Kristen has worked for the MTB team for two and a half years. In Kristen’s previous career, she worked and taught accounting at the University of Montana. Kristen loves to spend time outdoors in Missoula, Montana and with her family loved ones.
Q: Would you tell us your name, where you live, and your position at MTB Management?
A: I'm Kristen Sohlberg, I live in Missoula, Montana, and I am the assistant to the CFO of MTB Management.
Q: If you could explain yourself in a couple of sentences, how would you do that?
A: Personally, I'm a Montana woman who values family right below God in my life, and friends right after family. I love coffee, books, the great outdoors, and living my life in the middle; not too fast, not too slow.
Q: How did you get into this business, and what was the moment you decided to do it?
A: Accounting is actually my second career. I was a primary school teacher before my kids were born, and then later in life, I went back to school. Someone suggested I might be interested in accounting, and as soon as I took my first accounting class, I knew it fit really well. So I went on and got my masters and CPA, and then as soon as I was done with that degree, I was hired at the University of Montana and taught the beginning accounting classes for 15 years. Then it was time to move on, and I moved on to MTB. So I'm here, just part-time and love the accounting part of my role.
Q: Tell us about MTB Management, Taco Bell, and your role.
A: Our financial year is divided up into 13 periods that are a little bit like months. So we report financial results every four weeks, and my main job is to gather the information to be able to complete those financials. Because I'm part-time, it takes me about two and a half weeks to do that process, and then we're just about ready to start it again. That extra week or so, I do special projects for the CFO.
Q: What does a typical day look like in your role?
A: I'm pretty much at my computer all day. I do have some paper folders that I'm constantly updating, and we have eight stores, so there's a folder for each store and I'm juggling those folders all the time and getting those papers updated. But it is a lot of computer work, and so I have to make myself get up from my desk and walk around a little bit.
Q: Was there anyone in particular that inspired you or encouraged you to become the assistant to the CFO at MTB?
A: There's another employee who works here, who, when I was looking for another job, recommended MTB and said they might be looking for someone like me. I applied and a few months later, here I am!
Q: What's been the most important skill that you've developed to become successful in your role?
A: I think learning the particulars of Taco Bell's financial system. It's been a little challenging doing the 13 period year, and then doing that same thing over and over for eight stores has really helped. So the repetition has helped me achieve progress much faster than if I were doing one company each period or each month, each year. I think each industry or each type of business is going to have its own particulars, and I've learned a lot about the food business.
Q: What does the future of Taco Bell look like in Western Montana?
A: It seems really bright, open, and ready for growth. I think, from what I've seen, the stores have done really well, even through the pandemic. Our numbers continue to grow! I hear a lot of countrywide satisfaction in the brand too, so that is encouraging for the future here in Montana.
Q: Lastly, if you won the lottery, what's the first thing that you would do?
A: That was a good question. I have a loan I would pay off. Then I wo
uld probably get myself a new car, and finally, well, I'm sure I'd find lots of things to do with the money, but I would probably get an apartment, or a condominium, or townhouse near my grandchildren, who are in Seattle.
Thank you for sharing part of your story with us, Kristen!
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