“We’re all working together,” Cinde Orlick-Driban from Nutrisystem

Meet Cinde Orlick-Driban, Director, Offline Marketing at Nutrisystem, Inc. where she leads the offline marketing teams for both Nutrisystem and Jenny Craig. Over the course of her 20-year career, Cinde has explored the non-profit world and entrepreneurship, navigated the shifting marketing landscape, and maneuvered the challenges that come with breaks in a traditional career path. All of her experiences have molded her into the empathetic, supportive leader she is today.

Cinde also runs The Little Gay Company with her wife. After seeing a need for products tailored to same-sex couples, this couple stepped up to develop an online shop for everything from greeting cards to baby books that work for the LGBTQ+ community.

She sat down with Deirdre Locksley, Senior Manager, Content Marketing for a Pass the Mic interview. In it, Cinde shares the story of her career journey and how she’s balancing work and life while encouraging others to do the same.

Leaders like Cinde, with her people-first approach to both work and family, are what we need more of. Here are some highlights from the interview that capture Cinde’s powerful stories and advice.

Enjoy a work-life balance.

Highlight “Everybody works together for the greater cause. I enjoy the work-life balance because I think that's key, especially being a mom. I have three kids; and having that ability to put all your efforts into work, but then know that you can also put all your efforts into your children and make sure that they are getting what they need from you at home… has been life changing for me.” – Cinde Orlick-Driban

We’re all a support system.

Highlight: “My 11 year old son started complaining of leg pain in March of 2019, and he was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer… I sometimes wonder how I got through it, but at the same time, sometimes we don't give ourselves enough credit. We're all a support system to one another… There's no 'I' in team. We're a team player. Everybody rolls up their sleeves… I try to embrace that energy and share that with my team.” – Cinde Orlick-Driban

We’re all a team.

Highlight: “I'm very big on boss versus manager. And I've worked with many people who were just bosses. They didn't care about you as a person. They just constantly threw work at you. They didn't really fight for you… I'm just really conscious of those things. If someone comes up with an idea, we're all a team, but I will make sure that the broader group knows that… We're all working together. It's not just me funneling up ideas.” – Cinde Orlick-Driban

Make sure everybody is doing their best.

Highlight: “A couple of the people that I've worked with, including a bunch of the people on my team, jokingly refer to me as their 'work mom' because I do truly care… I'm trying to let the team know that their health, and their life, and all that sort of stuff is number one, and that's priority, and work comes second… It's not just, 'we're coming in to work and everybody's a number'… While you're here, you're cared for. We nurture and we make sure that everybody is doing their best and feeling their best every day.” – Cinde Orlick-Driban

Lead by example.

Highlight: “People learn very much and grow into who they are from watching what others do… I work to make sure that I'm the person that I would want them all to one day become versus someone that just stands up and says, ‘I want you to do this, and you do that.’” – Cinde Orlick-Driban

Cinde is clearly setting a great example for us all. If you’re ready for more inspiration on everything from leading with empathy to getting out of your comfort zone, check out more Pass the Mic content.