Episode #62
"I'm not waving the white flag." ️Soaring Bird & the Road to TL&M w/ Karla Bylund
Send us Fan Mail Earlier this year, Soaring Bird Solutions — a name well known across Indian Country for its Tribal-focused HR consulting — joined REDW, uniting founder Karla Bylund with REDW's HR Consulting Practice Leader, Cristin Heyns. In this episode, Wes Benally sits down with Karla to trace that journey: the meaning behind her Potawatomi name, Pneshi Bmashi ("Bird Who Soars"); the gap in HR knowledge across Indian Country that led her to found Soaring Bird Solutions in 2015; and what led her, after a decade serving Tribal governments, casinos, enterprises, and nonprofits, to bring that work into REDW's broader advisory platform. The conversation turns to what's ahead: REDW's Tribal Leadership & Management (TL&M) Conference in Las Vegas — a gathering Karla co-founded to bring authentic, Tribally grounded training in leadership, governance, HR, and more to Tribal council members, administrators, and executives. Curious what expanded Tribal HR support could look like for your organization? Connect with REDW's Tribal HR Consulting team to learn more. Chapters 00:00 – Introduction: Karla Bylund and the Soaring Bird Story 01:14 – The Meaning Behind "Bird Who Soars" and Karla's Path into Tribal HR 02:23 – Starting Soaring Bird Solutions in 2015 to Close a Gap in Tribal HR 04:49 – The Toughest HR Challenges in Indian Country 07:31 – Why Karla Joined REDW: Capacity, Continuity, and Shared Values 09:12 – Working with an Expanded Consulting Bench 13:04 – Introducing the Tribal Leadership & Management (TL&M) Conference 16:03 – What Attendees Can Expect from TL&M 19:00 – Closing Thoughts and the Exclusive Registration Discount for Listeners Tribal HR Support, Backed by a Full Advisory Bench Whether you've worked with Karla and her team for years or you're just getting to know REDW, Tribal organizations now have access to trusted HR consulting alongside REDW's full suite of services — audit, tax, compensation, cybersecurity, and more. Learn more about REDW's Tribal HR Consulting practice , and use code REDWPOD26 to register for this year's TL&M Conference before the extended Early Bird deadline at the end of August. The 4th annual Tribal Leadership & Management Conference is October 14 – 15 , 2026 | South Point Hotel & Casino | Las Vegas, NV. REGISTER BY AUG 31! ➡️ https://whova.com/portal/registration/VBG0F3LdQig8nSuY3b78/ ] REDW Advisors and CPAs is proud to bring you the Insight in Indian Country Podcast, covering important advisory, accounting, and finance topics that impact Tribal Nations and business affairs. Thanks for listening! Visit our website
