Nicole Ganier is VP of Operations at Equus Workforce Solutions, a workforce development services provider across North America. Nicole attributes her passion, drive, and purpose for empowering individuals from watching her father’s entrepreneurial and people-savvy nature growing up. Outside of work, Nicole spends time with her daughter and finds joy through her volunteering for the LGBTQ community experiencing homelessness. Nicole has been a member of C200 since March 2024.
Eva Glassman: What is it like being VP of Operations at Equus Workforce Solutions?
Nicole Ganier: It’ll be four years this Fall that I’ve been with Equus. We are the largest workforce development and health and human service organization in the US. We partner with cities, counties, states, and the federal government to provide workforce and health and human services on their behalf. My responsibility is overseeing our operations west of Texas all the way to Hawaii. I have three colleagues who cover the remainder of the country, and together we provide services in 35 states. Typically, our projects are county-based and have 30-40 employees who engage with participants and employers to make an impact in the communities we serve. I have a wonderful team of Regional Directors supporting our operations and working with our Funding community to ensure we’re meeting their objectives.
I came to this work from the private sector after spending over 25 years in the staffing and recruiting industry. Working in the public sector now, my team and I directly support individuals who have found themselves out of work for a multitude of reasons. Our customers are trying to find a career pathway that provides financial stability and food security. Our tagline is: “We change lives.” Although that might sound a bit corny to some, we take pride in that! Our real mission is not just changing the lives of the participants that come through our doors—from young adults to seniors—but also the team members we employ who find purpose and passion in the work we do together.
Many of our participants experience homelessness. I’m based in California, a state where the national homelessness crisis is most prevalent. During the pandemic, homeless individuals were especially vulnerable to contracting COVID due to how quickly it spread in shelter-type environments. Because of this, San Diego County asked us if we would consider helping to oversee the effort to temporarily house individuals experiencing homelessness as well as COVID in a non-congregate environment, and we accepted the challenge. Through that opportunity, I helped to birth a new organization called Equitable Social Solutions. Equitable provides an array of homelessness prevention and housing supports with the goal to place individuals and families in permanent, stable housing, and provide the necessary tools and support to develop self-sufficiency.
I love the work we do. It was a perfect segue for me, having worked for and led large-scale sales and operations teams in staffing organizations, to now being able to have my pulse on the worker—the actual individual person—who’s in need of guidance, coaching, and support to find their way on a path to success.
So many individuals—whether it be because of addiction, layoffs, or mental health—find themselves unemployed and easily homeless if they don’t have supports in place to weather that time. We’ve really leaned into that work and now operate and oversee projects specific to solving the homelessness crisis in California, Oregon, Illinois, and Wisconsin. I’m very proud of this as it is a passion of mine: every person deserves a safe and affordable place to call home!
EG: I read that you graduated from California State University (CSU) and studied sociology in Spain. What was your initial educational background, and how did your career evolve from that point? Did you wind up in the place you thought? What did you learn from it all?
NG: I always like to mention my study abroad experience in Spain, because we all have experiences that call us to step out and start finding our own voice, either by choice or necessity. For me, that was studying abroad, choosing to experience the rest of the world and see what else was out there. It was my sociology professor who suggested it; to this day, I consider it one of the best years of my life because I really grew up during that time.
I’m the youngest of three girls, and all of us have great careers. We’re fortunate we grew up in a two-parent household, which—especially as time has gone by—was truly a luxury. My parents will celebrate 65 years of marriage this year. I’ve had such great role models throughout my life, but having a close-knit family really allowed me to spread my wings.
In my early 20s, I considered entering a career in law or advocacy of some sort, but I had trouble envisioning how that would look. As I got older, I realized that my father being an entrepreneur had a profound impact on what mattered to me. He had his own construction company, and his team just adored him because he was personable, really cared about them, and the work gave them a sense of livelihood and the ability to take care of their families. Witnessing this connection created a strong impression on me and made me realize I wanted to create that for others in my own career. I knew I wanted to support and help people in finding work—the everyday human who has to work hard to take care of their family—like my father did.
Right out of college, I taught high school English for two years and realized quickly I couldn’t afford this path. Through family connections, I realized that I could be a strong salesperson because I like to talk, I’m sociable, and pretty confident most days. I landed a position with ADP, which provided me the professional sales training I needed, and grew from there.
While at ADP, I’ll always remember a recruiter calling me with an opportunity at an employment agency, which I had no idea what they were at the time. Learning more about employment agencies marked the start of finding work that meant something to me personally. I was able to connect it back to what I appreciated most about my father’s work.
