Latest / CEOs and ABCs / Camille Hymes (Smoothie King, Starbucks, Jack In The Box, ExxonMobile) The Power of a Career Pause, How to be a Better Leader & Creating Presence at Home #032

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Camille Hymes (Smoothie King, Starbucks, Jack In The Box, ExxonMobile) The Power of a Career Pause, How to be a Better Leader & Creating Presence at Home #032 · CEOs and ABCs

• 0:00
  Speaker A: I have this personal mission statement to live in peace and bliss and to help others succeed beyond what they ever imagined. With this power pause, I realized that there's a lot of opportunities that are coming my way. But what's most important are my nos. This might be a great opportunity, but this doesn't really match my purpose. So it's been an incredible opportunity to be still and pay attention.
• 0:27
  Speaker B: Welcome to CEOs and ABCs. Real stories from execs who lead at work and show up at home. Career moves, parenting, wins and fails and everything in between. I'm your host, Kevin Rice. Here's today's episode. Welcome back to CEOs and ABCs. Our guest today is Camille Himes. Camille is the former chief operating officer at Smoothie King, and she's held executive roles at Starbucks, Jack in The Box, and ExxonMobil. In this episode, we talk about how her personal mission statement has guided her in her career. How organizing her own personal board of advisors gave her the support she needed to navigate the tension between ambition and presence as a mother. Camille also shares her experience with facing the moments that force you to slow down, kind of rethink everything, and redefine what success actually means. Today, she's in a power pause and purposefully choosing where she wants to show up next. This is a conversation about leadership, presence, and being intentional, both at work and at home. Camille, thank you so much for joining me today.
• 1:26
  Speaker A: It is my absolute privilege and honor to be here with you today. I love everything that you do, and your podcasts are absolutely remarkable. Thank you for having me.
• 1:35
  Speaker B: Thank you so much. I appreciate that. Yeah, it sounds like we have had a number of guests that have also been in kind of your inner circle and world for a long time.
• 1:45
  Speaker A: Absolutely. The one that comes to mind is Adam Brotman. So that. That was really special and I just admire him so much as a leader.
• 1:53
  Speaker B: Adam was amazing. Shout out to Adam. So you are in a interesting place in your life, in your career. You recently wrapped up your role as the chief operating officer at Smoothie King, and I was snooping on your LinkedIn and realizing this is the first time you have taken a pause between positions, really, in your entire career. So what does life look like right now? How are you spending your time? What's alive in you and lighting you up these days?
• 2:21
  Speaker A: Well, I have to say that the sabbatical has been better for me than I could have ever imagined. I'm about halfway through, so my. My goal was to take about six months off before considering doing anything differently and to your point, I started my career directly out of College when ExxonMobil recruited me to be on their executive programming. And so they planned my career from the time that they hired me all the way through to retirement. And I really enjoyed that aspect. But I traveled and I relocated eight times in 16 years. So beyond just working for a lengthy period of time, I was relocating, reinventing, and reimagining not only my professional life, but also my family life, moving them around. And so when I finally settled in San Diego with Jack in the box, I was able to raise my family, grow roots develop, friendships, blossom. As a leader, that was incredible. But I immediately then transitioned to a Starbucks and worked there for almost a decade. And then with Smoothie King, that was about a little over two and a half years. And I really got to the point where I knew there was an intersection between my career and what was happening with my family. I have three beautiful children. Two of them have returned home, and they're about to go back out again for university, for advanced degrees. And this was a perfect opportunity for me to be wholly present with my family and enjoy maybe some of the time that I missed when I was cultivating my career. So it's been amazing and incredible. And they'll be out again on their own in August and September. So it's been absolutely delightful.
• 4:19
  Speaker B: That's amazing that you have that time to just kind of reconnect with them before you're again an empty nester. Have you been able to do any reflection during this time? Because for me, the power pause I took was really transformative and how I changed my direction or the way I was carrying myself. And I'm curious, are you learning anything about yourself during this kind of quieter time that maybe you couldn't hear before?
