Boss Lady Spotlight: Courtney Deimel
At Armoire, we’re casting a spotlight on some of the notable, powerful boss ladies in our community, and what being a boss lady means to them. Read on to learn all about Armoire member Courtney Deimel.
Her Life:
Past:
I grew up in a very tight-knit family and community of people in Erie, Pennsylvania. I learned hard work from my Dad and giving with your whole heart from my Mom. The amazing chaos of 5 kids close-in-age also led to a lot of laughter and “going with the flow”. This was all helpful as I embarked on a career of helping build start-ups from the ground up.
Present:
As a prior HR Leader for a high-growth startup, I was exposed to seeing first hand that work was changing radically. People are amazing and they aren’t just looking for a paycheck at work. We each want to be making an impact that matters to us. On the heels of that experience, it was a no-brainer for me to move to Seattle and join Team Imperative. My fancy title that is meaningless to me is VP of People & Operations. I’m most proud I get to evangelize and help HR Leaders across the country optimize for fulfillment in the workplace.
Future:
That’s the beauty. I don’t need to decide that today. I just hope I continue to prioritize meaningful relationships in my life, making an impact that matters to me and growing.
Her Career:
How she’s redefining women who work:
Work plays a big part in my personal fulfillment. In fact, Imperative just released a study that found there is only a 1% chance of being fulfilled in life if not fulfilled at work so I know I’m not alone. I feel fortunate to be in a role that helps people work in alignment with their purpose, hence making their work more meaningful. When it comes to women, in particular, it is critical that we feel confident bringing our full selves to work and continue to trailblaze a new work environment optimized for purpose-driven leadership.
Her biggest challenge:
Imperative has led the research and activation of purpose at work. As of 2015, 66% of the workforce is unfulfilled. This is a problem for us as individuals, organizations, and members of society. Our goal is to flip this statistic by the year 2030 so we can say 66% of the workforce IS fulfilled. It’s impossible to flip a statistic like that without bold leaders of organizations that are truly willing to invest in a new approach and way of thinking. We have amazing champions but continue to encourage more leaders to invest in employee fulfillment. It’s imperative.
Her secret to a work/life balance:
First and foremost, I fundamentally disagree with the concept of work/life balance. As I mentioned, it’s nearly impossible to be fulfilled in life without being fulfilled at work. It’s about integration for me and understanding what “being whole” looks like for you. I love working. I love the challenge I’m up against and the problem I get to solve every day with amazing people around me fighting for the same thing. Imperative’s research found three sources of fulfillment: relationships, impact & growth. I use this framework both personally & professionally to check in with myself. 1. Do you feel you have meaningful relationships? 2. Are you making an impact that matters to you? 3. Do you feel you are growing personally & professionally?
What she wishes she knew 5 years ago:
Two lessons come to mind.
1. The BEST thing I learned over the past few years is what intrinsically motivates me through Imperative’s purpose assessment. I feel empowered to own my career and make decisions in line with those motivators. Fulfillment is what we feel when we are aligned with our purpose. I’m grateful I have the framework to make those choices on a regular basis. You can, too!
2. You aren’t an imposter. Stop it.
Her advice:
I have found it more helpful to think about my career by asking, “What problem do you want to be solving?” rather than “What do you want to be?”. I’m already somebody. I don’t need an arbitrary title or an organization to tell me when I’m growing by validating a promotion, for example. Am I part of solving something that matters to me? Am I growing/learning in a way that matters to me? Am I investing in meaningful relationships at work and outside of work? This approach has helped me tremendously. It allows me to focus more on the journey, stay open-minded to a wide-range of job opportunities and feel in the driver’s seat of my career.
Her Style:
Why she uses Armoire:
I signed up for Armoire for a few reasons:
1. I love fashion and feel it’s an amazing vehicle for self-expression.
2. I wanted to support the work of my friend, Lili Morton. It’s important for me to support other women in my world. I think Armoire is doing amazing things and am proud of Lili’s part in it all.
3. I’m excited about the events and community that comes with being an Armoire customer!
Her favorite part:
I LOVE the flexibility of Armoire’s service. It’s so fun to pick a few items from your virtual closet. I like to believe I finally have Cher’s closet from the movie, Clueless. You pick out what you are feeling and it comes right to your door. I love the curated closet but also appreciate that I am still in the driver’s seat of picking out what brings me joy. It’s the best of both worlds!
Boss Lady Go-To:
I’m brand new to the service but I’ve been loving my metallic rain jacket. It’s fun, bold and not something I would have necessarily bought for myself.
