Edwards business owner’s office has a wall of ‘sheroes’

The south wall of Tangent West’s small office in Edwards is covered with pictures of women who at first glance have little to do with the company’s business of executive recruiting.

There are photos from the 1970s of Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman, the two iterations of the main characters in “Charlie’s Angels” and a picture of Lindsay Wagner, star of “The Bionic Woman.”

Those TV characters were among the first to portray strong women characters in popular shows. Front and center is a photo of Mary Tyler Moore, whose eponymous 1970s series showed an independent woman in a professional setting.

There’s a photo of Julia Child, who essentially created the role of TV chef on public television. But before her long-running show, “The French Chef,” Child authored her first cookbook at the age of 50. For Grimaldi, who says she’ll never retire, Child’s accomplishments later in life are an inspiration to keep trying new things.

“I’ve got another couple of businesses I’m thinking of starting, so let’s go,” Grimaldi said. “Not quitting inspires me.”

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Child and country music legend Loretta Lynn also had husbands who were comfortable with having successful spouses. “That’s my marriage,” Grimaldi said.

Tangent West has evolved since the COVID-19 pandemic. The company originally matched executive assistants with business executives who needed help. That part of the business still exists, but Grimaldi said the business has gone into a slightly different niche — helping fill the private staffs of “high net worth” individuals and families. Those staffs include roles ranging from executive assistants to chiefs of staff.

Many of the individuals who hire Tangent West have homes in the Vail Valley or other mountain resort areas.

“We have the benefit of understanding what it means to work in a small mountain town,” Grimaldi said. The work can be demanding — Grimaldi took a client’s call at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve. But, she added, that’s part of the enjoyment of the work.

All the women on Tangent West’s wall, from swimmer Esther Williams to TV journalist Diane Sawyer, have had an impact on Grimaldi’s work ethic, she said. There could be more photos on the wall, too. But, she said, “I don’t have a tall enough ladder.”

But the photos are important to company owner Grimaldi — she calls it her “wall of sheroes.” Every photo is of someone who has influenced her over the years.

Grimaldi once offered a bit of cash to anyone who can name everyone on the wall of her great influences without a smartphone assist. Call the Tangent West office at 970-926-1595 if you’re interested.
You’ll probably come up short.