• 4:46
  Speaker A: Wow, what a. What an amazing question. I would say that I've had a lot, a lot of time to reflect on the. The areas that bring me joy personally and professionally, as well as where I've made errors or mistakes. And so through this, what you coin as the power pause, it's been about going back to what my purpose is in life. How do I honor the time that I have here on Earth, not only for my family, for my faith, but in my career. I have this personal mission statement that I developed when I was at Starbucks. And my personal mission statement is to live in peace and bliss and to help others succeed beyond what they ever imagined. And so I wake up every morning with that reflection and intention. And with this power pause, I've realized that there's a lot of opportunities that are coming my way. There's a lot of things that I can do. But what's most important are my nos. Like, where do I say, this might be a great opportunity, but this doesn't really match my purpose? And so for me, saying no sometimes is really hard because the opportunities are abundant and wonderful. Wonderful. But if it doesn't align with what I'd like to do to make a meaningful difference on this planet, then it's easier for me to say no. And I'm realizing that now because I have way more opportunities to say, this isn't really the right path right now for me or ever. So it's been an incredible opportunity to be still and pay attention.
• 6:39
  Speaker B: Yes, that's great. I wonder, because I think a mission statement like that, with so much purpose and alignment with kind of who you are gives you clarity on what you want to say yeses and nos to. But you have. You've had such an amazing career, and you have, I'm sure, so many opportunities coming your way. When you were younger in your career, would you have been able to say no to opportunities that maybe didn't feel in alignment? Knowing what you know now, would you have taken the position with ExxonMobil or Jack in the Box? Because right now you. You have that freedom. Right. Like, you've built an incredible career, and I'm sure people are knocking on your doors when you're younger in your career, it's probably more difficult to say no. This doesn't feel in alignment when you're like, I need to take the next step.
• 7:30
  Speaker A: Yeah, great question. I would say that I intentionally live with no regrets. So there have been times where I may have questioned how long I've stayed. But gathering and garnering all of the incredible lessons along the way has brought me to where I am today. So I would say unequivocally that I have no regrets. And it's helped me to find my mission statement and be very intentional each and every day. When I was at Starbucks, I knew that I wasn't the leader that I needed to be. So instead of changing companies or brands, I decided to change myself. And that's when I enrolled into executive coaching because I needed to level up for my team. And through that, understanding, my mission statement, like, I wanted to help people to succeed beyond what they ever imagined, but I. I wasn't equipped. So through that intentional practice, I made decisions to level up, but not necessarily level out of a particular space or brand, if that makes sense. Yeah.
• 8:48
  Speaker B: Yeah. Because if you moved on. It's still you, right? Like you're gonna find yourself in the same position somewhere else. And I'm a huge proponent. Coaching. I had three executive coaches in my career because we started our company straight out of college. Jesse and I, my co founder, had no corporate experience, no business experience. Our first coach, I think we were his easiest client ever because he was teaching us how to do one on ones, team meetings, look at weekly financial dashboards that were as simple as you could imagine. And that's what we needed at the time, was just the basics of managing a five person company. And then my second executive coach, she was more of an industry specialist, so she knew the agency consulting space and she just knew the ins and outs and the nuances of how to carry yourself when you're competing against the larger organizations. And then my last executive coach was a Tony Robbins kind of guy. Just amazing. But what he really helped me see was a real purpose and I was, was building this company to eventually exit. But kind of midway through that was starting to feel a little hollow and it wasn't getting me out of bed every day in the way that I wanted to. And so he helped me kind of really discover what fueled me underneath the eventual exit. And for me, that was the connection that I wanted to experience with my coworkers and clients. And it really came back to h, who I could, how I could contribute.
• 10:22
  Speaker A: Yeah.
• 10:22
  Speaker B: And coming back to you, I know that's really important to your mission statement, because your mission statement, if you wouldn't mind just saying it one more time for the audience, because I think it's really powerful, really centers on how you're able to help other people and be of service.
• 10:37
  Speaker A: Yes. My mission statement is to live in peace and bliss and to help others succeed beyond what they ever imagined. That is it. And it defines my yeses and nos. And so it's not necessarily just individually, but it's also as a collective, as a community. So what I learned in many of the companies that I've had the privilege and honor of working for, I've had remarkable leaders, like people who are part of what you would call your board of directors, where they may not be technically your supervisor, but, but they may be your champion. They may be someone that you could call to just bounce an idea off of, or if I call, when I really need guidance. And so to be available and open to so many remarkable people at every level has been something that I'd like to pay forward from the people that have supported me in my journey. When I was working with Starbucks. Howard Schultz used to use this term, butu. And ubutu is an African word that means I am because of you. And when you, when. When I learned how a true leader embodies that sentiment, it is so easy to be of service to others and also recognize how your purpose comes to life through supporting others or the blessings that come through being in the presence of really remarkable leaders and staying connected with them. I have so many leaders that I feel Ubudu and I want to pay that forward.
• 12:32
  Speaker B: Well, let's go back a little bit earlier, kind of to the beginning of your career, when maybe some. Some of this clarity didn't quite exist. Yes. So you mentioned you started at ExxonMobil. How did those early years kind of form the professional or even just the woman that you are today?
