In Conversation
Stephanie Thieman for Bold. Brilliant. Unstoppable.
Read the transcript
Stephanie Thieman: Influence is not about having the highest title in the room or being the loudest voice at the table.
What does being an Influential Woman mean to you?
Stephanie Thieman: To me, being an influential woman means owning your seat at the table. It really starts from within yourself. So building a strong foundation so that you can express your ideas with confidence and really hold to your own opinions, even if a peer sees something very differently. It means never watering yourself down, especially in spaces where pressure can be very real for women. But that also means truly listening and having that as a gift, giving others a real space to be heard. Influence is not about having the highest title in the room or being the loudest voice at the table. It's about listening deeply and then having something meaningful to contribute to a project or idea. That combination, so having your own mind, but genuinely hearing others, is something women bring to leadership in a powerful way. Over time, that type of presence is what builds trust within your team, with your peers, and even in your personal relationships, until people are naturally coming to you for your perspective. That's when you've built something real.
What's one piece of advice you would give to younger women chasing their dreams?
Stephanie Thieman: The advice I would give to younger women chasing their dreams or really any woman that might be just getting back into the workforce after a long time, is to not sell yourself short and know that not all pathways are linear. Some people are born and they know exactly what they want to do for the rest of their life, and that's really amazing. But for others like me, I took the long way around. But honestly, I'm really grateful for it. Every detour, every new position really gave me a new perspective, that I wouldn't have got any other way, especially not within staying in the same exact team, doing the same exact thing for many years. So for me, the gain in perspective is such a gift. But also look outside of yourself, look outside of your family dynamic, and even your industry. Pay attention to where others are finding success, but talk about it. Befriend each other, learn from each other, and share what you're seeing. Don't hold information. I think sharing is such a gift. Build each other up, work together because the connections that you make today have a way of becoming the opportunities that define your career in years and years from now.
Her Story
About Stephanie
My career in marketing spans about 6 years, with a foundation built during my time in the Healthcare Academy in high school where I volunteered extensively within hospital systems and firefighting departments in Volusia County, Florida. I started my professional journey as an intern in recruitment, where I discovered my passion for connecting with people and helping them see their potential. I would visit local high schools, present about job opportunities, and work one-on-one with students on their resumes, helping them identify transferable skills from any experience they had, whether it was volunteering, serving tables, or making coffee orders. I wanted to show them that their customer service skills and hard work would carry them through their careers in different areas of healthcare. Throughout my corporate healthcare career I transitioned into marketing where I became a Marketing Strategist supporting Central Florida Division service lines including women's and children's, cancer, and cardiac services. I focused on understanding patient volumes and localizing strategies based on what individual facilities needed alongside the clinical and C-suite leadership teams. Later, I moved into a regional strategy role for the multi-state division, where I bridged the gap between talent acquisition and marketing, traveling across the U.S. to set up recruitment events primarily for nurses and clinical staff. While the travel was extensive and the work was impactful, as a mom of two boys, I needed to find better balance. I have now transitioned to the agency side of marketing, where I now focus on pharmaceutical and med tech, promoting the agency brand to attract pharma and medtech brands that are making large impacts in this space.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Stephanie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute a lot of my success to resilience and having the right support system at home. My husband has been instrumental in my journey — he supported me when I stayed home with our first child for two years and invested in my education so I could finish my bachelor's degree. Having someone who truly believes in you, even when the path isn't linear, makes all the difference. There have been moments of doubt along the way, but knowing I had that unwavering support gave me the confidence to keep going and pursue my goals.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I can offer is to give yourself grace in the first 6 to 12 months of a new position or company. Use that time to gain a full understanding of the role before jumping in with new ideas — and then bring your expertise and fresh perspective to it wholeheartedly. You have to own your career and decide what your next move looks like, and it might not always be the obvious one.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My biggest piece of advice is to never underestimate yourself. So many people see a job description and write themselves off before anyone else ever would. The right leader will see your potential, so don't let the fear of not checking every box hold you back from pursuing opportunities.
Own your growth. Seek out ways to continuously upskill yourself rather than waiting for someone else to offer it to you. Confidence and initiative go a long way in this industry. You have more to offer than you realize, and the right environment will recognize and nurture that.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges right now is balancing innovation with humanity. As new technology emerges and trends evolve, it can be easy to lose sight of the people at the center of it all — our communities and patients. AI is a great example of this. I embrace the efficiency it brings, but in healthcare and pharma, it's critical that we never let technology outpace our empathy. Keeping messaging clear, human, and patient-centered has to remain the priority no matter how the tools around us change.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My two most important values are dependability and transparency. Dependability means showing up consistently — honoring your commitments, respecting people's time, and meeting deadlines. It's something I hold myself to and genuinely appreciate in others.
Transparency is equally important to me. It can be challenging in many environments, but when you show up authentically and communicate openly, it builds trust faster than almost anything else. Together, these two values form the foundation of every strong professional relationship and authentic connection I've built — both in and out of the workplace.
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