Prairie Portrait: Abby Goltz of Banno

Silicon Prairie News: What were the biggest challenges you encountered last year moving from a job in the advertising industry to your current gig with Banno? | Abby Goltz: I would say the biggest challenge was just learning and working in a completely different niche. I went from proof reading disclaimers and pulling manufacturer incentives…

Name: Abby Goltz

Bio: I’m a small town girl from Amana, Iowa — and NO! We’re not Amish 😉 I am a huge fan of to-do lists and often create multiple. I thrive in an environment where I am continually learning and maximizing potential. There’s nothing better than a little QCS!

Title: Account Manager at Banno

Age: 25

Residence: Cedar Falls, Iowa

Twitter: @abbyg17

Linkedin: linkedin.com/pub/abby-goltz

Intro music: Run This Town“, by Jay-Z feat. Rihanna and Kayne West

Silicon Prairie News: What were the biggest challenges you encountered last year moving from a job in the advertising industry to your current gig with Banno?

Abby Goltz: I would say the biggest challenge was just learning and working in a completely different niche. I went from proof reading disclaimers and pulling manufacturer incentives for automotive advertising to product implementation and support for financial institutions nationwide. This industry is a much more technical environment and very highly regulated. I feel challenged and learn something new every single day which is only one of the many factors attributing to my happiness at Banno.

SPN: Banno colleagues have praised your knack for keeping calm in chaotic situations. To what would you attribute that ability?

AG:  I just don’t think it is productive to intensify an already chaotic situation. While at times it is hard not to justify getting fired up and/or reactive, I always try to remind myself that I can only worry about the things that I can control. If something is not in my control, I usually try to identify the area(s) that I can focus my efforts on constructively to alleviate pressure points.

SPN: What does it mean to you to have been recently recognized as a finalist for TAI’s Women of Innovation “Rising Star” award?

AG: It is such an honor. I was very excited to hear of the nomination, but was just speechless to learn that I had been selected as one of the finalists. Honestly, it is so humbling to know that my dedication and hard work is being recognized in an industry with so many talented individuals. I feel so blessed to be surrounded with the entire group at Banno … truly could not be where I am without them.

SPN: As an enthusiastic maker of to-do lists, what’s advice do you have for others looking to make effective use of to-do lists? Any tools or techniques you find particularly useful?

AG: To-do lists are a perfect way to keep your days, weeks and months on track and focused to optimize performance. Depending on the type of work you’re involved in, you can make lists for high-level, long-term goals or, on the flip side, for low-level, daily tasks. My secret is the “old school” way of writing them down which often sparks a joke or two … or three in such a tech savvy office 🙂 I love electronic tools, don’t get me wrong. But, once it’s written, it’s in my head and is constantly keeping me on track throughout the day. Favorite part: Crossing something off the list!

SPN: After attending Thinc Iowa earlier this month, what insights or advice did you take from the conference that you’ve found most applicable in your day-to-day duties?

AG:  Failing, no matter how big or small, will happen. It’s how you react to and learn from that failure that fosters growth both personally and professionally. Also, always finding ways to channel energy on both immediate and long-term objectives to help keep a more focused mindset. Lastly, no matter how small or big of a startup in the Silicon Prairie, our work does matter and is helping grow the Iowa economy everyday.


Credits: Photo courtesy of Goltz.


Prairie Portraits: To learn more about this series, see our introduction post, or visit our archives for past Prairie Portraits. To suggest an individual for a future Prairie Portrait, contact editor@siliconprairienews.com.


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This story is part of the AIM Archive

This story is part of the AIM Institute Archive on Silicon Prairie News. AIM gifted SPN to the Nebraska Journalism Trust in January 2023. Learn more about SPN’s origin »

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