I try to stay grounded in those values.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
That's very well said. I appreciate you sharing that. I
know that there's also something that's near and dear to
your too, and that's philanthropic. Can charity work. So when
you do have time, and I know you're very busy,
but whether it's through the business or personally with you
and your family, what do you like to be a
part of.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Partner for Surgery is one organization that's really close to
my heart. Partner for Surgery works in rural Guatemala and
they help people access medical care in places where those
services are really hard or close to impossible to come by.
I've had the opportunity to volunteer with them, working on
(16:30):
marketing and communications efforts, some fundraising. But I would say
that The most special experience that I had in working
with Partner for Surgery was when my youngest daughter and
I had the chance to travel to Guatemala and support
a week long medical mission. And this is where the
(16:50):
team from Partner for Surgery goes out and.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Sets up at health centers.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
In these communities and basically receives folks and screens them
to identify people that they can help with really sort
of simple surgeries, things that you and I would consider
very low, low cost, but these are surgeries that many
(17:22):
of these people would go the rest of their lives
with cleft lip, hernias, bumps, you know, basic things that
we all take for granted. And my daughter and I
had the opportunity to go down and work with them
for a week and see the incredibly impactful work that
they are doing on a shoe string budget and making
(17:44):
such a difference in these communities. And so they've helped
thousands of people get life changing surgeries. And they also
have a infant nutrition program for those babies who are
born with cleft lip and cleft palate so that they
don't die before they can get the surgery. Anyway, wonderful
organization and if anybody is listening that wants to learn
(18:07):
more about them and consider supporting them. Partner for Surgery
dot Org. I couldn't recommend them higher.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
I'd standing I appreciate you sharing that, and you know,
with my wife and I we have one daughter, and
one of the special gifts that I imagine you would
agree with is when you can pass down how to
give back to your kids and show them how to
do it. It's a really cool thing. So I'm glad
that you were able to share that with your family
and your daughter. I think that's wonderful. I did want
to get some final thoughts and recap, and we are
going to give the website. People love to hear that
(18:34):
if you're hiring the best of the best, car less,
so you can talk about that after we give the website.
But to some final thoughts and recapping what we talked about,
the floor is yours.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
I'd just like to say this to all the federal
agency teams doing the hard, often unseen work.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Thank you. We see you at Bixel.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
We're here to walk alongside you, bring fresh ideas and
help you deliver results that truly matter, because at the
end of the day, we're on this same team working
to make government services better for the people who rely
on them. So thank you so much for giving me
an opportunity to share that message directly with those folks
who we seek to support.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
So let's give the website and are you hiring at bixel?
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Yes, we are.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
We're always looking to connect with kid curious, mission driven people,
and we're also always open to new partnerships and teaming opportunities.
We've got several contract vehicles including aight A and SDDOSB
joint ventures with some amazing small business partners and you
can learn more about those and check out our open
(19:37):
roles at bixel dot com.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
And I will still that out because sometimes people get
it wrong.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
That is bixa l dot com and we would love
to hear from.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
You outstanding well, Carla, thank you so much for a
valuable time. I really appreciate it. I know how busy
you and your team are, but I'm glad we could
feature you on CEOs you Should Know and continued success.
