Today’s Meet the Beehive Team blog features long-time Beehive team member Nicki Gibbs, our Chief Strategy Officer, resident chef and lover of fall fashion. In her Q&A, Nicki addresses what has kept her excited about working at the agency for so long, including the roles a growth mindset, flexible schedule and working for a purpose-driven company have played. (Spoiler: Beehive has year-round scheduled flexibility — time-shift schedules, Flex Fridays, compressed work schedules and more — which you can read about on our Careers Page under Flexibility in our People Promise.)

What do you like most about working at Beehive?

On November 1, 2022, I will celebrate my 17^th anniversary at Beehive. I joke with my family and friends that it is probably time to stop calling it my “new” job. And while I’ve worked at Beehive longer than any other job I’ve had, and longer than I ever went to school or lived in one place, it still feels new almost every day.

I love that as an agency we continue to stretch and grow, regularly pushing operational and cultural norms. Embracing work-from-anywhere and salary transparency are just two examples. I love that our client roster is always evolving — not only in the clients and industries we serve, but in the type of work we do. For example, I never would have expected that I have a professional passion for change management and healthcare communication. And I love our team. I am beyond lucky to work with an inspired and inspiring group of people who choose to work at Beehive on a full-time or fractional basis.

What is your current work/schedule arrangement? What does this flexibility mean to you and your life?

I am and always have been a full-time, five-days-a-week employee. This was true when I was raising my daughters, while we were working remotely during the pandemic, and when my mom moved in with us, officially making us a multi-generational household. What has allowed me to navigate it all in a mostly sane way is schedule flexibility, great technology and a cultural expectation that PTO is to be used, not hoarded.

Having the ability to shift work hours based on school schedules and medical appointments, work from anywhere when kid activities mean putting the show on the road, and scheduling time off to relax and recharge from life’s daily demands has been game changing. I know I can do my best work for our clients and team because I have the flexibility to be the best mom, daughter and self when I need to.

Beehive has been a B Corp since 2018. What does this certification mean to you?

Being a Certified B Corporation means we are committed to using business as a force for good. It also means we are committed to measuring and reporting our progress in key areas like supporting workers, community and customers. As a third-party certification, it is an excellent framework for ensuring we are delivering on our purpose and values. I think the B Corp certification is core to who we are, and it has inspired us to clarify and deepen our commitment to who and what we stand up for — in our communities and in the world. It is important to me to work for a company that authentically balances people, planet and profit, and I hope Beehive can be a role model for other businesses who want to pursue this path.

What kind of work do you come to the office to do?

I think one of the things I missed most during the pandemic was the opportunity to work face-to-face with clients and team members. There is something special about co-creation that happens in a collective environment that just does not translate to video meetings. Though the office has only been open since August, I am really excited about the number of client meetings and work sessions we have hosted so far. It’s also a day maker to get the team together for check-ins and brainstorms. We’ve even had a team retreat focused on getting to know the new neighborhood and building resources. While there are quiet spaces for focused work, the energy, camaraderie and creativity of working in the office is what draws me here.

What are some of your talents? How did you discover them?

I don’t think it’s any secret that cooking is one of my greatest joys.

I grew up in an extended family where my grandmother kept a vegetable garden, and somebody was always in the kitchen. At the time we didn’t call it slow food or farm to table, but that is essentially what it was. I thought there was something magical about picking tomatoes and snapping beans and then making supper with what we had on hand. I was lucky enough to learn by seeing and doing. And there was no shortage of aunts, uncles and cousins who shared what they knew.

When I moved away from home I missed the camaraderie of the kitchen, so I worked in restaurants, learning recipes from the owners and hearing the stories that went along with them. It gave me a real appreciation for how to cook from the heart. I am endlessly curious about the ingredients, traditions and experiences that shape different dishes and cuisines. I think the biggest secret to being a “good” cook is to know how to please the people who are eating, and that takes more than just a recipe.

Learn More & Meet Our Team

Check out our Careers page to learn more about our People Promise and what it means to work in a culture grounded in values, where you are inspired to grow and do your best work. Or meet other members of the Beehive team here.