Today we’d like to introduce you to Cathiusca Barley.
Hi Cathiusca, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always been someone who believes that every season of life—both the successes and the challenges—has something to teach us.
I earned my degree in Business Administration and built my career in business development, sales, operations, and relationship building. Over the years, I’ve had opportunities to work in different industries and leadership roles, which helped me discover that one of my greatest strengths is connecting with people, building trust, and helping businesses grow.
Today, I work alongside my mother in our family business, CIS Tax & Notary Services. She started the company many years ago, and I now have the opportunity to help grow what she built while preparing to continue her legacy. My role has expanded into business development, operations, bookkeeping, client education, and identifying ways we can better serve our community. We are also entering an exciting season of growth as we expand into an additional location.
But my story is about much more than my career. I’m also a mother of four, and motherhood has shaped the way I lead, work, and define success. I’ve experienced major personal and professional transitions that required me to rebuild, adapt, and keep moving forward even when I couldn’t see exactly where the road was leading.
My faith has been the foundation through all of it. I believe God has used every chapter—the accomplishments, disappointments, unexpected changes, and new beginnings—to prepare me for where I am today.
At this stage of my life, success means more than a title or income. I want to build something meaningful, honor the legacy my mother started, create opportunities for my children, serve people well, and use everything I’ve learned along the way to make a positive impact on others.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. My journey has included career changes, personal setbacks, financial challenges, and navigating single motherhood while raising four children and continuing to pursue my professional goals. There have been seasons when I had to completely rebuild and redefine what success looked like for me.
One of my greatest challenges has been learning how to keep moving forward when life does not go according to plan. I’ve had to balance motherhood, work, and personal growth while navigating unexpected transitions. Those experiences taught me resilience, humility, and the importance of being willing to start again but to never give up. My mother has always taught me the importance of getting going regardless of how I feel.
My faith has been the foundation that has carried me through those difficult seasons. I’ve learned that challenges do not have to define you—they can refine you. Today, I approach business and life with a deeper sense of purpose, gratitude, and compassion for others who are building or rebuilding their own lives.
As you know, we’re big fans of CIS Tax & Notary Services, LLC . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
CIS Tax & Notary Services LLC is a family-owned business that has been serving our community for more than 17 years. Founded by my mother, Amelia Turcios, CIS was built on trust, relationships, and a genuine desire to help individuals, families, and small business owners navigate important financial and business matters with confidence.
We specialize in tax preparation, bookkeeping, payroll, notary services, and business support, serving our community in both English and Spanish. What sets us apart is the personal relationship we build with our clients. We don’t want people to simply come to us once a year to file a tax return—we want to become a trusted resource they can turn to as their families, businesses, and financial needs evolve.
I am especially proud to be part of the next generation of CIS. I have the unique opportunity to learn from both my mother and my brother, each of whom brings a different perspective to the business. My mother built CIS through years of hard work, relationships, trust, and service to our community. My brother built his career within a Japanese corporation, where he gained valuable experience in operational efficiency, corporate processes, and real estate. Working alongside him has given me the opportunity to learn how strong systems, processes, and strategic decision-making can help a business operate more efficiently and position itself for long-term growth.
I bring my own background in business development, operations, sales, and relationship building to that foundation. Together, we are combining my mother’s entrepreneurial legacy with the professional experiences and strengths each of us has developed throughout our careers.
As CIS continues to grow and expand, we are intentional about preserving what made the business successful in the first place: personal service, accessibility, trust, and genuine care for the people we serve. We want our clients to feel like they have someone in their corner—not just during tax season, but throughout the different stages of their personal and professional lives.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
My perspective on risk has evolved throughout my career. Working in commercial construction taught me a great deal about calculated risk—how to evaluate opportunities, anticipate challenges, build relationships, and make decisions even when you don’t have complete certainty.
I have also taken significant risks in my own career. One of the biggest has been stepping away from the career path I knew and bringing my experience into my family’s business. It meant choosing an opportunity that looks very different from the traditional corporate path I had been building, but it also gave me the chance to be part of something bigger than myself and most importantly be present for my children.
Today, I have the opportunity to work alongside my family, contribute to the growth of a business my mother built, and learn from my brother’s experience. I’m able to take what I learned in the corporate and commercial construction world and apply it in a completely different way.
As a mother, I don’t take risk lightly because my decisions affect my children as well as me. I’ve learned to evaluate the downside, seek wise counsel, prepare as much as I can, and then be willing to move forward even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.
I’ve come to believe that growth requires a certain amount of risk. For me, it isn’t about being fearless it’s about not allowing fear to make my decisions. Some of the greatest opportunities in my life have come from being willing to step into something unfamiliar and trust that I will learn, adapt, and grow along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cistaxnotaryservices.com/