You can hear the whole conversation at this station's website
slash CEO. Our community partner M and T Bank supports
CEOs you Should Know as part of their ongoing commitment
(20:10):
to building strong communities, and that starts by backing the
businesses within them. As a Bank for communities, m and
T believes in dedicating time, talent, and resources to help
local businesses thrive because when businesses succeed, our communities succeed
M and T Bank presents CEOs you Should Know, powered
by iHeartMedia. Let's meet Carla Braseno. She is a president,
CEO and co founder of Bixel, a mission driven consulting
company that partners with government agencies and organizations to improve
the delivery of services and experiences to the public. Before
we talk more about Carlo's company, I first asked her
(00:21):
to talk a little bit about herself, where she's from
and her origin story.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
I grew up in Bellflower, California, in southern California, and
I am the youngest of four and when I was
growing up, I was always curious and interested in learning
about other cultures, other people, other experiences, which led me
to join the Peace Corps in nineteen eighty nine. It's
(00:47):
a long time ago, and I served as a health
nutrition extensionist in rural Guatemala and that experience, my Peace
Corps experience, really impacted and really shaped how I see
the world. It inspired me to return to the States
(01:11):
and really think about building a career where I could
be of service to others, have a positive impact, and
you know, help people in practical and tangible ways.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
What are the things that you want to do coming
out of school, Carla, what was on your mind that
kind of motivated you and got you all jazzed up.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
After Peace Corps, I returned to the US and have
the opportunity to lead a nonprofit program in southern California
serving the Latino community.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
And that was just.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Before I went back to graduate school. I decided that
I wanted to get back into international development and that
that would really require a master's degree. And during my
graduate studies, I became super interested in the topic of
microfinance and specifically community banking for women. And that was
(02:08):
basically a direct connection to my experience living and working
in rural Guatemala, where of course women did not have
did not make enough money to invest in their children's
health and nutrition, and so it was kind of a
simple response to wanting to address that help women make
(02:28):
more money so that they could make those investments and
their families. And so I got really interested in.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Women's community banking.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
That led me to the DC area, where I was
looking for jobs in Latin America. I ended up staying
in the DC area and working with organizations with programs
in Latin America. So I did a lot of traveling
to support those programs in DC is where I met
(03:02):
my husband and co founder of Bixel. Around two thousand,
I made a pretty serious career pivot and decided that
I wanted to even have more impact.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
So I decided I was going to become a.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Go into technology and I wanted to become a hardcore
object oriented programmer so that I could develop tools and
solutions to really make a difference. And so I did
a one year full time technology training program, came out
of that, jumped in to the industry, and had the
(03:43):
opportunity to work with various organizations, started getting into managing
technology projects, managing technology teams, and each of those experiences
that I've shared really we were laid the groundwork for
(04:06):
the type of work that Hosselo and I would eventually
two together at Bixel.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
That's really what led to starting Bixel well.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Great, and I wanted to talk about that inspiration a
little bit more. And you know, in this series we
talk about origin stories about when somebody comes up with
a really great idea, even if it's a competitive landscape
and there's a lot of other companies that are maybe
doing something similar to your idea. You obviously saw with
your husband there might be a hole in the market.
How we can serve these clients better and do something
(04:35):
that really turns us on and also do some incredible
things out there. So, when you were coming up with
the inspiration for Bixel, can you kind of tell us
about the origin story, about the thought of it, creating it,
starting this business, and then executing it.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Well.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Salo and I started Bixel based on our belief that
we could use design, technology and communications to drive positive change.
We wanted to build a business where we could both
make a living while making a difference, and so we
incorporated the company back in two thousand and one while
(05:11):
he was working for the Inter American Development Bank. He
was there working on a large digital transformation project. I
was off gaining experience, as I mentioned earlier, in the
technology realm, but it wasn't until two thousand and eight,
and I'm not sure if you remember this, but this
(05:32):
was a pretty important time with a financial crisis.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Well were we were.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
We had two kids and a mortgage, and at that
point in time we decided that we were going to
both jump into this fully dedicate ourselves to building this business.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Fortunately, by twenty ten.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
We were already working with federal agencies, and our goal
was really to bring a more human centered approach to
how government services are designed and delivered. And I will
tell you that that mission to improve people's lives through thoughtful,
human centered solutions continues to guide everything that we do today.
(06:17):
Over the years, we've had the wonderful fortune of attracting
a one of a kind team of technologists, designers, strategists
and communicators who share our passion for doing good work
that matters. We focus our efforts on the public sector
because we believe that that's where we can help the
most people, and we believe that everyone should be able
(06:42):
to count on government services that actually work, and we
want to help make that happen.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
All right, Well, that's a great segue. Let's talk about
programs and capabilities when you work with your customers and
your clients. Let's talk about some of the core ones
that are really important to you and your team, but
also your clients and the people that you work with.
What are they?
