In an attempt to bring some levity during these trying times, we wanted to share some of the realities Vaco’s Nashville team is experiencing while adjusting to working from home (WFH). We’ll be highlighting one story from our team each day, so check back for daily updates!
Monday, March 23
Chris Spintzyk, Director at Vaco Nashville: “I am still trying to get into a cadence as I am a social animal and I miss being around people. The bad and ugly is when you have a pack of dogs at the house who like to bark for no reason it makes video calls a bit more difficult. So I just have to explain that the pack of wolves that people might hear are my pack and that I am not being attacked out in the wilderness while searching for toilet paper.”
Tuesday, March 24
Kaylee Osland, Partner at Vaco Nashville: “The Vaco Teams calls have been fun and funny! We have been theming our conference calls and I’m loving the costumes (go Brian!) and the people who forget that their camera is on (Presley)! haha 🙂 I have also really appreciated the dedication of Vaco’s leadership to stay in constant contact and communication during this time of unknown.”
Wednesday, March 25
Kyle Allen, Managing Partner at Vaco Nashville: “It’s been interesting working from home while having my kids (Paxton, Caitlin, and Blake) in the house as well. Never a dull moment! One day, I was making lunch for my kids while being on a Microsoft Teams call with Kevin Witt and Kim Wainwright. I ended up burning the pizza which caused the kitchen smoke alarm to go off. So that was a lot of fun!”
Thursday, March 26
Julianna Batson, Director of Business Operations at Vaco Nashville: “Working from home has really helped me embrace video calls! I used to cringe when anyone would want to FaceTime but now I look forward to my daily calls with coworkers – especially when there are wigs or wine involved. The downside of working from home for me is how quiet my little condo is – I didn’t realize how much I would miss the loud and busy setting of the office! I miss seeing everyone in the office but am thankful for Teams that allows us to still connect.”
Friday, March 27
Jay Hageman, Director at Vaco Nashville: “I watched a vlog by Ryan Serhant (Real Estate Sales Broker in NYC) that really struck me. It’s about how he (and his team) is managing through this wild time. Part of the last episode, talks about how everything is going to be okay. He uses the analogy of the swimmer synchronizing their breathing to their movements to maximize speed and cadence in the water. It struck me because we just need to breathe, be intentional on the right habits, and push forward until we get out of this.”
Monday, March 30
Jenna Drury, Associate at Vaco Nashville: “I do not have a work space in my house, and the most professional background for video calls is in my bathroom. You can’t tell over camera, but I am sitting very close to a bathtub.”
Tuesday, March 31
Ashley Wilkinson, Director at Vaco Nashville: “During my lunch hour one day, I had to give my cat a bath… That’s not something I would have ever pictured myself saying prior to COVID-19. There’s never a dull moment working from home.”
Wednesday, April 1
Lindsey Morgan, Senior Director at Vaco Nashville: “To be honest, I’ve gone a little stir crazy (it started on day one). I’m a sales person, so my typical work day, pre-COVID-19, consisted of being out and about meeting with different clients. Sitting at my table behind a computer at home has definitely been an adjustment. Thankfully, we have so much technology available which allows me to stay connected with my clients virtually while working with them on their hiring needs.”
Thursday, April 2
Liz Schimmer, Marketing Director at Vaco Nashville: “Getting into a normal routine has helped me stay productive. I typically start my day with a workout to get energized for the day, take a shower, and get dressed as if I was going into the office. For video calls, I make sure I’m in an area I feel comfortable. For me, it’s having walls with picture frames and fun memories so I’m not staring at blank walls and neither is the person on the other side of the call. My new co-worker, aka my dog, has become very accustomed to me being home all day and wants to play all the time. I use my breaks to take her on quick walks up the street, which is both good for her and me.”
Friday, April 3
Lynzi Loyd, Director of Staffing Operations at Vaco Nashville: “I’m lucky to get to spend time with my baby boy while working from home. I’ve gained three hours by not commuting every day, been able to see my son achieve milestones (standing up and trying solid foods), and have an even BIGGER appreciation for daycare teachers.”
Monday, April 6
Julie Putnam, Partner at Vaco Nashville: “I love to sing, but my co-workers don’t necessarily love when I sing loudly in the office. Now that I’m working from home, I sing my heart out. It gets me energized for client calls, for jazzing up my team, and keeps me upbeat (though these times can be challenging).”
Tuesday, April 7
Tori Parsons, Director at Vaco Nashville: “Well, the other day I was on the phone with a candidate of mine discussing some potential career opportunities. My sweet 4-month-old was beside me, looked me right in the eyes, and then made a mess all over me! I couldn’t help but laugh. I didn’t share this happening with my candidate, but it’s a moment I will not forget.”
Wednesday, April 8
Kendra James, Operations Manager at Vaco Nashville: “Working from home with my husband continues to be an experience. We don’t exactly have the same music taste, so more than once my Spotify playlist has suddenly been interrupted by William Shatner’s version of “Rocket Man” and Joe Exotic’s “I Saw a Tiger.” His new favorite catch phrase when he gets on a call and someone asks how he’s doing is, “Just continuing to stay positive on everything but a COVID test.” If our small dog, Nala, appears “missing,” it’s because she’s in his lap attending video calls with sunglasses on.”
Thursday, April 9
Sandra Shugart, Partner at Vaco Nashville: “My dog, Waylon Blue, is the happiest boy around to have me at home! He accompanies me for team calls, he walks by my side through the garden, and he puts a smile on my client’s faces on video calls. I can’t lie, I’m happy too.”
Friday, April 10
Jessika Poirier Hatchell, Partner at Vaco Nashville: “Impromptu video calls are the best!!! I thought it was going to be a hassle, but it’s easy and so encouraging to see everyone’s face. It’s also much easier to stay engaged with a camera on. :)”
Monday, April 13
Lucia Marley, Director at Vaco Nashville: “My husband and I moved at the beginning of COVID-19 quarantine transition. We had some issues with our cable and internet, as the providers were not able to set it up. For weeks, the two of us were working off my phone’s hotspot. We were able to keep working, but it certainly wasn’t easy.”
Tuesday, April 14
Brandon Guy, Partner at Vaco Nashville: “At the beginning of the COVID-19 work-from-home transition, I was quarantined at my in-laws house. I lived out of my suitcase for weeks with zero cell coverage. To make calls, I had to either call someone via FaceTime audio or walk about a 1/2 mile down the road. At least I got some exercise and fresh air in!”
Wednesday, April 15
Carrie Sims, Operations Admin Assistant at Vaco Nashville: “My roommates and I have been doing “one-song workouts” throughout day to keep our energy levels up. One of us will text our group to schedule the time. Once it’s that time, we meet in the living room/gym, put on a fun song, and do a small workout for the length of it. It’s super fun because we get to let out some energy, get fit, and just be together for a quick break. Highly recommend doing this!”
Thursday, April 16
Taylor Desseyn, Managing Director of Recruiting at Vaco Nashville: “One benefit of working from home is that I can eat my favorite dish, chicken salad, every day and none of my teammates can tell me otherwise.”
Friday, April 17
Kristen Troyer, Director at Vaco Nashville: “As an extrovert, it has certainly been tough adjusting to my new work from home routine. I really miss getting to see my teammates every day and the camaraderie while at the office. On the bright side though, time at home has given me the opportunity to grow personally when I’m not working. I have been able to complete some house projects and reorganize, retaught myself how to run outside, and found my inner chef by trying out new recipes.”
