For Women’s History Month, we want to highlight just some of the amazing women across the Cast & Crew organization. Today, we chatted with Nicole Guenette, Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications for The TEAM Companies. Check out her interview below:
Nicole Guenette
Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications, The TEAM Companies
How long have you been with Cast & Crew?
I have been with The TEAM Companies for almost five years and have really enjoyed getting to know the Cast & Crew team over the last year or so.
What has been one of the proudest moments in your career?
Soon after graduating from college and moving to New York City, I was working for a small startup and still trying to get my feet under me in a new town. I felt like there was so much for me to learn, and everyone else seemed to have somehow figured it all out already. But after working there for only a short time, I was made the head of the department I was working in. I was certainly proud to receive the promotion, but that experience meant even more to me because it made me realize how unfairly I was judging myself. Even if I’m sometimes still a beginner at something, now I trust that I’ll be able to figure it out.
What empowers you most in life?
Remembering that ultimately how you feel about yourself is more important than what others think of you! Freeing myself from the burden of others’ expectations simplifies everything and gives me the freedom to pursue what I really want instead.
Is there a woman from history that you find especially inspiring?
Marie Curie has been an inspiring figure to me since I first learned her story way back in high school. I always find women who refused to stay in the close confines of their time period quite inspiring. Marie Curie stands out to me not just for her scientific achievements (the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different scientific fields ... incredible!), but for how generously she handled them. For instance, she and her husband developed a technique for isolating radium but purposefully didn’t patent it so that scientists and doctors were free to explore its potential benefits to society.
What women leaders or trailblazers have you admired, and what did it mean to you to have them pave the way?
It’s funny because she didn’t have a conventional professional career, but my grandmother inspires me daily, both professionally and personally. She raised five kids while traveling the world due to my grandfather working for the government overseas. Not only did she take remarkable care of her family, but she strove to build a sense of community everywhere she went. That continually reminds me of the importance of support and that I don’t have to do everything alone. And that it’s important for me to build that sense of community with the people I work with for 40 hours every week!
How have you built confidence and / or resiliency over the course of your career?
Getting comfortable asking questions has been a lifesaver. I used to worry I’d look silly or uninformed if I asked questions, but I’ve realized that’s not the case. Asking questions now really helps me set myself up for success later. And being curious about the new topics I’ve encountered has led to so much learning that would never have happened otherwise. I love being a sponge, so the more knowledge, the better. You never know what will come in handy down the road.
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Thank you so much to Nicole for taking the time to share a bit of her own history. Be sure to follow along as we continue to shine a spotlight on the many incredible women across our organization. We celebrate your achievements during Women's History Month and every day of the year!