Her Story
About Cassie
I've been in food manufacturing sales for about 9 years now, and I'm currently the VP of USA at Sunshine Nut Co., a position I've held for a little under a year. Previously, I was the Director of USA. In my role, I handle everything stateside - I do POs and invoicing, handle distributors, manage our team of brokers for the food industry, oversee marketing, and I'm kind of a jack-of-all-trades picking up every little piece of odds and ends. My most notable professional achievement so far has been the expansion in stores that we've seen recently, continuing to grow where we are in the States. My background is actually quite different from where I am now. My formal background is in education - I have my master's degree in special education from Simmons College, and I was a high school English teacher before this. This is a family business, so it originally started out as me just looking to help out and get involved. I started on a lower end at the company handling our brand ambassadors, and then the more that I started learning about it, the more that I wanted to change careers and be involved. I eventually worked my way up through different roles and different categories of the company to where I am now. I've had many mentors in this role that have helped me with my background in food and sales, whether it was the people that were before me or the people that work alongside me in my current role. I think that is probably where I've learned the most - learning through the job by those that have come before me.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Cassie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think the mentors and the people that have come into the role before me - that's the reason why I am successful. I've had people walk alongside me and train me, and that's the only way that I could have done what I have done today. I've had many mentors in this role that have helped me with my background in food and sales, whether it was the people that were before me or the people that work alongside me in my current role. I've learned the most by learning through the job from those that have come before me.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice has been to always listen to those that have been in the role before you - they know best. You'll receive your best wisdom from the ones that have walked in your steps, from those that you are about to walk in your footsteps.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The advice that I would give is to always keep an open mind, be willing to learn and receive feedback, and take that feedback and continue to grow, no matter what it might look like.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think the biggest opportunity is just how willing everyone is to teach and learn and kind of let you grow. And I think the biggest challenge is just making sure that you are expanding into something that you're confident in and that you're capable of. I think oftentimes you're offered many different things, and you have to be judicious of what do you personally feel like you can handle and take on.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
For me, it's honesty, loyalty, and hard work ethic. I think with any of those, you can get to where you need to be in life.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.