Vicky Holland is that person you hope you meet in your lifetime– driven, genuine, and inspiring.  She is the embodiment of dynamite philosophies. For example: “Every success is the result of continuous learning; every challenge is a reason to learn how to meet it; every day is an opportunity to become a better person and leader.” She lives her personal goal of learning something new every day by viewing others around her as her instructors who always have special nuggets to share. It is no wonder that those of us who get to see her daily would describe her as smart, ethical, honest, caring, fair, and kind. She’s easy to work with and for, always a good listener, and open to ideas and changes. As much as we appreciate Vicky, we are also very proud that we can share her with you. Read on and you will understand what it is that keeps us all smiling while being productive.

Vicky’s Motto “I never lose. I either win or I learn.”  Nelson Mandela

At Work

What has caused Pathfinders to grow the most? Our willingness to be nimble and responsive to the changing requirements of our client partners and the industry. As well as access to:

• Smart people – both co-workers and client partners who are willing to be open to possibilities
• Amazing brands and companies
• Resources
• Personal passion fueled by my amazing team

Steve Ball has provided a solid platform for success which allows us to do what is right for our people, our partners, and Pathfinders. Always a win/win/win.

What was the most fun activity or project with your Pathfinders team? I would have to say a bowling event we did a few years back. We had teams, and team names, and everyone was talking “smack” for the weeks leading up to the event. I haven’t bowled in years, but on this day with my team, we quietly killed it and won the event!

Have you received any professional awards? What were they? How did you win them? Any awards that have been won have been for the work of the company, not for anything I may have done solo. But I am most proud of the company winning Best Places to Work in Indiana two years in a row. The results are driven by our team – and knowing they love working for Pathfinders makes me very proud.

How does Pathfinders help find a path to success for our clients? Three simple things we deliver daily to our partners:

• Make their lives easier
• Be an extension of their team
• Move their business forward

There are many different paths to take a client based on their objectives and their targets, but if we really do these things well, we will be partners for many years.

What is your idea of perfect happiness in the workplace? Honestly, I’m a very happy and positive person – but at the core of happiness in the workplace is loving what you do. I have had an amazing journey within a 50-mile radius of my front door working with smart people and interesting brands worldwide. And I am blessed to say that I have loved what I do for over 30 years.

At Play

If you could be a character of fiction come to life, who would it be and why? I really liked “Jones” from the book by Andy Andrews named The Noticer. I love to read, and I like many different authors and storylines/genres. What I loved about this character is how he shared his perspective and helped people see things differently. People can get so spun up about things personally and professionally and if only they would just pause and step back to see the broader view, they could regroup, take a breath, and move on in a more productive way. I know that sounds so simple, but most situations are never as horrible as they seem with a little perspective from someone who takes the time to notice and care.

Describe your most recent home improvement project? We built our house just under 20 years ago and I love it! Our most recent home improvement has been painting the exterior of the house to freshen up the colors. It looks amazing. It’s crazy how changing up a few simple things, like the trim and door colors, will dramatically improve the curb appeal.

What is your most treasured accomplishment? I have four things that are treasured accomplishments:

• My 30 year marriage – Jeff is my life partner and best friend
• Sydnee – she is the best parts of both Jeff and me. She will go very far with her intelligence and kindness.
• Sarah – she is my sunshine and she reminds me about what is important every day. The sky is always blue in Sarah’s world.

Which historical figure do you most identify with? FDR was a president that was transparent/communicative with his fireside chats; he was respectful of his spouse and her opinions. He was an inclusive leader, working closely with both sides of government; appointing more women to federal posts than any previous president and he also included black Americans in federal job programs – so he was a bit ahead of his time. He did not let his personal health challenges affect his passion and desire to make positive change in the world. He brought confidence back to the American people when it was needed most. As a company leader, these are all characteristics that I admire and try to demonstrate/emulate for my team and community.

Who are your heroes? I have several – but the prize goes to my mother, Nancy/Nana/Mom. She has been gone for over 15 years now, but she had such an amazing influence on my life. She was my rock, confidant, best friend, mentor, cheerleader, and motivator. She raised 5 kids alone in a time when that was not “popular.” She ran a very democratic household and respected each of us and our vote in major decisions. She demonstrated the importance of kindness, working hard, and a drive to never stop learning and growing. Her smile could brighten any room and her heart could hold many. I aspire daily to be half the woman that she was for my family and friends.

You may not know…

Any inside information you care to share? For my work life I learned a very long time ago how to be an extrovert; however, I’m really an introvert and love quiet time to myself.  My ultimate goal is to have a very healthy and happy life – with a heavy focus on the HEALTHY! As a breast cancer survivor, health and happiness move to the forefront.

What is your greatest talent? My archetype is the “Caregiver” and my motivation is to make sure that the people in my personal and professional life are supported in ways that help them to be successful –whatever that success might look like. For clients/partners, I want to make sure that Pathfinders makes their life easier while getting them great results. For my team members, I want to make sure that they are being challenged while feeling a tremendous amount of mentorship and independence. For my family, I want them to be safe and loved and guided toward their goals in their life journeys.

Any special reading for enjoyment? I have read every one of Dan Brown’s books and love them all. My favorite was Deception Point. I find it hard to put his books down once I get started. I read the DaVinci Code twice because there was so much to take in that I wanted to take the time to really enjoy all the detail he presents. It was just as interesting the second time around.

Any favorites? Yes! I have many!  Here are a few:

• Food – Anything Jeff cooks!
• TV Series – There are two I try to watch – The Good Doctor and Designated Survivor.
• Superhero – Tony Stark aka Iron Man. Love his intelligence, his wit, his use of technology, and he is adorable!
• Season – Fall in the Midwest is amazing.
• Movie – I have a very eclectic taste in movies. I continue to go to movies very frequently as I prefer to see them on the big screen. I grew up with three brothers – so I love science fiction and superhero movies. Basically anything Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel or DC are on my list.
• Activity – The best is a four-mile power walk on a sunny late afternoon with nothing but the sounds of the world around me. No phone and no headphones! It is my favorite think time – I’ve solved many problems on my walks!

What do you absolutely have to have in your workspace? My two computer monitors! I find it very difficult to not have my two large screens when working on my laptop at home or away. It helps me keep several things moving at once.