To witness firsthand the leadership and success of Emilie LaGrow, all you really need to do is climb into your car and drive through the Village of Cassopolis where she holds the reins as Village Manager. Her nominator says that Emilie has “fearlessly led the Village through a momentous transformation, taking it from a dying small town to a vibrant, growing community,” and adds, “The Village is currently experiencing unprecedented private investment thanks to her vision and leadership.” Emilie dared to do what most people told her would not work. She invested in a community so that others would follow her lead and invest there, too. While many people doubted the plan, it is working better than anyone could have imagined because throughout all of the challenges thrown her way, Emilie has persevered with unwavering determination and grit. After launching a small diner at the age of 22, Emilie elected to go to law school and take up the practice of law. It was that endeavor that led her to the public sector as a consultant before she took the top job for Cassopolis and the rest is history. A history that continues to grow every day. Read more for the story of Emilie LaGrow, a Bold Woman of Business for 2021.
Name
Emilie LaGrow
Where do you live?
Mattawan, MI
Company or Organization
Village of Cassopolis
What is your job or role there?
Village Manager
How do you think that Bold Women of Business demonstrate being bold?
Bold Women of Business do not settle for status quo and they do not make excuses; instead they lead their teams to success with conviction, determination and passion.
Bold women are often defined by a number of descriptors. Please choose from the following descriptors to produce the top three that you would say most exemplify your personality?
Confident…Brave…Strong
Please provide an example of when you feel you were at your very best in taking action on the job or in your role.
Leading the team at the Village of Cassopolis through our recent transformation projects is an example of when I feel that I was at my best in my role as Village Manager. Our Village transformation projects consisted of a new beach in our downtown, streetscape, connector path and the building of a new Municipal Complex. Fifteen Million dollars of investment into a small rural community that continues to prove out our message that if you invest in yourself, others will invest in you.
What’s the funniest thing that ever happened on your road to success?
The most amusing thing to me that has happened on my road to success is that as part of my job, I had to learn about the sewer system and how to operate and maintain it, which means that I talk about poop on a daily basis now!
Who most inspires your personal drive for success every day?
My personal drive for success is inspired every day by both my parents; Robert and Deborah LaGrow and my daughters, Grace and Isabella.
What is your best advice to women in Southwest Michigan looking to succeed, as you have, in business?
The best advice I can give to women in Southwest Michigan looking to succeed in business is to stop operating from a place of fear and operate from a place of courage. When you make decisions out of fear; fear of failure, fear of being fired, you tend to make the safe decision and keep the status quo, when you operate with courage you tend to make the bold decisions that will propel your project/community/business/career forward.
What does your selection to the first ever Bold Women of Business from Moody on the Market mean to you?
I am humbled, honored and blessed to be recognized and selected to the inaugural class of Bold Women of Business from Moody on the Market. I am thankful for the opportunity to meet and connect with these bold and fearless women, and create an even larger network of professionals with whom I can call upon and collaborate with.