We recently connected with Meg Gluth and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Meg , appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes from the teachers I never asked for and the lessons I would have chosen to skip. There’s a spiritual principle I hold close: every experience is a teacher. It’s easy to thank the gentle ones—the moments that lift us, inspire us and make us feel unstoppable. But we don’t have to stop at leaving an apple on the nice teacher’s desk with a smile. Life’s calling us to be bold—to dig in, get curious, and learn from the unexpected. The real growth happens when we take on those tough lessons from unlikely sources. Life is ready and waiting to test us, toughen us up, and make us sharper than we ever thought possible.
True resilience is born when life hands you teachers who don’t look like teachers at all—sometimes they feel more like opponents, even obstacles. These are the experiences that break you down and force you to rebuild, showing you that a “teacher” can be anyone or anything that leaves you with a lesson. I think about the years I spent by my first wife’s side, watching her fight cancer. It was an unimaginable journey, one that would end in the kind of heartbreak that steals your breath and leaves you hollow. In those years, I was introduced to a thousand ‘teachers’ I never wanted: despair, exhaustion and hope, that lifted us up only to crash us back down again. I learned what it means to fight beside someone, to be lifted and carried by friends and loved ones who showed up in our darkest hours. They taught me about love, loyalty, and the strength it takes to face inevitable loss. I helped my first wife find peace through her battle, standing by her side through every difficult step. Being her support taught me patience, strength, and a kind of resilience I didn’t know I had. I carried myself through law school, work, and the early days of my career, all while holding space for her and shouldering our shared burdens. I kept moving forward—if not in strength, then by sheer will.
And then, after she passed, another teacher appeared: Addiction. I coped poorly; I was lost, barely able to keep my head above water, yet still teeming with potential that I couldn’t quite reach. Life has a way of pairing the complications we create with possibility, and I lived in the tension between the two for a long time. Eventually, I had to confront my own darkest patterns and weaknesses. This was where the real work of resilience began: learning accountability, facing raw truth and rejecting the easy path of self-pity.
There’s no part of me now that wishes for those years back, but I am grateful for what they taught me. Each brutal lesson left a scar, but those scars are proof of my strength and grit. I came out of that fire with an unshakable truth: I am capable, I am resilient, and I can face whatever comes next. Life might throw the punches, but it’s up to me how I respond, how I grow, and how I show up.
Today, I try to meet each challenge with this strength I earned. I know now that resilience isn’t about never bending but about bending and returning stronger. And I’m grateful—for every teacher, every moment that forced me to see who I really am.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My journey to where I am now hasn’t been a straight line, but each twist and turn has brought me here with purpose. I’m the CEO and Owner of Catalynt Solutions, one of the largest certified women-owned suppliers and chemical service providers in North America, but what sets us apart isn’t just the services we offer; it’s how we approach business. We are committed to proving that capitalism doesn’t have to be cutthroat to be effective—it can be strategic, results-driven, and still centered on the well-being of people. I call this concept “human-centered capitalism.”
Our team is encouraged to bring fresh thinking and to see challenges as opportunities. This isn’t just idealistic talk; it’s embedded in how we operate. We run our business with an understanding that motivated, respected employees produce better results. That’s why we’ve created a work environment where accountability and collaboration go hand in hand. When people are clear about expectations, empowered in their roles, and recognized for their contributions, they not only perform but drive the business forward.
What excites me most about our work is that we’re showing a new way forward in a traditional industry. We’re proving that you don’t have to sacrifice culture to achieve success. In fact, I believe our culture is what fuels our success. This doesn’t just improve our internal environment; it means we show up stronger for our clients, bringing a level of candor, trust, and commitment that’s hard to find.
On a personal note, I’m also focused on sharing my own journey more openly—stories of resilience, leadership, and continuous growth—in hopes that others find encouragement and insight along their own paths. Ultimately, I believe in creating a legacy where people and purpose come first, and I’m grateful to be building that vision every day.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Resilience: Resilience has been critical in navigating the inevitable highs and lows. It’s about enduring tough times and finding value in the struggle. For those early in their careers, I’d advise seeking experiences that challenge you and push your limits. Embrace setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow. Resilience is a skill built over time, but the sooner you welcome challenges as part of growth, the stronger you become.
2. Self-Awareness: Truly knowing yourself is a lifelong journey, and it’s been central to mine. Self-awareness isn’t just about understanding your strengths and weaknesses; it’s about developing an internal compass and trusting it to guide you. In my life, trusting my gut—whether in relationships, decisions, or simply the direction I want to take—has led to some of my best outcomes. My advice? Make space to reflect, listen to your intuition, and don’t be afraid to follow your own path. The more you trust yourself, the more confidently you can make choices that feel right for you.
3. Disciplined Focus: Staying focused in life can be just as crucial as in any career. For me, disciplined focus has been about knowing my priorities and consistently coming back to what matters most, even amid distractions. If you’re just starting out, I recommend taking time to define what’s truly important to you and setting boundaries around that. It’s easy to get sidetracked, but staying anchored in your core values, relationships, and goals allows you to live with intention—actively choosing your path instead of simply reacting to whatever comes your way
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
I believe there’s incredible value in going all in on our strengths. Our strengths are where we naturally excel, where we find energy and passion, and where we can make the most significant impact. When we focus on what we do best, we’re more productive and more fulfilled. It’s what allows us to bring our unique gifts to the world and our work in a genuine way.
When I became a leader, I realized the value of complementary strengths on a team. I didn’t need to be the expert in every area; instead, I could focus on my strengths—vision, strategic thinking, and leadership—and build a team where each member brought something unique to the table. By letting go of trying to be everything, I made space for others to shine in areas where they excelled. This approach not only improved our performance but also created a more dynamic and engaged team.
That said, I do believe in developing key skills that support our strengths. For example, communication wasn’t something I considered a strength initially, but as a leader, it was essential. I invested time in becoming a clear, authentic communicator because it made my core strengths more effective. So, while I’m a big advocate for doubling down on strengths, I also encourage people to develop skills that support and amplify what they’re naturally good at.
In the end, leaning into your strengths isn’t about ignoring your weaknesses; it’s about recognizing where you can make the greatest impact and committing yourself wholeheartedly. Build a network, a team, or even just a circle of trusted advisors who can fill in the gaps. Focus on what makes you powerful, and let others bring their strengths to support yours. Together, this leads to a more powerful and balanced path than trying to do it all on your own.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.megangluth.com/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-gluth/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