• 12:50
  Speaker A: I would say that ExxonMobil Experience taught me the technical skills to understand what it means to lead a business at scale, authentically connect with people. I worked with a lot of franchisees who they. They put in their 401ks to open up a. A gas station, and so to really understand what was most important to them, how I could be of service to them, and then how we come together to really sort of differentiate ourselves from the. The other brands. So the early lessons at ExxonMobil were really about understanding individual journeys and how I may support them in my very younger years. It was. It was not a dynamic opportunity. It was more like that sort of laying the groundwork. But I didn't truly understand what it meant to be of service until I transitioned out of that and into Jack in the box. Just recognizing, again, working with franchisees, how important it was for us to deliver a great programming platform for them to deliver consistently to their guests or customers. So I would say over time, it took me a while to arrive to where I am today. But what I understand the through line to be, whether it's gas and oil or hamburgers and French fries or those delicious macchiatos and now Matcha or smoothies, it's really about the people. And so I would say, I've said this before. I'm a slow learner. It took me a minute to understand that you could transition between industries, especially in operations, if you know what's most important. And I would say I got my master's class at Starbucks for sure, because that was just the ethos of the company. It was people, company serving coffee. But what I would say is really deeply understanding what matters to people and getting really close to how I can show up as a leader to support their aspirations, endeavors, growth, whatever it is showing up uniquely for that. That person, or as a collective.
• 15:15
  Speaker B: Yeah. And while you were at ExxonMobil, I think that if I look at your children's ages and the tenure of your career there. Did you become a mom while you were at ExxonMobil? Is that when you started building your family?
• 15:30
  Speaker A: I absolutely did. And I would say that because I was in the sort of in the trenches, really, learning, traveling a lot, developing. There were times where I wasn't always present and just recognizing that I was fortifying sort of our future as a family, financially or professionally. I didn't. I wasn't always there. So I had to figure out how to be supportive of my family without my presence for a period of time. And so we, you know, people call it the board of directors, your cheerleaders, your champions. Number one. My husband, of course. Well, in June will be 30 years together.
• 16:15
  Speaker B: Congratulations.
• 16:16
  Speaker A: Thank you. He is. He is my rock and really has helped with the balance between what I'm doing professionally and my family. But others, my. My mother, his mother, we had everyone. My cousins. I mean, it was. You know how they say it takes a village. I have no shame in recognizing that I can't do it all myself, Whether I'm married or if I were single or had a partner. You just can't do it all. Sometimes you fall. You have to forgive yourself. But over time, you realize that, you know, you're surrounded by this village, that if. If you leverage appropriately and thoughtfully, it really works for the family. And that's. I've. I've had the great fortune of having a really good board of directors.
• 17:04
  Speaker B: That's amazing. Yeah. I mean, it certainly does take a village. I rely heavily on my. My parents, my partner, my friends. I think they certainly help me, like when I just need help. Can you help pick up the kids or something? But it's also a lot more of just the, like, emotional support that sometimes I really need when things are tough. So I like that. Cause it's a great. You know, you already mentioned your personal mission statement and now board of directors. And that was how I figured out how to be a better parent, was when I realized I need to leverage what I've invested the last 15 years of my life doing, which was becoming a better parent, business, professional, and leader, and figure out how I can tie that back to my family. And that's when it started to click for me, because I put together core values. I put together a mission statement. You know, I Do like not quite one on ones, but we do a lot of rituals and routines and check ins that were really inspired from my business career. And it's just fun looking at all the things I learned about leadership and how they translate to my family. That's how I figured it out.
• 18:07
  Speaker A: Absolutely. And you know what's even more interesting about what you said is that you take all of those lessons. It's purpose driven. And then you also want to equip your children as they develop and grow to have that, those same values, those same intentional practices or what you called rituals. That's really important because they are watching when you think they're not. You know, yes, they really are, as your employees are, 100% and. And then just being very intentional about the conversations, like what's happening in my professional life and how that translates to cycles and phases in their life to how and how to sort of either overcome or take advantage of what is happening in this moment.
• 18:54
  Speaker B: Yeah. Was there a moment where you realized you weren't as present as you wanted to be? Like, last time we spoke, you mentioned you kind of feeling like you were sleepwalking as a parent. And I, I described it previously as being in robot mode. And I was totally disconnected from myself and my kids, but I was incredibly productive. And I would be doing things like reading bedtime stories, but I'd be rehearsing like my next sales presentation. I'm curious, like, did you have a moment or was it a collection of moments? When did you realize, okay, I need to make a change here?
