Taralee grew up on a sprawling crop and cattle ranch in eastern Montana, where she learned patience, hard work, dependability, the virtue of sowing and reaping and how to get things done—mostly because the cows refused to do it for her! She also picked up the essential life skill of herding cats… well, cattle, but some days the difference felt debatable.

Armed with a Bachelor’s in Business degree, Taralee dove into the world of small business in 1997 through the business banking division at a large national bank. Over 22 years, she worked with owners of every size and stripe, and her favorite days were the ones spent helping entrepreneurs buy or start the small business of their dreams by providing them with the necessary funds to achieve that dream.

Eventually, the corporate world and Taralee realized they wanted different things. She envisioned serving business owners with integrity, warmth, and a genuine partnership with old-fashioned Montana values and those things didn’t always fit neatly into a corporate spreadsheet. So, she stepped away and moved into business brokerage, a space where her banking and M&A experience fit like a well-worn pair of boots. Here, she could finally work shoulder-to-shoulder with owners as the trusted advisor she always meant to be with no corporate jargon or high-pressure sales required.

Outside of work, Taralee enjoys time with her husband, Chris, and their furry family members. She also keeps busy with beekeeping, gardening, canning, cooking, road-tripping, baking, crafting, fostering kittens, and volunteering with her church. If it involves creating, caring, growing or corralling something small and fast-moving, Taralee is probably already doing it and proving that the girl who grew up on a ranch still knows her roots!