Her Story
About Nicole
I started my career at Stop and Shop when I was young, beginning as a cashier and working my way up through various positions over 20 years. I progressed from part-time to full-time roles, becoming a department manager in multiple departments, then moving into store management, and eventually into sales specialist roles. During COVID, while I was pregnant and working in the supermarkets, I started rethinking my career path. I'm based in New York, and to progress further at Stop and Shop would have required moving to Quincy, Massachusetts, which I didn't want to do after having my baby. During that time, I started my own food Instagram page, which really sparked something in me. I came across Cisco and thought, 'I like restaurants, I like food, I have the CPG knowledge and product knowledge,' so I took a chance and made the transition. I was a sales consultant at Cisco for 2 years before being promoted to District Sales Manager in October based on my performance and my management background from Stop and Shop. Now I manage a team of 10 sales consultants, acting as everything from a psychologist to a manager to a liaison between different departments within Cisco. I ensure my team meets their sales goals by being out there with them, supporting them through merchandising, transportation, and acting as their voice upwards in the organization.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Nicole
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would say it's basically just hard work. Just hard work and being focused, and realizing that I can do the things that I want to do, not necessarily needing a degree. I actually hated school, and while I always did well when I went, I've proven to myself that through dedication and focus, I can achieve my goals and progress in my career without relying on formal education. It's about putting in the effort and believing in yourself.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Sales is not perfect, but if you stick with it, it is 100% rewarding. That's what I would tell anyone starting out in this industry - don't expect it to be easy or flawless, but the rewards are absolutely worth it if you persevere.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Being in New York in this industry is always kind of a challenge, just because there's so much competition. There are so many local vendors and local farms, and everybody's very big on local, local, local. If you go to the Midwest, a broadliner is kind of where they tend to go to, but here in New York, the competition is probably the biggest challenge we face. Everyone wants to support local businesses, which makes it harder for larger distributors like us.
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