• 19:28
  Speaker A: Wow. I've never really shared this publicly, but I will share with the very specific intention that others may be going through something similar. But after our second child, we actually had another, a daughter. And she passed away at five months. She had crib death. And that unfortunately was my wake up call to recognize how precious and short life was. And we were going through a transition. We were relocating from Southern California to Virginia or Maryland, wherever we were going at the time. And so everything was up in the air. And the loss of a child, you can't put into words the, the trauma that it can cause. But not only that, the. It forces you to recognize how limited your time is with your children, regardless of the age. And so I remember very specifically noticing even in the morning of the death of my daughter, that I wasn't present. I was mourning and then returning to work. And so over time I had to develop pressure practices to make sure that I was wholly and completely present. And, and so it is a terribly tragic story. But many people go through this type of tragedy, and hopefully it doesn't take that, but to find moments where you can be present. Like once you walk through the threshold, intentionally sitting with your child, staying present for a few moments, letting them know that you're there. Those are, like, tactics, but they work because then they can see that you're wholly and fully present with them.
• 21:29
  Speaker B: Yeah, I appreciate you sharing that story. I think that's every parent. It's certainly my. My worst nightmare is losing a child. How did you cope with that? Did you process it? Did you grieve, or did you do. What I did when I was going through my most difficult time was I just shut it down and I disconnected from it. And later that materialized in ways that, you know, were negative. Um, how did you get through what was, I'm sure, the most challenging period of your life?
• 21:58
  Speaker A: Yeah, I will. I will say that I did all of the things that you just described, you know, the morning, the shutting down. But I had such a circle of people that surrounded me, both in my professional life and then also personally that helped to guide me through it, that were present with me. I think that's what helped me to become a better leader as well, is because you never know what someone is going through until you sit in the space with them. So everyone has a unique journey. Their highs, the lows, the tragedies. When you are able to sit and be present with them, which I watched people do for me. I knew that I need to be more mindful of what people are going through and share those experiences. And I have in. In the past where people needed further healing from events like I just described with the loss of my daughter. Chelsea.
• 23:08
  Speaker B: Yeah, hi, Kevin here. If you're enjoying this conversation and you know someone else who's working to grow in their career while staying present at home, I'd really love it if you could share this episode with them. It's one of the best ways you can help us and help more leaders build their careers in a way that they're proud of without missing the moments that matter most. When you did make that decision to leave ExxonMobil after 15, 16 years, what was it that influenced your decision? Had you come up with your personal mission statement? Were you thinking about alignment of where your career would eventually go? Cause they had mapped it all out for you, and did it align with that mission statement?
• 23:46
  Speaker A: So I would say that it was more towards looking at the landscape of ExxonMobil at the time where I didn't really, after 16 years and all the relocations and all the personal things that were happening, I didn't really see myself in the executive role. Right. Like, I did not see myself as chief operating officer for Exxon or chief, you know, chief CEO. And I noticed that over at Jack in the Box, there was more diversity. There was more opportunity to grow into a C suite position. I took note of my odds of continuing to grow at the rate in which I desired. I spent a lot of time investing in my development. I wanted to see sort of the benefits of growing into an executive role. And so for Jack in the Box, it did that for me. That was my first role as a vice president and senior leader at the time, Leonard Kama, Lenny Kama was the chief executive officer. And so I saw a lot of potential with, with, with that brand and where they were going.
• 25:03
  Speaker B: Yeah, no amazing organization. I actually was fortunate to work with them before Bounties was acquired and we launched. Really like their digital capabilities. So it was a awesome team to work with.
• 25:14
  Speaker A: Yes.
• 25:15
  Speaker B: And plus, you got to move to San Diego, which I would argue is like the best place in the world to raise a family.
• 25:20
  Speaker A: It's a bonus. And my kids are slowly making their way back to Southern California one child at a time. So my oldest is there in Los Angele Angeles area, and then my daughter is moving back for grad school. So we've got one more that committed to go, and then we'll have all three in the Southern California area.
• 25:40
  Speaker B: What I gathered when you left ExxonMobil, you weren't quite just pursuing a title. It seemed like it really aligned with your mission to be of service. So I'm curious, when did leadership stop being just about achievement and start becoming more about your responsibility to others? Did anything happen to cement that notion or reinforce the mission statement for you?
