The deadline to vote for your Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards™ sponsored by First Horizon winner is fast approaching!
These awards celebrate exceptional individuals who embody Thnks’ core values in creating a culture that promotes growing business with gratitude. Finalists in the Individual category were nominated by colleagues, partners, customers, or vendors for embracing gratitude as a business-building strategy.
Your stories of how peers embrace gratitude to generate outsized business impact continue to inspire us. Read on to learn more about our finalists from their nominators:
Anna-Vija McClain: Founder/CEO at Piccolo Solutions
Anna-Vija goes above and beyond what some CEOs or founders of a company do for their employees and clientele. As a small business owner, she understands the need for support from outside forces and is a tremendous advocate for her clients. She takes a hands-on approach, always ensuring she has time to spend with her clients, from a simple check-in call to a lunch meeting to stay connected.
She knows what keeps her business moving forward: happy and satisfied clients. She encourages her team to “say thanks” for referrals promptly with an extra special “Thank You” through handwritten notes and gifts to those whose introduction results in business. She has found that showing extra gratitude for those who think about her and her team leads directly to results.
Kylie Neschke: Enterprise Account Executive at Slack (Salesforce)
Not only is Kylie the definition of a team player and extremely hard-working, but she also always makes time to lend a hand or ear to her peers and core counterparts. She brings a creative perspective to problem-solving and is known for resolving complex customer issues quickly with a smile. She helps her team maximize ACV, crush negotiations, and partner with difficult customers. She is a strong seller and makes her entire team better.
Her commitment to authentic, appreciation-driven relationships shines through all of her work. And while this commitment has positively impacted business outcomes, she is most proud of the compound effect of showing gratitude. Her seemingly small acts ripple outwards by inspiring teammates and customers to pass on personalized messages of appreciation to others in their lives.
Julie Rotan: Senior Manager, Customer Success at Hubspot
Julie is the backbone of the leadership team at HubSpot in the Mid-Market Customer Success segment. She was tasked with re-establishing and amplifying company culture this year and made employee gratitude and gifting a key pillar of her strategy – something that THNKS has enabled her to do with consistency and scale.
Julie amplified Hubspot’s internal recognition and rewards systems with new programs that recognize incredible work and achievements across teams, motivate for stronger metric attainment, and above all, strengthen the team culture and relationships through intentional gratitude practices. She also spearheaded a ‘ReMARKable’ award in Thnks, granted each quarter, that highlights individuals who have truly left their ‘mark’ on the team, customers, and company.
Troy Stevenson: Account Manager at Pegasus Logistics Group
Before joining Pegasus Logistics Group, Troy began his career as a dock worker. Whether loading a truck with a coworker in 110-degree heat or working in a cool, air-conditioned office, Troy emphasizes the importance of building relationships based on trust and communication. He has continued to forge strong connections with both colleagues and clients throughout his career by consistently showing up for them and expressing gratitude.
Through his honesty and commitment to relationships, he has made exceptional contributions in fostering both team and individual development at Pegasus Logistics Group. Troy has created a more positive and healthy company culture and consistently goes above and beyond to lend a helping hand.
Chaitra Vedullapalli: President at Women in Cloud
Chaitra is revered for her proficiency in coaching tech founders, specializing in creating successful Cosell GTM partnerships with industry giants like Microsoft and Google. Her exceptional skills have guided hundreds of tech companies in launching and generating demand. Under her tutelage, these companies have leveraged cloud marketplaces to build million-dollar practices, significantly contributing to their growth.
Her leadership style and innovative strategies have driven business success and fostered a culture of collaboration and innovation. She takes a gratitude-driven approach, inspiring others to adopt similar practices. This culture of appreciation has significantly contributed to Women in Cloud’s business growth and enhanced relationship-building overall.
Congratulations to all the finalists! Cast one vote every 24 hours for the individual you feel is most deserving of this year’s award. Voting ends on September 12. Learn more about the finalists and cast your votes here.
About Our Sponsor: First Horizon Corp. (NYSE: FHN), with $82.2 billion in assets as of June 30, 2024, is a leading regional financial services company, dedicated to helping our clients, communities, and associates unlock their full potential with capital and counsel. Headquartered in Memphis, TN, the banking subsidiary First Horizon Bank operates in 12 states across the southern U.S. The Company and its subsidiaries offer commercial, private banking, consumer, small business, wealth and trust management, retail brokerage, capital markets, fixed income, and mortgage banking services. First Horizon has been recognized as one of the nation’s best employers by Fortune and Forbes magazines and a Top 10 Most Reputable U.S. Bank. More information is available at www.FirstHorizon.com.
