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In this episode of the She Lift Project Podcast, host Cynthia Kirkpatrick sits down with Nicki Ball, the Chief Operating Officer at Mary Engelbreit, to explore the fascinating journey of her multifaceted career. From her beginnings in hospitality and wine expertise to healthcare and art licensing, Nicki shares her experiences of navigating through various industries and the lessons learned along the way.
Nicki highlights the importance of self-advocacy, work-life balance, and the courage to pivot when necessary. She discusses the challenges of working in male-dominated environments and the significance of mentorship and supportive leadership. With anecdotes about her time in restaurants, healthcare, and the corporate world, Nicki emphasizes the value of adaptability, continuous learning, and finding joy in one’s career.
Join us as Nicki Ball provides insights on overcoming imposter syndrome, the power of being genuine, and the critical role of collaboration and open communication in achieving professional success. Whether you’re at the start of your career or considering a change, this episode offers valuable takeaways on embracing the power of pivots and pursuing your passion.
Chapter 1: Introduction and Background
00:00 – 01:06
– Introduction of the She Lift Project Podcast by Cynthia Kirkpatrick.
– Brief overview of the guest, Nicki Ball, and her current role as COO at Mary Engelbreit.
Chapter 2: Early Career in Hospitality
01:07 – 10:16
– Nicki’s journey from working in hospitality to becoming a food and beverage manager.
– Stories from her time at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco and Omni in Chicago.
– Experiences managing large-scale events and interacting with notable guests.
Chapter 3: Transition to Wine Expertise
10:17 – 21:39
– Nicki’s entry into the wine industry and becoming a sommelier.
– Discussion about the challenges and experiences of being a female sommelier in a male-dominated industry.
– Anecdotes about notable figures and moments in the wine business.
Chapter 4: Career Shifts and New Opportunities
21:40 – 34:57
– Nicki’s transition from hospitality to working at Fabick as an executive assistant.
– The importance of building relationships and being open to new opportunities.
– The move to healthcare brokerage and her experiences in this field.
Chapter 5: The Power of Pivots
34:58 – 47:59
– Discussion on the importance of career pivots and being adaptable.
– Nicki’s journey to her current role at Mary Engelbreit.
– The significance of finding joy and fulfillment in one’s career.
Chapter 6: Advocacy and Leadership
48:00 – 59:38
– The importance of self-advocacy and speaking up in various scenarios.
– Nicki’s experiences with leadership and mentorship, and the impact of supportive leaders.
– Strategies for building a collaborative and open work environment.
Chapter 7: Balancing Career and Motherhood
59:39 – 1:10:00
– Challenges and strategies for balancing a demanding career with motherhood.
– Stories and insights on managing work-life balance.
– The role of family support and creating a nurturing environment at home and work.
Chapter 8: Lessons Learned and Advice
1:10:01 – 1:27:02
– Key takeaways from Nicki’s career journey.
– Advice for listeners on embracing change, continuous learning, and building confidence.
– Final thoughts and closing remarks from Cynthia Kirkpatrick.
Content Notice
This podcast and all She Lift Project content represents the opinions of Cynthia Kirkpatrick and her guests. The content here is for informational purposes only, and should not be taken as professional advice – financial, legal, medical, or otherwise.
Views and opinions expressed in the podcast and across all She Lift Project media channels are our own and do not represent that of our places of work. While we make every effort to ensure that the information we are sharing is accurate, we welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
It’s not about me selling and, you know, me making money. It’s about you being satisfied and happy with what you want and what you need. And I’ve always had that kind of philosophy, and my dad had that, too. And people recognize you’re not in it for yourself, you’re in it for them. And you’re sincere, and it really goes a long way.
Leadership is not about the leader. And I equate this back to basketball. When you have coach or coaches, they can’t go out on the court and shoot the ball and dribble the ball and pass the ball. But coaches have to be really good at getting work done through others. And so from a leadership perspective, that’s how I see it. As a leader, I have to be really good at getting work done through others.
“Gallup just got done with their survey for 2022. They found 25% better profitability in companies that have great employee cultures. Because when you have happy employees, happy employees make your customers happy. Happy employees want to invite other people to come work at their company. Happy employees want to share their ideas to make the company better. All of a sudden, you’ve created this culture where people want to contribute, and that’s the reason we do what we do.”
“I think that what I’m able to do in the program is to create the brave space that women need to be vulnerable, to do the internal work that has to happen, to have great and deep, thoughtful, reflective conversations, to bring in a lot of other great women. But at the end of it, that she’s breaking out of that chrysalis and she’s got her wings.”
As lawyers, we’re expected to have all the answers and be right 1000% of the time…Actually, we are humans. We are going to make mistakes. It’s actually a beautiful opportunity, when we make a mistake, to show up for our clients in the right way, own those mistakes, and then fix them on our dime. It’s really that simple. You actually deepen a relationship.
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