• 26:06
  Speaker A: I would say I. I became really wholly disciplined and focused on elevating my leadership when I transitioned over to Starbucks. So it wasn't that I didn't have a. There wasn't a great culture at Jack in the Box, but it was in the ethos of. Of Starbucks to be of service to people. It was in the daily rituals. It was in being present and slowing down. I'd never worked for a company where you have to start by drinking coffee and then learning about someone's life and journey before you even started the meeting. I couldn't understand that coming from ExxonMobil and Jack in the Box. And so over time, these little signals of, and practice of becoming really present with the person that you're in Front of help me to understand that I need to refine who I am as a leader and define who I am as a leader. So I had great leaders at Starbucks, really remarkable people. They all taught me very different dimensions to leadership. They were not all the same, they very, very different. But I took from them their high points and what was most important to them in demonstrating really great leadership. And I think that's where I was exposed to just a massive amount of remarkable people. And again, it's that Ubuntu sort of feeling that because of those leaders that I had the privilege of being with, it's who made me who I am today.
• 27:46
  Speaker B: Sure, yeah. I mean, you got to work with Howard Schultz. I'm sure he was an amazing leader and mentor to work with. How, how did you manage to stay connected with your family while you were at Starbucks, just given that you were in a very prominent position? I'm sure there was a lot of travel and it's like one of the largest restaurant chains in the world. Did you have specific rituals or routines that helped you stay connected now that you had like made the conscious decision that I want to be more intentional?
• 28:12
  Speaker A: Absolutely. I would say there, let's say three things. First is making sure that I was connecting with them if I was traveling at night to say goodnight, to say the prayer, to make sure that there was a rhythm and a cadence to my presence, even though it was virtual. I would also say that I was very intentional about the weekends. Even though we're a seven day a week business, the weekends were pretty much more solid and taking time with the family. And so my kids would joke to say I would take them in the car. I'd say I only want to go one place. But then I would have them out for the entire day. We would catch up on everything. So even today, my children as adults say, don't get in the car with mom or you're going to be in there all day. But then they end up doing it and loving it and joking about it. So I would say the second ritual is making sure that I had a captive audience for some time so that I could reconnect. And I would say the last thing is that I'm never done. So recognizing that I'm not always going to get it right, having those conversations of when things didn't go well or maybe I wasn't present. And what I can do today, the history is gone. But to this point, I'm on a sabbatical right now to be here for my family in a really Interesting time where I get to reconnect with them as adults. So that's been a privilege. And just recognizing those. Those moments is really special, I'm sure.
• 29:46
  Speaker B: Did you have similar or different, like, rituals and routines in your profession, in your career that helped you establish better relationships or connection with your colleagues, co workers, or, like, even direct reports?
• 29:57
  Speaker A: Absolutely. So do you remember when I shared that, you know, you start every meeting with sort of a coffee tasting, and then you really have a moment to connect? I learned that there, and I brought that over to, you know, my other role at Smoothie King as their coo, where there were. There's a point in time where it's all about just getting a deeper level of understanding of who I'm working with, what's important to them. And so almost every meeting, without being formal, was just to connect in. We used to host meetings every week. They probably still do. And before I arrived, it was getting right into the work, and it was all very transactional. And over time, we would begin our Monday morning calls with what was very personal and intentional about what matters to people outside of work. And that really caught on. Like, people really appreciated the humanity that comes with working as a. As a leader and at every level. So I would say that's where I learned the most about leadership, is just really tapping into humanity.
• 31:14
  Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, that was something that I feel like I really didn't embrace in the earlier years of my career, probably mostly through till. I don't know if I ever really did. I mean, I certainly had good relationships with a lot of people, but I was always like, okay, let's start the meeting. Let's get to work. We've got an agenda. Let's go. And if. And even in car rides, like, if we'd go travel, because in the early days, we couldn't afford to fly. So we drive from here. I remember we. I did a day trip from San Luis Obispo to San Diego in one day, their meetings back. And during that whole time, all I wanted to talk about was the business. Then, like, people would bring up personal topics, and I just tried to redirect them back to, like, no, let's use this time to get work done. Like, I was just so driven to, you know, perform and achieve that we missed a lot. And I'm curious what you think organizations benefit from by bringing that personal, human element to the culture. Why is that beneficial for an organization versus the way that I was doing it at the beginning? Like, just trying to be so on task.
