Flywheel Sourcing Team Member Spotlight: Get To Know Kate Woletz

This month on the blog, we’re taking a break from our usual content to highlight one of Flywheel’s newest team members: Kate Woletz.

Kate joined the Flywheel Sourcing team in 2022, and quickly became a vital part of the work we do here. All of us at Flywheel love working with her, and so do our clients!

Read on to learn more about Kate: what she does here at Flywheel, why she loves her job, how she spends her free time, and what makes her a unique member of the Flywheel Sourcing team.

What is your role at Flywheel Sourcing?

I work as a Director of Accounts at Flywheel.

My day-to-day work involves sourcing exciting products for our clients from beginning to end. I’m involved in several different aspects of sourcing, and I work closely with our overseas team. I’ve worked in corporate retail and retail consulting for most of my career, but my work at Flywheel has given me a new opportunity to go deeper into the manufacturing process on all levels.

Working with a very well seasoned team has inspired me these last six months! 

What do you love most about your job? 

I enjoy working with our Asian team overseas as well as working alongside our U.S. team based in Minnesota. 

There are always a lot of moving parts in international sourcing, so there’s never a dull moment! We’re continually problem-solving and thinking quickly on our feet to find the best solution for our clients. I enjoy seeing the process from start to finish and having a satisfied client at the end.

What about your past work experience makes you a unique member of the Flywheel team? 

I have a background in sourcing as well as product design at Target, which has brought me all over the world throughout the past 10 years. I lived in China for three of those years. 

Now I use that experience, as well as my Chinese (Mandarin)-speaking skills, to work directly with our overseas team and understand the cultural differences in working styles. I love engaging with people and strengthening relationships to build better bridges in business. 

I also have an eye for design and product development, which I’m able to use when working on specific projects for Flywheel clients. That brings me a lot of joy! 

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I love spending time outside in nature! Right now I’m training to do the quarter distance of the Birkebeiner (a cross-country ski race) in Hayward, WI at the end of February. It keeps me outdoors and in good shape during the winter months! 

I also love to travel internationally, and just got back from a trip to the Middle East doing humanitarian work. I like learning new languages as well as exploring new cultures! I also enjoy spending time with my family and friends who live close by in Minnesota. 

What is your favorite quote or motto?

One of my favorite quotes is from a favorite author, C.S. Lewis: “Aim at Heaven, and you will get earth thrown in; aim at earth, and you will get neither.” 

Thanks, Kate, for sharing your thoughts with us! 

Interested in learning more about the rest of the Flywheel Sourcing team? Get a quick introduction on our About page, and watch for more team member highlights coming to the blog soon!