Industry Experience

Real Estate | Advertising | Technology | Government | Finance and banking | Engineering & Aerospace | Human Resources | Manufacturing | Oil & Gas | Waste Management | Restaurant | Franchises | Software Development/Scrum Environments | Pharmaceuticals | Legal | Consulting

Vicki's approach scales:

Individuals | Non-Profit | Start-ups | International | Corporations | Entrepreneurs | Teams

Individual contributor | Manager | Leader of Leaders | Senior Manager & Directors | Executive Team | Business Owner | 

Experience & Education: 

✢ Nearing 2,000 individual coaching sessions

✢ Over 1500 hours or individual & group coaching

✢ Specialized Training in NeuroLinguistic Programming

✢ PCC Certification (See ICF Professional Certifications)

✢ 5 Years of Leadership Development Training with Synovation Valley Leadership Academy

✢ 20 Years of Leadership in Corporate Settings (5 Finance & 15 in Waste Management )

✢ Master's Degree of Life Experiences in being a working, single parent! 

Against the Odds

Leading against the odds can be uncomfortable and it's an opportunity to growth the depth of one's leadership quickly! I was the first female manager in the Midwest for the Environmental Waste company I was employed with at the time. Being a female leader in a male dominated industry has it challenges: being discounted and dismissed as not having credible knowledge or experience, having to prove myself 2-3x more than my male counterparts, experiencing toxic managers who were not comfortable with women in leadership, and of course, being paid less than fairly in comparison to my peers.  

I turned these obstacles into gifts and opportunities to strengthen my self-confidence, learn how to communicate more clearly, and lead from the heart even when it wasn't popular. I learned how to navigate toxic work environments and still excel.  

Burnout and Imbalance

In 2017 I began to take notice of my increasing lack of motivation, feelings of being undervalued and underutilized, boredom and sheer exhaustion. I'd spent the previous years going non-stop between my professional commitments and raising 3 kids as a single parent. Everyone and everything else came first. I even contracted a heart virus around this time that knocked me down even further.  

It was about this time I met my first professional leadership coach.  Under her expert coaching care I began to explore the question:  What would a thriving life look like?  What would be possible if I could get past my own fixed mindset, and most importantly What would it look like to prioritize your happiness?

What's Possible & Career Transition

As I began to ask "what's possible?" I noticed what gave me energy - and what exhausted me.  I loved developing people and teams.  I loved travel.  This process led me to commit to taking action to shift into a career that allowed me to thrive ~ not just survive.  

That career, of course, is leadership coaching.  Using tools provided by my coach I developed a plan of action and took consistent action!  That action allowed me to leave my corporate career in 2019 and start my career as a Professional Coach developing Authentic Leaders.

Two years later in 2021 I packed all of my belongings into storage and began a travel lifestyle where I spend 4-6 months at a time in various locations.  My last two winters have been on the coast of Mexico where I enjoy winters way more than my native Nebraska!

Reclaiming My Self-Confidence and Mindset

It's possible I never really had it (self-confidence), and it's possible that a series of challenging situations as a child, followed by a failed marriage, a business failure, and a few other knocks just plain knocked what was there out of me.

Around 2010-11, I began to realize that it was vital for my happiness and success to develop greater self confidence.  I was full of self-doubt, second guessing, asking others for their opinions, fear of the what-ifs, and stuck in avoidance and procrastination.

With the help of some very wise leadership teachers, and mentors I began to regain that confidence, trust myself and my decisions and stop the second guessing.  This transformed my life.  I write about the 5 practices I developed during that time in my book Confidence Unchained!

Time Management

I've gone from someone who had back to back meetings and obligations booked from 9 am to 9 pm. My obligations were controlling me instead of my controlling my life!

Today, I drive how my time is used.  I set my calendar and appointments with deep intention and say no to opportunities that don't align.  

In our busy world taking back control of your life is a key fundamental of leadership!

Thriving instead of just surviving

Today I lead a thriving life on all levels: emotionally, physically, spiritually, financially, and relationships. I know what it takes to get there.  Now I help others get there.  What does this all have to do with leadership?  Well, we lead ourselves first.  Then we lead teams and businesses.