FLIGHT PATH
Welcome to Flight Path — where career paths aren’t linear, leadership isn’t boring, and pivots are basically a superpower. I’m Rebecca Woods. Let’s take off.
FLIGHT PATH
Maureen Nylin & Jenice Larmond
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Join host Maureen Nylin as she sits down with Jenice Larmond for an engaging conversation aboard the Bluebird Leaders Podcast Train. In this candid discussion, Jenice shares insights from her professional journey, the experiences that have shaped her leadership style, and the lessons she's learned along the way.
From career-defining moments to personal growth, this episode explores the power of authentic leadership, building meaningful connections, and creating opportunities for others to succeed. Whether you're an emerging professional, a seasoned leader, or someone looking for inspiration, you'll find valuable takeaways throughout this conversation.
Welcome to Flight Path, the podcast where we explore the journeys behind bold leadership, innovation, and lasting impact. Each episode we sit down with leaders, innovators, and rule breakers who built their success by doing the work, learning the lessons, and sometimes ignoring the map altogether. Whether you're navigating leadership, healthcare, technology, entrepreneurship, or simply trying to figure out what's next without losing your mind, you're in the right place. Before we take flight, we'd like to thank our sponsor, EFAC. Helping businesses and professionals stay connected with Secure Impact Document Share. Facts Online with EFAX. Now Facts Deep Built. Adjust your altitude. And get ready for stories, insights, and conversations that just might change your course. Welcome aboard. This is Flight Path.
SPEAKER_01Hi everyone! I'm Maureen Nileen. Welcome to the Flight Path. As you can tell, I am not Rebecca Woods, but we are doing something slightly different when it comes to Bluebird leaders. We're doing these podcast trains. And as you can tell, I have a very special guest with me, one of my absolute favorite people in the entire world, Miss Janice Larmond. Janice, please tell all of our listeners a little bit about yourself.
SPEAKER_03Oh, thank you. I love that you think I'm your favorite person.
SPEAKER_01You are. You are. Okay. They didn't know that we were just cutting up and having a great time before we even started recording. So that's just the way we're gonna roll together today. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03Um, thank you for having me. This is gonna be fun. Um, Janice Marmons, I am a uh nurse by trade, love being nurse, fellow nurse here. Um, and uh just, you know, I think I am, you wanted to know a little bit who I am. I think I'm just done. Person who loves life, love to meet people, yeah, love to grow and learn and share anything that I learn with others if they're willing to hear me.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you are so good at that. You are so good at that. And what's your what are you working on right now? I know you're work with Natira. Tell me a little bit about your role.
SPEAKER_03So currently I am the clinical innovation and excellence officer here. And big words, lots of words, just means that I am helping my team really interpret, you know, how to integrate the technology that they've created into the everyday workflow of nurses. And when I say workflow, make it work for them. So that's really what I do, and you know, try to bridge that gap so that they are creating and developing based on what clinicians really need versus what we think they need.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I don't know if I ever asked you, what was your first job that you ever did?
SPEAKER_03My first job that I ever did, I laugh because every time I think about it, I was a little bit precocious. And so when I was 13, I remember that I wanted to have my own money. And you know, you can't get a job at 13. And I'm gonna date myself, but it's perfectly fine. I grabbed the yellow pages and because my parents said, no, you can't have a job. And I was like, Well, I'm gonna find me a job. And so I opened up the yellow pages and happened to start at A's and called all the numbers in the yellow pages in my neighborhood and A's to say, hey, I'm my name is Janice, and I'm looking for a job. Are you looking for anyone to help you? And I got to the B's, and there was a salon that actually the owner was like, Who are you who is this? And how old are you? And she really, for her, she thought, this is someone with some gumption. And she said, Come to my shop and I will hire you. And I my first job was uh, you know, a beauty shop assistant. And that's how I started off working.
SPEAKER_01That is such a cool story. I didn't know that. I did not know that. Okay, so talk me through the the A's. Like, did you have a strategy or do you literally just went line by line? Like I literally went line. It could have been. Did you look at how it was in like terms of proximity or closeness? Because how did you get to that job? I've got many questions now.
SPEAKER_03I know I literally went down the line and was just calling. And if you answered, I said who I was. And if you're looking for somebody, and if you didn't answer, I moved on to the next person. I was determined. And the name of the shop was Beyond Braids. So I didn't have to go too far.
SPEAKER_01Oh, I love that. I love that. What did your mom and dad say when they found out?