I became a relatively successful salesperson within the staffing industry, making different leaps over the years. When I was 28, Janice Bryant-Howroyd, who owns the ACT-1 Group of Companies, gave me the opportunity to join her company as a Director. I quickly became a Vice President, and then her right hand in running ACT-1 as their Executive Vice President. Janice saw something special in me! She invested in me professionally and personally. Her investment helped me to gain greater confidence in myself. The opportunities she provided created a solid career trajectory for me going forward. I will always be grateful to her!
After that, I had the opportunity to serve as President of a Magic Johnson Enterprise organization, Magic Workforce Solutions, then on to Volt, Manpower, and AMN Healthcare. It wasn’t until I found myself here at Equus that I fell in love with what I do. I was at a point in my career where I felt like I could do my work with my eyes closed. I had great opportunities, met amazing people, been a part of wonderful teams—but it was still work, it was about trying to get to the next level up the ladder. I’m also a cancer survivor, and after that experience, I wanted to make sure that my work was purpose-driven.
Now, I’m in a position where I truly, genuinely enjoy what we do. I feel and see the impact of the decisions I make within our organization’s culture and how that impacts team members within Equus and Equitable and throughout the communities we serve.
I believe I’m an example for black and brown women that hard work and resiliency can open the door wide to possibility, but you then have to make an intentional choice to walk boldly through it. At the end of the day, I was raised by two parents who only had a high school education but believed in family, love, and hard work. I point to my sisters and myself, all of whom are college graduates and professional women, to show what’s possible. There’s no formula for success; much of it is working to make things happen for yourself and being your own advocate.
Growing up, I always heard, “Find a job that you love,” and so I always kept that in mind, constantly seeking but never quite finding it. I was good at my job and successful at it, but what did that really mean? It wasn’t until I was 51 that I found the answer to that question (I’m almost 55 now).
I can’t sit here and say, “Here was my plan!” The plan has always been to be a good person, to be thoughtful and kind, to do good work, and to be a great mom. As women, we have to appreciate the experiences and the journeys we go through to realize where and who we are. It’s all part of your path, the important steps in order to realize, “What does happiness really look like? What does success look like for me?” When I was in my 20s and 30s, I thought it meant a great paycheck and a title. Now, as I continue to grow in the ebb and flow of life, I know what purpose-driven living really looks and feels like.
EG: What about C200? How did you find out about this organization, and what or who made you join?
NG: When I joined Equus, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to do work I’m passionate about. Last year, I realized I needed to make sure I was being challenged and inspired by other professional women outside of my circle and across other industries. I’m an ambitious person, and I like to surround myself with other women leaders who create inspiration. I have been in situations in my career where I have reached out to other women leaders who didn’t necessarily give me the support or uplift I was needing. Back in the day (and yes, even now), it’s not uncommon for career-driven women to see each other as threats. I just want women to have an easier road, so I’m interested in anything I can do to lend to that conversation and be action-oriented towards that.
When I saw that Janelle Bieler joined C200 last year, I put it on my radar. We worked together many years ago at Manpower and I’ve always been a fan of hers. I finally reached out to C200 about joining after seeing pictures from the 2023 Annual Conference in San Diego on LinkedIn. I could see the genuine sense of camaraderie among the C200 women, and I could tell that they are all about making change and opportunity for each other as well as others who are coming up behind us. I thought, “I’m going to join for myself.”
The more I learned about C200, I realized this point of my career journey doesn’t have to be the final chapter, and this would be a great organization to learn from and give back to. These women recognize they have been afforded wonderful opportunities, and it’s a way to ensure the next generation of women have an easier time reaching success. Joining C200, I feel as though a synergy has come together because that ethos is who I am. If I can help, I am always all about it, especially to another woman.
EG: Speaking of, I’m curious whether you had any female mentors over the course of your own career.
NG: There have been three main women in my life. The first is my mother, who has never worked for anyone, but always saw her family and raising my sisters and I, her grandkids, and great grandkids as her job. I always respected that, because it was the example of doing whatever you do at 100% and making sure you’re successful at it. I know my mother looks at the success of my sisters and I as her achievement.
The second woman is my oldest sister, who is an executive for a local television station here in Southern California. She was in the world of venture capital for several years, then entertainment, and such an inspiration to me as a professional woman. She showed me what was possible! Sometimes, when I’m doing speaking engagements, I actually hear her voice in my head.
Finally, Janice Bryant-Howroyd, who I mentioned before, was a wonderful mentor of mine who gave me that first big opportunity to lead her company, ACT-1 Personnel Services. As an African-American woman herself, Janice is someone who I admire, and because of her, I was able to gain the confidence needed to be the effective leader I am: asking the right questions, putting people first, pushing back when necessary, speaking to big rooms of people, and presenting myself authentically. We’ve lost touch over the years, but were very close and she’ll always hold a special place in my heart.