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Our work spans five core areas, technology, data, human centered design, content,
all things communications, and a group that we have called KMODAL,
which means knowledge management, organizational development and learning.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
So I'd like to say.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
That that particular group serves as the glue for the
other key areas of work. So depending on the type
of project, we combine these capabilities from these five areas
in different ways to meet our clients' needs. But the
(07:40):
way I describe at a high level what we do
is BIXEL helps federal agencies tackle complex problems and deliver
better digital services to the public. Sometimes that can mean
building secure cloud platforms. Other times we're helping improve data
systems or perhaps supporting teams through change with their change
(08:04):
management capabilities. One example of our work that I'm very
proud of is our work with the Centers Centers for
Medicaid and Chip Services at CMS. We are currently supporting them,
but we help them replace an outdated system with a
(08:25):
modern cloud based platform, and that has improved how data
is collected and shared across states and federal teams and
ultimately has helped improve services for more than seventy eight
million people. We also work with nonprofits and foundations, and
we're starting to explore more opportunities at supporting state agencies
(08:47):
including Virginia and Maryland outstanding Well.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Listen, I'd like to talk about competition and without making
any assumption that there's another company out there that does
exactly what you and your team do. When you are
pitching yourself or people come in you and say, hey,
carlab maybe like to work with you, how are you
differentiating yourself from said competition.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
What makes Bixel different is how we take big, sometimes
complex ideas and turn them into real practical results. We
don't just design for the future, we help build it
side by side with our clients, and we don't just
hand over finished products and walk away from day one.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
We roll up our sleeves and we work.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Alongside our clients to solve real world problems.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
And we're not just focused on the short term. We
help our.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Agency partners build the tools, skills, and systems they need
to keep things going and growing long after we're gone.
That might mean improving how teams work together, designing clearer communications,
or creating toolkits that they can make their own.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
It's really a.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
True partnership and we are learning and adjusting alongside our
clients every.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Step of the way.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
So you know very well, Denis that there's a lot
of buzz around AI and data and that's for a
good reason, but we always start with where our clients
currently are Sometimes that can mean building an AI solution,
or sometimes it means helping them get their data in order,
(10:26):
cleaning up their legacy systems with the goal of building
a stronger foundation so they can really be ready when
the time is right and when AI is the right fit.
We know how to do it responsibly, designing tools that
are secure, practical, and centered.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
On real human needs. So that's what we're about.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
I think that's how we differentiate ourselves, really meeting agencies
where they are helping them move forward and smart and
thoughtful ways and make sure that everything we help them
build is something that they can sustain, scale and really
use to deliver on.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Their mission understanding. Well, thank you for all that, Carl.
Like you know, we joke in this series that a company,
most of them are doing well, the CEOs and the
founders and presidents that we talked to, and we're always
very happy about that, but we also kind of kid
ourselves that it's not always unicorns and rainbows all the time.
There are some challenges out there. So in the industry
right now, what challenges are there that are presented to
you and your team right now that you're fighting with.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
There's a lot happening in the federal government space right now.
Lots of changes both for us in the industry and
agencies themselves. And these are a few themes that we're
seeing that we're trying to help federal agencies navigate. First,
there's a big push to modernize quickly, but agencies are
(11:52):
being asked to do that with limited resources, So we
like to take an approach of helping them break projects
into smaller, more manageable steps that still allow them to
move things forward in meaningful ways. Second, there's a growing
need to rebuild trust in the government and public institutions.
(12:15):
Many people don't think that government services are built with
them in mind. We try to help our agency partners
change that by making their services easier to understand and use,
and by helping them follow through on what they promise
their mission. And I would say finally that the pace
(12:39):
of change is relentless, new tech, new eos, new rules,
shifting priorities. It can be overwhelming, and we see our
role as helping agencies make sense of it and really
build the confidence to move forward.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Yeah, well, message, Recie. We are living in a very
fluid role because of tnology and specifically AI appreciate you
sharing all that. I always like to ask about maybe
a compelling and a great story, and I always kind
of presented as this is why we get up kind
of story every day to do our hard jobs. So
with that said, we know that sometimes you have proprietory
(13:17):
clients you can't mention anybody. You don't have to do that.
But is there maybe a story you can share with
us where you know this is why we get up
every day. We had something really good happened with a client.
It was good for us everybody one. Can you share
something with us, Carla.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Yes, and thank you for the opportunity to do so.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
One part together project that I can share is our
work with the US Small Business Administration. The old SBA
website was super tough to maintain and very hard to navigate,
and this became particularly a parent during the pandemic when
(13:55):
so many small businesses were really looking for support, looking
for information that they needed to sustain themselves during the pandemic.
So we worked with the SBA to completely rebuild the site,
turning it into a modern, secure and scalable platform. It's
now faster, easier to manage, more accessible, and much more reliable.
(14:17):
Infrastructure costs went down by sixty percent, Accessibility scores went up.
They now have a ninety nine percent accessibility compliance rating.
Most importantly, millions of business owners can now find what
they need without.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
Jumping through hoops.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
That's really the kind of impact we aim for and
what we get up every day to do.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
That's cool, That's a big win. I appreciate you sharing that.
