A Taste of Leadership: Q&A with CaterTrax’s Director of Client Services, Liz Soldi
At Volaris Group and across our ecosystem of business units, we recognize that leadership development is the cornerstone that fuels business success. That's why we invest heavily in talent growth and believe in promoting from within.
This commitment is reflected in the fact that 77% of our current business leaders were either in place at the time of acquisition or have since been promoted internally. Liz Soldi’s career trajectory at CaterTrax, a leading catering management software provider supporting the Hospitality and Food & Beverage verticals, is a shining example of this philosophy in action.
Background:
Liz transitioned from the corporate world to CaterTrax, , known for its outstanding company culture. Her goal - to make a strong impact within a smaller, close-knit team. Shortly after her arrival, however, CaterTrax was acquired by Volaris Group— ironically, a vast corporate network. Despite this transition, Volaris’s decentralized model allowed Liz to continue working within a small-team atmosphere while benefiting from the expansive resources of a larger organization.
Starting as a Operations Manager and ascending to, now, Director of Client Services, Liz’s journey showcases the profound impact of structured growth opportunities and supportive leadership.
We touched base with Liz to hear firsthand about her professional evolution and how the nurturing environments at both CaterTrax and Volaris, coupled with her unique yet complementary degree, have helped foster her impressive leadership skills, and in turn, the growth of her employees and organization.
"I think that’s what eased my anxieties about the acquisition – I quickly understood that Volaris wasn’t here to make sweeping changes and get rid of us – They were here to help us succeed and have a little more structure around our business model."
-- Liz Soldi, Director of Client Services, CaterTrax
Q: How did your career begin with CaterTrax? What has your career progression looked like?
I began my career in a completely different field. With a degree in Elementary and Special Education, coupled with eight years in a large retail environment, I had never anticipated I’d end up where I am today.
Nevertheless, I was seeking change from the big corporate world and was drawn by the allure of CaterTrax, a smaller company with a great company culture. Now, seven years later, I have never looked back.
Joining as Operations Manager, I focused on improving team processes for greater efficiency. But I always had my eye on the next step, knowing CaterTrax had a strong reputation for career development.
Within a year’s time, I took on the additional responsibility of managing our outsourced business partner relationships for both in-house and contracted tasks. In this capacity, I got to be a different type of leader every day for a diverse set of teams.
“More recently, I was promoted to Director of Client Services. I’ve been fortunate to not feel intimidated by this next step, thanks to the support of the CaterTrax leadership team and Volaris network, who pave the way for success.”
-- Liz Soldi, Director of Client Services, CaterTrax
Clint Tyler, Dave Ashton, Jeff Luchetti and the wider Volaris leadership team have been incredibly supportive in my journey.
Q: After leaving the corporate world for a smaller company culture, what were your initial thoughts when you learned that CaterTrax was being acquired by a corporate entity?
I was relatively new to CaterTrax when Volaris acquired the company in 2017, having joined just eight months earlier. I vividly remember receiving the acquisition news while eating lunch.
Initially, I was nervous - I had just left a big company and appreciated the culture CaterTrax was built on. Before the external acquisition announcement, we were internally reassured of the cultural continuity for CaterTrax and our core values.
“That’s what’s unique about Volaris – they were adamant from the beginning that the spirit and culture that CaterTrax was built on, wasn’t going to change. ”
-- Liz Soldi, Director of Client Services, CaterTrax
Volaris kept its promise, allowing us to maintain our culture while benefiting from being part of a larger organization.
Q: Can you share more about the impact the acquisition has had on you and CaterTrax, overall?
The acquisition has brought so many positive changes to CaterTrax as an organization, as well as to me, personally.
One of the major changes I welcomed right from the jump, was that suddenly, there was this enhanced focus on talent development. While CaterTrax had always prioritized employee growth, the acquisition brought an extremely consistent, structured, and thorough process for every employee—designed to assess strengths, identify opportunities, and ultimately carve out defined paths aligned with our unique professional desires and company needs.
“For me, this was powerful, and it demonstrated Volaris’ commitment to developing and strengthening our CaterTrax workforce.”
-- Liz Soldi, Director of Client Services, CaterTrax
I think that’s what eased my anxieties about the acquisition – I quickly understood that Volaris wasn’t here to make sweeping changes and get rid of us – They were here to help us succeed and have a little more structure around our business model.
It's incredibly rewarding to have experienced this, not just personally, but to see our entire workforce share in this experience as well. Along this journey, I’ve also been able to access a wealth of Volaris resources to help me excel.
Q: You mentioned Volaris resources – can you share more about that?
Volaris has exposed me to best practices in Customer Care, Professional Services, and leadership overall. It’s been very beneficial in helping me hone my leadership skills so that I can support the professional growth of my teams. To give some examples:
- Volaris 101: I was enrolled in this program shortly following the acquisition. It’s essentially a crash course on Volaris best practices and how to run a software business. When I finished the program, I felt so knowledgeable about this business model, and it helped me to understand where I could directly impact our growth at CaterTrax.
- Leadership Resource Center (LRC): Simply put, the LRC is awesome. It’s an online repository packed with resources for leaders to support their teams. I’ve leaned on the content to hone my leadership skills, which has had a cascading effect—my direct reports have been able to shape their leadership skills, and the benefits continue to ripple through our company.
- In-Person Events: Volaris hosts several knowledge-sharing events to support objectives ranging from leadership development to organic growth and functional focus. I recently attended one of our Best Practice Summits. Each day felt so organized, the content resonated immensely, and the presenters knocked it out of the park. It was a fantastic summit, and I loved networking with my peers and leaders in a social setting.
“Overall, I feel much more confident in my business acumen from being within the Volaris network and having access to all this invaluable data. It has truly helped shape me as a leader and boosted both my confidence and that of my team.”
-- Liz Soldi, Director of Client Services, CaterTrax
Q: What are your Future Ambitions at CaterTrax?
Looking ahead, I aim to continue leading people and developing future leaders. Surrounded by leaders who demonstrate this exceptional level of guidance, I am inspired to foster the same drive within my teams.
I feel fortunate and immensely satisfied working with the ambitious and diverse individuals on my team—I love supporting them, especially those who pursue goals that may seem out of reach but are entirely achievable.
"Talent development can sometimes be a buzzword, but CaterTrax and Volaris truly embody it—I'm excited to support and witness my team grow into the next generation of leaders."
-- Liz Soldi, Director of Client Services, CaterTrax
Leadership Beyond
Liz Soldi’s leadership journey is a testament to the power of nurturing talent, fostering growth, and building resilience within a supportive ecosystem. Her experience shows that with the right guidance and opportunities, leaders can emerge from any background and thrive.
It's undeniable that Liz has made a profound impact at CaterTrax, and her influence continues to shape the organization’s success and the growth of its future leaders.
Stay tuned for our upcoming article, where Liz will share her expert tips and strategies for fostering leadership development, blending her background in special education with the best practices she’s mastered within the Volaris network.