While he’s not a woman, Shelley Stewart was another strong mentor. He was the chief procurement officer for a global corporation, and he took me under his wing when I was with ACT-1. I will always remember I was at an event with him for the National Minority Supplier Diversity Council. I remember he literally took my hand and said, “You’re coming with me,” and it was into this room full of the CEOs of big companies like Bank of America, Disney, and Merck. It was in that moment I realized, they’re just like me: they all have stories, an upbringing—some good and some bad—and it’s all about somebody grabbing your hand and saying to you, “Look at what’s out there for you.” If you can envision it, it’s possible.
The only barrier, quite honestly, is yourself, and a defeatist mentality. If you dream big and can see it for yourself, then you can definitely make it happen for yourself.
EG: What does being a “woman in business” mean to you, if anything? How do you apply that thinking to how you lead and to your professional life?
NG: Being a woman in business is how I live. It touches upon every aspect of my life as a professional, a mom, a daughter, and a friend: being thoughtful, empathetic, and considerate, but also strong, direct, and a voice for others.
For example, seventeen years ago when my daughter was born, she became my biggest inspiration and motivator. I didn’t have the ability to be a stay-at-home mother like my mom, but I was determined to be the best mom I could be. If I wanted to be the main influencer in her life, I needed to make sure that I lived my life right. I wanted her to be strong and an independent thinker, which meant that I needed to dig deep to project that.
This is how I lead my professional life, too. There are a lot of people that look to me as an example, especially because I’m a woman of color. I can either run away from that, or I can own it and accept it as a part of who I am and my purpose.
The more you experience in your lifetime, the better leader you become, because time allows you to gain the self-awareness and perspective to evolve. I sometimes think back to when I was a leader at 27, 28 years old. What did being a leader mean to me then? How did I move in that position? Completely differently than how I do today! Now, I know titles matter more to some; my title is within myself. Of course, I want to get paid as equally as my male counterparts, but I really don’t care what I’m called. I just know why I’m here to do the work that I’m doing.
I have a board in my office that always shows the number of employees I’m directly responsible for. Right now, it shows 848. That’s 848 human beings I am responsible to make good decisions for on their behalf. For me, being a leader is making sure I’m representing every single one of their concerns and the work we all do together.
EG: Outside of work, what do you like to do for fun? How do you spend your time?
NG: My world is focused around women’s basketball right now. My daughter is quite the player and is being recruited by some great universities, so leaning into her needs and traveling with her club team is a huge commitment. I don’t have lots of free time because it’s a full-time job managing the opportunities that are coming her way—I guess I’m her “momager!” In all seriousness, she is truly my joy. Next summer, the time I’ve been dedicating to her so she can realize her dream of playing Division One college basketball will come to an end. She’ll be off to a fabulous university, and I am looking forward to giving my time to something else and looking forward to getting more involved with C200.
A lot of my joy comes from the volunteer work I do addressing homelessness as well as being an ally for young adults in the LGBTQ+ community. As a proud mom to a gay young woman, I have met so many girls who aren’t comfortable standing strong in who they are, as my daughter does, and I’d like to continue to be a resource for them and their families.
At this point in my life—while I’m never going to turn down a great massage, spa day, or some travel from time to time—it’s really about the people in my life and the impact I’m able to make.
EG: What is your advice to aspiring women business leaders to advance their careers?
NG: Don’t expect it to happen—make it happen. You have to go after it. It’s taking control of your destiny and deciding what you want. Some people make it seem like you must create a strict plan, but I don’t see it that way. It’s deciding what you want to be or do, and start living it, even before people give you the title or the responsibility. That way, you’re projecting into the world who you are. It becomes simple to others why you should have the next position or opportunity because you’ve already been assuming it.
Also remember: we’re not in control of the universe. We can only “control the controllables.” Many women in leadership positions are type-A personalities, so this is especially important to come to terms with. You have to be willing to pivot and understand there are going to be times when success comes, and there are going to be challenging times when you have to stay focused and resilient. When I was growing up, I always heard that a woman can do anything and everything she wants. You can do it all, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to do it all wonderfully. There’s always a consequence, right? Prioritize and understand what’s important at the time and understand it may change in a year or two, and that’s okay. I’ve gotten some opportunities over the past few years I’ve declined, because I wanted to be home and present with my teenage daughter during crucial years. I knew what was most important for me. We all have to make choices that are best for us and don’t worry about judgement from others!
Throughout my journey, being resilient is the quality that has allowed me to overcome life’s challenging times and to always come back stronger than before. I believe in positive self-talk and believing in my abilities. You can’t expect someone to believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself! I’m a vulnerable and transparent leader—this creates trust and relatability. By sharing my own story, I believe I’m inspiring others to share their own so we may all grow and continue bettering our best!
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