Cathleen R. Pratt

President and CEO
Revenue Generator

Cate’s tenacious and positive outlook on work and life is uplifting and contagious.

If you have a difficult decision to make, how many people do you discuss it with?
The one constant in making decisions has always been tuning into my own instinct first, then I may seek advice and verification. There are a diverse group of people I rely on depending what genre the decision may fall into. Certainly, my husband is someone I discuss most things with – he is a brilliant financial and legal brain!

Has networking with other women had a positive impact on your personal and professional life?
My whole life has been about networking with other women – the flow, the exchange and the energy is wonderful for me, because helping people by connecting them to one another, finding resources for them and by sharing what I can with them, is what I do best. When I was new to the corporate [entertainment] world, there were women at ABC who took me under their wings as strong mentors. Now I’m able to do the same, specifically within the Work-Life Balance Institute for Women, which has been an incredible experience for me. I’ve met wonderfully talented, quality women whose lives, I believe, we have been able to mutually enrich.

When you were a child, did you have a hero (she-ro)?
Since I was very young, I’ve been deeply influenced by some fantastic matriarchal family members as well as several wonderful nuns who made a huge impact on me. Later, I was intrigued by women news anchors for their intelligence and different strengths they portrayed, such as Jane Paulie and Barbara Walters. And then again, I always go back to Sally Field, besides the fact that she has always been a person of principle…I mean, really, she was the Flying Nun!

What lesson would you like women to learn from your experiences?
The most important piece is to get to know who you are and don’t let anyone else define you. Do the things that will enrich your life and make being on this planet mean something. Know that life has its ups and downs, then find the positive in each of your own experiences. Lastly, be honest, because integrity will serve you best.

How do you define success and what qualities define YOU?
The idea of success has changed for me, as I’ve changed and grown. Today, I define success by my ability to make an impact on someone else every day. I’m a creative person, constantly searching for ways to evolve and curiosity is an important ingredient to who I am. I’m tenacious and I most obviously love people!

Do you believe in the concept of “giving back,” and if so, how do you give back?
I’ve been so fortunate to realize the majority of my goals and dreams, that now I give back by parlaying my corporate experiences and coaching experiences to help others launch, brand and market their business and by giving them the courage to realize their life’s desires and to manifest their own entrepreneurial spirit.