I imagine there's a number of those two that make
everybody very excited, not only on your team but the
clients that you work with. Well, I did want to
ask you about leadership. This is always one of the
fun things that we get to talk about and obviously
has to do with work in life, but we always
hear the reoccurring terms of team culture, communication, having fun,
(15:01):
but also working hard and having that great work life balance.
But you know, you lead a lot of people and
with that said, that means there's a lot of communication
and I imagine you have a culture that you'd like
to share with us. But when it comes to leadership
and specifically to your journey your team in Bixel, what
does leadership mean to you?
Speaker 3 (15:18):
I tried to lead by supporting, not directing.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
There's a quote I love from Laotsuit to lead people
walk beside them, and that quote really speaks to how
I try to show up. For me. Leadership is means
trusting your team, staying open to feedback, and making.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Space for people to do their work.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
It means being humble but caring about people's well being
and celebrating wins, whether they be big or small. I'm
always learning. No one gets it right all the time,
but I try to stay grounded in those values.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
That's very well said. I appreciate you sharing that. I
know that there's also something that's near and dear to
your too, and that's philanthropic. Can charity work. So when
you do have time, and I know you're very busy,
but whether it's through the business or personally with you
and your family, what do you like to be a
part of.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Partner for Surgery is one organization that's really close to
my heart. Partner for Surgery works in rural Guatemala and
they help people access medical care in places where those
services are really hard or close to impossible to come by.
I've had the opportunity to volunteer with them, working on
(16:30):
marketing and communications efforts, some fundraising. But I would say
that The most special experience that I had in working
with Partner for Surgery was when my youngest daughter and
I had the chance to travel to Guatemala and support
a week long medical mission. And this is where the
(16:50):
team from Partner for Surgery goes out and.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Sets up at health centers.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
In these communities and basically receives folks and screens them
to identify people that they can help with really sort
of simple surgeries, things that you and I would consider
very low, low cost, but these are surgeries that many
(17:22):
of these people would go the rest of their lives
with cleft lip, hernias, bumps, you know, basic things that
we all take for granted. And my daughter and I
had the opportunity to go down and work with them
for a week and see the incredibly impactful work that
they are doing on a shoe string budget and making
(17:44):
such a difference in these communities. And so they've helped
thousands of people get life changing surgeries. And they also
have a infant nutrition program for those babies who are
born with cleft lip and cleft palate so that they
don't die before they can get the surgery. Anyway, wonderful
organization and if anybody is listening that wants to learn
(18:07):
more about them and consider supporting them. Partner for Surgery
dot Org. I couldn't recommend them higher.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
I'd standing I appreciate you sharing that, and you know,
with my wife and I we have one daughter, and
one of the special gifts that I imagine you would
agree with is when you can pass down how to
give back to your kids and show them how to
do it. It's a really cool thing. So I'm glad
that you were able to share that with your family
and your daughter. I think that's wonderful. I did want
to get some final thoughts and recap, and we are
going to give the website. People love to hear that
(18:34):
if you're hiring the best of the best, car less,
so you can talk about that after we give the website.
But to some final thoughts and recapping what we talked about,
the floor is yours.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
I'd just like to say this to all the federal
agency teams doing the hard, often unseen work.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Thank you. We see you at Bixel.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
We're here to walk alongside you, bring fresh ideas and
help you deliver results that truly matter, because at the
end of the day, we're on this same team working
to make government services better for the people who rely
on them. So thank you so much for giving me
an opportunity to share that message directly with those folks
who we seek to support.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
So let's give the website and are you hiring at bixel?
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Yes, we are.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
We're always looking to connect with kid curious, mission driven people,
and we're also always open to new partnerships and teaming opportunities.
We've got several contract vehicles including aight A and SDDOSB
joint ventures with some amazing small business partners and you
can learn more about those and check out our open
(19:37):
roles at bixel dot com.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
And I will still that out because sometimes people get
it wrong.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
That is bixa l dot com and we would love
to hear from.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
You outstanding well, Carla, thank you so much for a
valuable time. I really appreciate it. I know how busy
you and your team are, but I'm glad we could
feature you on CEOs you Should Know and continued success.
You can hear the whole conversation at this station's website
slash CEO. Our community partner M and T Bank supports
CEOs you Should Know as part of their ongoing commitment
(20:10):
to building strong communities, and that starts by backing the
businesses within them. As a Bank for communities, m and
T believes in dedicating time, talent, and resources to help
local businesses thrive because when businesses succeed, our communities succeed
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