Success Isn’t a Straight Line: Missy Chicre
“MAKING DIFFERENT DECISIONS WASN'T A SIGN OF FAILURE. IT WAS A SIGN OF GROWTH.”
Episode Description
In this episode of Leadership Matters, Missy Chicre, CEO of Menttium, joins host Kaylee Thomsen to explore how staying open to possibility can reshape your definition of success. Missy shares how becoming a mother forced her to question the achievement-driven path she’d always followed, why redefining success felt destabilizing before it felt freeing, and how a mentor’s honesty gave her the permission and agency to make different choices. She also reflects on the power of nurturing relationships long before you need them, why human connection remains irreplaceable as AI reshapes the workplace, and how leading with heart and vulnerability creates the trust today’s leaders need most. If you believe success is something you get to define for yourself, this one is for you.
Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction
- 01:00 Welcome to the Show
- 01:53 Missy's Earliest Career Aspirations
- 02:29 Defining Pivots: Her Father's Influence
- 03:43 A Lifelong Curiosity About Other Cultures
- 05:29 Growing Up in Boston and How It Shaped Her
- 06:20 Making Decisions in the Moment
- 07:04 From Academia to Business: The Best Buy Internship
- 08:31 Finding the Sweet Spot Between Work and Purpose
- 08:52 Why People Have Always Fascinated Her
- 09:51 Realizing Helping People Was Her Purpose
- 10:50 Becoming a Mother and a Career Turning Point
- 13:14 Redefining Success and Learning to Adapt
- 15:07 Discovering Agency Through a Mentor's Support
- 17:37 How Her Definition of Success Evolved
- 19:51 Living a Values-Aligned Life
- 22:08 The Power of Nurturing Your Network
- 24:18 Meeting Lynn and Joining Menttium
- 25:51 From Big Corporate to a Small, Mission-Driven Team
- 27:25 The Biggest Misconception About Developing People
- 28:46 What Separates Talk From Real Investment
- 31:08 What Keeps Missy Up at Night as CEO
- 34:30 Missy's Approach to Self-Care
- 36:35 Advice for Her Younger Self
- 37:47 Closing Thoughts
More In The Series
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