• 32:25
  Speaker A: Yeah. So I would Say, Barbara Perry is a culture cultural anthropologist, and she just wrote a book. I hope you have a chance to interview her. She is remarkable. And she just wrote a book called Hope at Work. And so this is really about, like, when you're navigating through, like, seismic change or making adjustments in organization, how you tap into every individual understanding, like, what matters, so that you can galvanize everyone together to move in a particular direction, not to manipulate, but to authentically understand and meet people exactly where they are, and then creating the spirit of humanity, of hope, of, you know, opportunity to do something bigger and better than yourself. And so I would say that's like the most. It seems like it would be the most obvious, is to tap into individuals, to authentically. That's the key. Connect with them to understand what matters, and then from that it's reciprocated. And in operations, it's critical because you can't pour from an empty cup. You can't ask someone to care about the guests if you don't care about them. And that doesn't happen through a playbook. It doesn't happen through standard operating procedures. It literally is time and attention to people who are delivering a great experience for others, because that's the role in operations. But you have to do that with authenticity and integrity.
• 34:09
  Speaker B: Yeah, I just hear so much of the kind of ethos of hospitality and everything you just described. It's funny because I just reflect back on who I was as a leader, probably through the first half of my career, and I would have challenged you, and I would have said, well, is this going to increase employee productivity? Is this going to increase employee retention? And that's all I would have cared about is like, is this going to hit the metrics? Is this going to move the needle? But as I matured through my career, I just realized, like, there's so much more value of having a culture where people feel connected and inspired. And there's some things that you just can't measure on the corporate scoreboard.
• 34:51
  Speaker A: Totally. But what I will say, the secret is if you do it authentically and well, it does. So there is. There's tangible evidence to the fact that when you intentionally invest in your people, you intentionally spend time. The metrics change. I was able to do that, actually, at Smoothie Kingdom, our corporate locations, we saw our turnover drastically drop because we were showing up very differently for the team members there. Yeah, I would say that it's an and and not an or. For.
• 35:27
  Speaker B: Sure, sure, sure. I agree. I mean, I think safety is something that certainly Shows up by creating a place where people can be creative and they can come up with new ideas without fear of judgment. So there's. Yeah, there's a lot of those aspects of, like, psychological safety, that kind of tie in and interpersonal connections that, you're right, do ultimately make it onto the corporate scoreboard.
• 35:54
  Speaker A: They do, they do.
• 35:57
  Speaker B: So how did you decide to leave Starbucks? Because I look at your resume, the accomplishments, you're at the leading restaurant brand in the world. Everybody's looking up to Starbucks. I mean, for me, being in the digital consulting space, Starbucks, maybe Domino's, those were kind of like the pioneers that really inspired me and our leadership to actually change our corporate direction. Because we were a generalist consulting firm, we worked in all kinds of industries. B2B Healthcare. Our first restaurant client was actually Jamba Juice. So we launched their mobile ordering and loyalty application in 20, 2016, 2015.
• 36:40
  Speaker A: Okay.
• 36:41
  Speaker B: And at the time we were looking at Starbucks, we were looking at Domino's, and we're like, okay, this has to be where the restaurant industry goes. Like, this is. This is something that other chains can't ignore. I mean, Jack in the Box didn't have digital at that time. None of the big chains, Burger King, McDonald's didn't even really have anything going in digital. But we were like, okay, the trend is there. It has to go in this direction. And we made a big bet and we kind of shuttered some pretty significant brands in our portfolio so that we could focus on the restaurant industry. I'm curious for you, being at such a culturally relevant, growing, inspiring brand, how did you make the decision to leave?
• 37:23
  Speaker A: It wasn't an easy one. Well, maybe, maybe it was. I would say that I spent six and a half years in retail operations in the mid Atlantic region, and it was an incredible opportunity to grow the business with new stores. Same store sales impact the guest experience very differently. Grow leaders. I think that's the thing that I'm most proud of. When I started, we were at 500 stores, about 800 million in sales. And then we transitioned to 800 stores and 1.3 billion. It was amazing. But the development of the leaders, those leaders that have either stayed with Starbucks or have transitioned onto these really epic roles with these really cool brands is what I'm most proud of. And those that were in maybe right at the storefront and are now in leadership roles, those were their aspirations. And to do that at scale goes back to my purpose. And then I transitioned out of that role and into public affairs, which is really, really an awesome Opportunity to see how things work behind the scenes and to really understand, like, what is our narrative, how do we reconnect with our ethos, and how do we show up authentically, globally. And that was an awesome experience. But I missed field operations. I missed being able to impact people's lives, to support them. And so I transitioned out of the public affairs role. Howard had been sort of exited the company, so things were changing. From a leadership at the top. I went through some really incredible experiences with him in traveling across the country to really deeply understand what matters to what they call employees or partners. That was a master's class like you wouldn't believe. And I learned what I needed to, but I wasn't back out in the field with full teams leading stewarding P&Ls, achieving results, enhancing shareholders profitability, enhancing the businesses profitability. All those things I think is my sweet spot, and I missed it dearly. The other thing I would mention, and when we started this conversation, I Talked about leaving ExxonMobil and wanting to be in the executive suite because there are not a lot of African American females that are in the C suite. I mean, disproportionately less. And I remember being at Starbucks, and one of the baristas came up to me and she just wanted to meet. And I say this with all the humility in the world. She said, I've never met anyone that looks like me. And she looked like me. That is in a position like you. And so now that I see you, I know it's possible. And that was one of those moments where you realize that even your presence and showing up and doing your very best to become a humble and committed leader goes beyond just the P and L. And so when I received the phone call from Smoothie King, I told Won Kim, I told him in the interview, this is why I want to come. Not only to re, you know, re engage in field operations, franchisees at Smoothie King are just absolutely amazing. So are the team members. But I also needed to do this to break a ceiling and to show others what's possible. And that was really important for me to do.
