This profile was originally published in the Corridor Media Group’s inaugural IOWA 500 magazine, which features 500 profiles and listings for an exclusive look at the movers and shakers shaping the economic heartbeat of Iowa. The list includes leaders representing 14 categories, which we believe reflect the scope of business sectors in our state. LaDrina Wilson’s […]
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Click here to purchase a paywall bypass linkThe list includes leaders representing 14 categories, which we believe reflect the scope of business sectors in our state. LaDrina Wilson’s profile introduced the Professional Services, Law and Consulting category.
Click here to purchase your copy of IOWA 500.Self-reflection during the COVID-19 pandemic led LaDrina Wilson to re-evaluate what was important to her.
“As an entrepreneur, you take a lot of chances, but you also take measured risks — and COVID, I think, forced me in particular to be a little bit less risk-averse — if you’re going to survive a global pandemic, you probably should take some chances and make the most of your life,” Ms. Wilson said. “I realized pretty quickly it was time for me to pivot to entrepreneurship.”
While serving as the vice president of student services at Black Hawk College in Moline, Illinois, she founded Iman Consulting in December 2020, which focuses on “creating space for critical thinking and compassionate conversation centered on leadership, diversity, equity and inclusion.”
Her experience in higher education and in volunteering both correlated with a consulting business, she said. Her company offers leadership training, executive coaching, and professional consulting.
Ms. Wilson holds a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Iowa State University. In 2024, the Quad Cities Regional Business Journal recognized her as the 2024 Woman of Influence. Until recently, she served as CEO of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, she left the position in January of 2024.
Ms. Wilson grew up in the Quad Cities, and has lived in multiple western cities. She moved back to the Quad Cities in 2006 from Las Vegas, Nevada, with her husband, who is originally from Los Angeles.
“We were able to provide a great quality of life for our family here, and so we’ve made this home,” Ms. Wilson said. “[There’s] lots of opportunity for me, for my family, and I think for people who choose to engage, like the way that you’re able to grow not only your business but grow the communities by getting involved. So that’s been catalytic in most of the career opportunities that I’ve had.”
Noting her roles with various organizations like the QC Chamber of Commerce and the Quad Cities Community Foundation, Ms. Wilson emphasized the importance of connecting with one’s surrounding community.
“I’ve always had a servant’s heart. It was an expectation in my household. My mom, who was a single mom, I went everywhere and volunteered with her. From the time that I can remember, probably 7 or 8 years old, we spent a lot of our time on our weekends volunteering,” Ms. Wilson said.
She first served on the community foundation board of directors around seven years ago, and currently holds the role of vice chair. She said the foundation serves as a “backbone” for social service agencies and economic viability and livability as a whole, in addition to directing dollars to QC neighborhoods in need.
Ms. Wilson first got involved with the QC Chamber of Commerce when it offered its first leadership council for young professionals. Though she has since aged out, she continues to be involved.
“They knew that the people who make the decisions today will not be here as long as the generation behind them. So they leaned on young professionals in a unique way,” Ms. Wilson said.
She noted that as a volunteer, she would sometimes spend 20-30 hours per week doing different community service with the chamber. Ms. Wilson said her dedication resulted in her working with multiple successful businesses in the region, and using those relationships to lean into their shared interests.
“I’m really fortunate to be a part of a community that wants to give back and says, ‘Hey, let me take what I’ve experienced and share that out with other people for their betterment.’ So I think of our community as a really selfless community in terms of our business leaders here,” she said.
As a leader herself, Ms. Wilson finds her drive through lifting others up alongside her.
“I always have to be pushing towards something. I don’t really know how to sit still,” Ms. Wilson said. “I am chasing something. So I’m always looking for what my next level up is, and in doing so, I always want to bring somebody with me… It’s like helping other people unlock their potential, helping other people not just feel inspired, but motivated to reach their next level.”
Looking to the future, Ms. Wilson said one of her goals for the next few years is to work with a psychometrician — a scientist who measures and studies people’s knowledge and skills — at Iman Consulting. In particular, she aims to develop custom assessments to help clients understand the maturation of their business’ hiring practices as they relate to inclusion, talent development, and investment in diverse skill sets.
Additionally, Ms. Wilson said she hopes to continue growing her success in Iowa and Illinois, and even outside the Midwest. Her company is currently doing work in Tennessee and Texas, and across multiple industries.
“With my consulting, I’m industry agnostic, so I get to work with folks who are in social services all the way to international construction companies, to federal government to local government,” Ms. Wilson said. “I would love to get more fluid with that and just grow our relationships across the country.”
