Julie Nill
Julie Nill is a dynamic sales and business development leader with a career defined by growth, innovation, and impact. Her journey in sales began early, delivering newspapers in sixth grade, which fueled her entrepreneurial spirit and desire to build a business. She honed this drive in her family’s car business during high school and after college, creating a dedicated department for credit-challenged customers and negotiating with over 20 banks to secure lower interest rates for clients. Julie’s early experience instilled in her the principle that success is creating income to support a family and make lasting memories, a value that continues to guide her professional life.
Julie spent 17 years with Effectv, progressing from sales to regional leadership to Sales Manager, expanding her expertise from television advertising into digital sales. Following an early retirement due to corporate restructuring, she joined Leading Edge Payments to drive growth and transformation. Starting with leveraging her network for introductions and referrals, Julie has led initiatives including revamping the website, developing marketing campaigns, recruiting advisors nationwide, creating standard operating procedures, and organizing operations. Under her leadership, the company has grown to over 40 advisors in 48 states and added franchise groups with more than 900 locations. Julie continues to directly bring in customers needing merchant services and electronic payment solutions while coaching and supporting her expanding sales force.
Throughout her career, Julie has embraced change as a catalyst for growth, learning that transitions, whether corporate restructures or company sales, can become the most rewarding opportunities. She combines a revenue-focused mindset with a passion for team development, strategic planning, and client relationships. In addition to her corporate achievements, Julie has contributed extensively to her community through nonprofit board service, including Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana and American Red Cross. A graduate of Purdue University Daniels School of Business, she thrives at the intersection of creativity and strategy, always seeking to inspire her team, give back to the community, and transform challenges into lasting opportunities.
• Communicating with Emotional Intelligence
• Managing Organizational Change for Managers
• Purdue University Daniels School of Business - BS, Management
• President's Club at Comcast
• Greater Fort Wayne Women's Network
• Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana Board Member and Volunteer
• Hope's Harbor Supporter
• Alzheimer's Organization
• Worldwide Marriage Encounter
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my mentor Sherry Clark, who was my sales manager and later area director. Her mentorship was amazing - she helped me see blind spots where I was in growth and understand how to move forward with different personalities. The whole management style I've created really stemmed from her support of just not giving up and continual self-growth, putting goals out there, stating them out loud, and taking that first step of action. Between Sherry as a mentor and a book I read called The Wisdom of Oz, those are probably my biggest influences for the manager, salesperson, and coach-mentor that I am now. The mantra from that book - see it, own it, solve it, do it - has been my guiding force. If there's a problem, I need to see it, take accountability for what I own, solve it by determining the next step, and then take action. I've also learned that every struggle is a gift and that change, even when forced upon me through company restructurings, can be the best thing that ever happens. I continue to develop my skill sets and build character by putting myself into difficult things or getting out of situations that are forced upon me. I keep reading books by people smarter than me who can help others get through situations, taking tidbits depending on the timing and where I'm at.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
If a young woman came to me wanting to go into sales who had not been in sales yet at all, I would ask her: How strong do you think you are? We would take a look at that, because in sales there's a lot of doors closed, a lot of no's, a lot of things that can take hold of you if you don't have ways to continue to build yourself up and learn to lean on the wins. My mantra is it's a win or learn - every time you learn, you get closer to another win. So there's no losses, there's not a no, it's just a not yet. We would talk about how their self-confidence is, because that's critical in sales. You need strong self-confidence to handle all the rejection and keep pushing forward. I would also want to understand their educational and professional background, any certifications, specialized training, and life experiences that have helped shape who they are, because all of that contributes to building the resilience you need to succeed in this field.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
In both my work and personal life, I value adaptability, accountability, and continuous growth. Multiple career transitions due to company restructurings have taught me to embrace change as an opportunity for learning and personal development. I credit much of my success to the guidance of my mentor, Sherry, whose example and the mantra “see it, own it, solve it, do it” have shaped the way I approach challenges, take ownership of outcomes, and consistently deliver results while growing both professionally and personally.