• 41:11
  Speaker B: Yeah, that's really, like, powerful. Like, I could feel it when you're telling the story of, like, some, like, chills coming through. And it's very inspiring for, I'm sure, many, many people.
• 41:24
  Speaker A: Thank you.
• 41:24
  Speaker B: I just thought you went to Smoothie King because you saw his Undercover Boss episode and thought he was hilarious.
• 41:31
  Speaker A: He is hilarious. I did see his undercover, and the smoothies are very good there. I have to say. Vegetables, real fruit, the whole thing, which a lot of people don't know, but I know the team is there to make sure that people understand how differentiated the product is. I'm still a raving fan of Juan and the executive team and the smoothies there. We. We are a smoothie family now. Healthy.
• 41:56
  Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's great. What. What are, like, what are some of the things you've learned over this tremendous career about yourself as a leader? Like, if you were to kind of look inward and say, okay, these are my strengths as a leader, and what are some of the things you still get tripped up on today?
• 42:14
  Speaker A: I don't. I never like that question, because you have to answer the second part of it, which.
• 42:18
  Speaker B: But you can't do it in a way that, like. Yeah, you can't do it in a way that, you know, you say it's one thing, but it's really, like, your strength undercover.
• 42:28
  Speaker A: Totally. Yeah.
• 42:30
  Speaker B: I work too hard to accomplish the company's mission. That's my fault.
• 42:34
  Speaker A: That's right. That's right.
• 42:37
  Speaker B: This isn't an interview.
• 42:38
  Speaker A: Totally. I totally get it. You said three things. Two things or one thing?
• 42:44
  Speaker B: Anything. One, two, or three? Your call.
• 42:46
  Speaker A: I have to tell you, I was on an interview the other day, and somebody said, tell me the head. The top 10 things you're bad at. I said 10? Really? That was a stretch. Okay. So I would say that from a leadership perspective, I understand what it takes to authentically and deeply connect with people, to bring out the best in them. Like, there's a. There's a. There's something about my leadership where I can point to very specific examples or ongoing sort of spaces where I've been able to cultivate really great teams to deliver on results, achieve results. I would also say that I have a fundamental and deep understanding of franchisees. What is most important to them? How to make sure that there's a bridge between the franchisor and the franchisee in order to get things done in a way that's productive and achieve results. There's a three line here in achieving results. And then I would say that I can work among the most intelligent, remarkable people and bring ideas and thoughts together to fruition. So I am not the smartest person in the room ever, but I know how to bring people together in order to accomplish a common goal where people are thriving. So that's what I would say are my strengths. I would say my weaknesses is that sometimes I move too fast and I don't always bring people along or really navigate through very Complex situations where I haven't read the room. So I like for people to tell me directly, like, this is what's happening. And if I don't understand the undercurrent, I miss it sometimes. So that is one that I am currently working on, is really understanding how to navigate really difficult situations. There have been some that have been very public where I've been able to navigate not only myself, my team, the organization, through really complex things. And I've done that on intuition and crisis, like in a crisis mode, but in sometimes when it's a little more subtle, I'm not so great at doing that.
• 45:21
  Speaker B: Yeah. Since you shared, I'll share. I think one of my kind of things I still get tripped up on is like, bringing people along. Whether it's in a business, professional setting, or my children, I can often connect some dots pretty quickly and then say, okay, this is where we're going to go, and then forget that. Like, they weren't in my head. They weren't following the thought process that got me there. And if you don't bring the team along, it will kind of rob everyone of the alignment that should be created. Now, I did that a lot in my career, and I got better at it over time. My executive coach used to beat me over the head, making sure that I was better at bringing team members along and change management. But what's interesting is where that shows up at home. Because I would come home and I'd still have my president leadership hat on, and I'd come to my kids and be like, this is what we're doing today. And I wouldn't bring them along or, this is what we're going to eat. And, you know, they would be like, I don't want to do that.
