CEO of Influence – Shawnda Huffman – Tuuti

Working at her hometown radio station of WKKJ-FM where she read the farmer’s report at just 15 years old, Shawnda Huffman had big dreams to become a nationally known broadcaster/journalist. As a natural leader, she learned quickly to never take “no” for an answer, integrity is non-negotiable and community is everything.

Her road to leadership started years before that role in the fifth grade as a safety patrol captain at her school and she recalled a teacher telling her that leadership isn’t about a title.

“It’s about showing up for your team, mentoring and leading with integrity,” she said.

She served for 22 years in the radio industry and today, Huffman is the CEO of Tuuti, a full-service, women-owned marketing agency in downtown Boise.

“At Tuuti, I’ve made community involvement a priority by integrating it into our company values,” she shared. “I carefully choose clients and partnerships that align with our mission to give back.”

Huffman reflected back on her professional career to date and says that her mom — a single mother and prison guard — has always been an inspiration to her and truly made the impossible happen. She explained that after retiring from radio in 2019, Ryan Riley became a mentor to her and saw potential in her and hired her as the director of public relations for Microbe Formulas, where she eventually served as the vice president of communications. Last but not least, Huffman said that she learns a lot from her husband Dave, who’s the type of leader she aspires to be: Strategic, brilliant and a master at commanding a room.

Huffman is her own type of leader though and described herself as balancing visionary leadership with a servant mindset.

“I set a clear direction and empower my team to get there, providing support and encouragement along the way,” she explained.

For other leaders aiming for the C-suite, she has a lot of wisdom to share, but it really boils down to developing emotional intelligence, making tough decisions by gathering data and weight risks, building a strong network, staying resilient, and prioritizing vision and innovation.

“Strengthening these skills will prepare you for impactful leadership and long-term success,” she said.

On the weekends, Huffman loves to be home with her family making a big breakfast for them, taking long walks around the neighborhood, or reading anything that relates to business and psychology. She also loves traveling, ice fishing and watching historic documentaries.