Nicole Armstrong, Vice President of Corporate Initiatives at Priority One Financial Services.

What's a risk you took that paid off? (Or didn't, and what did you learn?) 

Creating a Relaxation Station experience at one of our industry shows. We attend the same shows every year, and often it is with the same competitors and the same attendees. Trying to come up with new ideas on the same message can be hard. I was flying home from another repetitive industry show and reflected on the problem I was trying to solve (same old booth, same old swag, same old message) and then sit with what I would like (support the organization hosting the event, market to our current clients and potential clients. How do I differentiate myself from all the other brands while still staying within budget? What feeling do I want associated with our brand?) And the vision just kind of came. I had it before the plane landed, and then our marketing manager and Pyper, Inc. really brought it to life. Now, every show I attend, I have vendors, clients, partners, and future partners ask me about the Relaxation Station.  

Who championed you early in your career, and how did they change your trajectory?

One of my first managers, Brandi, recommended me for my first management job.  Sometimes it takes that first bit of support to get you on the right trajectory.

Who is a woman who inspires you?

Right now, Savannah Gutherie. She is in complete agony and pain, going through a public and brutal family tragedy and has to wake up every day and push on through the visibility of nationally-televised role. She reminds me that there are women and men all over the world in such extreme stages of grief, and yet they still have to get up, get dressed and do their job. We just happen to know hers. 

What's the single decision that had the greatest impact on your professional success?

In my early career, I took a new job and moved to Indiana. I had lived in Florida my whole life and left the comfort of my job, my family, my friends and town to move to a city I had never even visited.

What did you have to unlearn in order to grow?

There are so many things I have learned and continue to learn. It's not my job to make everyone comfortable and happy and I do not need to apologize to ease others’ discomfort. I do not need to apologize if I start the meeting on time when others are not ready, or apologize for a business decision that someone else doesn’t support. And when I do make a mistake, I have learned to own up to it, apologize or say thank you, and move on.  

Another piece of wisdom I’ve picked up is that I do not have to know everything. Early in my career, I felt I had to be an expert in every aspect of the business. Over time, I’ve realized the significance of hiring and leaning on the team around me to be the experts in their fields.

Have you ever had to advocate for yourself in a way that didn't come naturally? How did you find your voice? 

This is fundamental to being a skilled salesperson. I always ask, “What am I trying to accomplish? What is the goal? Am I trying to do what is right for my team? My client? My company?” If the answer is yes, then I consider my audience and adapt to their style.