• 46:26
  Speaker A: Why?
• 46:27
  Speaker B: And I fell into the trap of saying, because I said so, because I'm dad, and because I said so. And you know, it. It was something where I had to reflect and be like, you know, I would never say that to an employee.
• 46:43
  Speaker A: Right.
• 46:44
  Speaker B: I would never in my wildest dreams tell an employee if they questioned, you know, where the direction we were going. Because I said so, then I had to really reflect and say, like, why is that? Why wouldn't I treat my children with the same respect? And so I think it's probably been at least three years or four years since I've said those words to my kids.
• 47:05
  Speaker A: It's so true. Because you do. It's not only the organization or your team that you have to bring along, but your kids, too. One of the things that I learned. I think that helped me to become a better leader is recognizing even when I think there's something that's right, the person actually has the answer. And it's my job to get it out of them, like, to help them through understanding that they have the answer. And maybe if the answer is wrong, then it's okay if they fall, it's okay if they fall down, but you're there to pick them back up. And so that has been my practice with my kids. My husband sometimes says, don't use that Georgetown executive coaching on me. So he. He recognizes it, but my children don't. So it's working pretty well.
• 47:54
  Speaker B: That's great. Well, that kind of brings us to where. Where. Where you are today in this power pause. I imagine using your personal mission statement to really guide you and figure out what's next. So how are you feeling most called to serve in your kind of next chapter?
• 48:12
  Speaker A: I think that's tbd. D. Kevin. That is tbd. What I'm doing right now is really honoring the space that I have been afforded and enjoying this moment, like, really being present with my kids. Well, now they're adult. I can't say that anymore. My adult.
• 48:31
  Speaker B: They're gonna always be your kids.
• 48:34
  Speaker A: Yeah. And so I. I'm open to really exploring whether or not I want to go into business for myself and really be intentional and meaningful about the time that I am here on this planet to do really good things for community and people. So that's one of the avenues that I'm exploring. And then the other is if it fits within the bullseye of making a really good impact on the community, I'm all the way in, so I'm just looking for that opportunity to present.
• 49:08
  Speaker B: Well, I'm sure any organization would be. They would be fortunate to have you, so thank you so much. Last thing, and then. And then we'll wrap up is I know you're also involved in a number of nonprofits. Could you share a little bit about the nonprofit organizations that you support?
• 49:23
  Speaker A: Wow. Absolutely. I've. I have the privilege and honor of serving on the board for Reading as Fundamental, and then also Blessings in a Backpack. I'm actually on their fundraising committee. So our goal is. I can't really say what our goal is, but we're. We're very close to getting there. It's in the millions, so if anything inspires you about children's literacy, look up Reading is Fundamental. So I've been a board member and then also part of the chair for their committee for a long Time and blessings in a backpack is really helping children to have nutrition when they are not at school school. So this is packing their backpacks for the weekend so that they have healthy and nutritious meals. And I can't think anything more important than to support our babies as they grow so that they can be, you know, instrumental in in our community, in our country. But we have to set them up for success and literacy and nutrition are just very fundamental.
• 50:29
  Speaker B: There's so many families rely on school lunch programs and then it comes to after school and weekends and summers when things get really challenging. So. Yeah, well, I would love to add some information in the show notes and a link to donate and I'd be happy to donate and support myself.
• 50:49
  Speaker A: Thank you. That means so much. It has been an absolute privilege and honor to be with you today and share this space with you. I just very much appreciate all that you do for the community. Like you are making a difference in the lives of others through these conversations. And I hope today there was a connection with someone that needed to hear what we had to say today. So thank you so much.
• 51:12
  Speaker B: That's what I think is just as long as you know, it helps one person, then it's worth it. Camille, thank you so much for joining me today. This has been an amazing conversation and I just truly appreciate your vulnerability and honesty. You're incredibly inspirational and I just enjoy the conversation.
• 51:28
  Speaker A: Thank you so much.
• 51:29
  Speaker B: Kevin, if you're enjoying this conversation, make sure to hit subscribe so you don't miss future episodes. CEOs and ABCs is all about helping you grow in your career and show up at home. We've got many more amazing guests coming up, so tap, follow and stay tuned.