SPEAKER_03I didn't tell them until after I got the job. Like I went and I I met her, and she was like, Well, I need someone to help me sweep up and you know, maybe wash the utensils. And I started there and I actually worked with her through all of that. So that was I started at end of middle school, all of high school, um, into college before I left. You know, I ended up being her assistant for all that time. So it was quite a quite a while.
SPEAKER_01That is such a cool story. Oh my gosh, that beats like all of the stuff that I did. That hands down, what an awesome story. And she must have been like, she she clearly had to have been some sort of a mentor then for you as well, for you to have stayed for all of those years.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely. She really, I never forgot her. Um, she really mentored me and it she saw a drive in me, and she's all she was always like, you can definitely do it. I always had a plan. I would bounce off what my ideas were. And you know, just to know that someone took a chance, and because I I took a leap of faith, and at a very young age, I know you could do that. And sometimes when even through my career, when I get stuck, I remember. Remember when you just decided you were gonna do it and it worked out anyway? That's kind of my touchstone when I kind of get off the track and I have to remind myself that you can do it.
SPEAKER_01That's great advice. It gave me chills, Janice. I've got goosebumps all over. I'm gonna remember that one for myself too, because I do think there is a part of us when we're younger, we're fearless because we don't know the difference, right? We don't have enough life experience to know that it doesn't always go our way. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01Oh my gosh. Okay, okay, so I just already learned something that I did not know about you. Tell me something that would surprise people to know about you.
SPEAKER_03Oh wow. Um in high school, I I was in a dance team for a bit. Surprise- I don't know. I think I'm I don't know if I have a lot of surprising things. I think I'm so open, you know, because I'm always trying to figure out, you know, hey, have you tried this? Or I'm I'm I think one thing people will know, even though it seems like I may have a structured life, I'm always willing for an adventure and to try something new. I'll do it once at least, you know. So, you know, I think the biggest thing, like my with my kids, for instance, when we were growing up and we'd go to the park, they wouldn't think like mom would like get on the scary roller coaster and they'd ask me, I'd be like, Yeah, I'll do it. Or get on a scary, you know, you know, slip and slide or the the water park, the really tall one. And I'm like, I'm a little bit of an adremuling jumpie. Maybe that's what it really is. That's really what it comes down to. Yeah. And I'll try anything once.
SPEAKER_01I love that. I love that though, because you've just kept that sense of risk and adventure as part of who you are. You've never lost that core piece of what makes you tick.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01That's cool.
SPEAKER_03I I I would think so. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so we're in the summertime season. Are you a beach person? Are you a mountain person, lake, city? What's your vibe?
SPEAKER_03I am a maybe in order. Top three would be beach first, lake second. Okay, and not necessarily mountain, but anywhere where there may be some a running stream of water. So I love to camp. Maybe that's another surprising thing. Like I'm a I love to camp. Like I did not know that either. Yeah. Wow.
SPEAKER_01Okay. Why?
SPEAKER_03What's your favorite? Why?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, why?
SPEAKER_03Um, I like nature, it centers me. It makes me remember that I am not I'm a very small part of a very big organism or organization or a very small part of the world. It grounds me. I like to hear the birds, I like to take a deep breath and feel like I'm getting fresh air. Um it it I don't know. I've just always liked nature. There's just something about it that if I can feel like I've I've stepped away from the hustle and bustle and being in a park or being around nature or taking a hike around trees and running water just regrounds me.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Is that what you do in order to recharge? Like if you're having a really stressed-out week, what's your favorite way to unplug? I I don't I don't know. Maybe you can't go camping every weekend to do that.
SPEAKER_03I can't go camping. I wish. I want to. It's on my, it's it's in my master plan for when I finally say, hey, I'm chucking all this stuff. I'm gonna go retire. But um I like to walk. Um, I live in a community where we have tons of golf cart paths. And so I can either go walking on the golf cart path and it's very, you know, um in nature. It's not, it's like behind, it's it's very zen for me.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_03Or I can go golf cart riding, whatever it is, but it is, or I I'll go um to our local um trail and go trail, but it that helps to ground me and just say, okay, stop thinking about the buzzing and everything, and just enjoy what you see. And then I I just try to see something different. So there's deer and there's birds, and you know, I just love that.
SPEAKER_01I heard something the other day. I was listening to the radio when I was outside pulling weeds, and there's a it's the local radio station, right? So you you listen to the ads and there's people talking, unlike when I have on my Amazon music. And they said we're biologically pre-programmed to enjoy the sound of birds. Because if birds are singing, that means there's not any predators that are nearby, and therefore it's calming. And I thought, wow, that makes a whole lot of sense. I just thought it was because I was getting old, Janice, and that's why I really like the sound of the birds. Love it.
SPEAKER_03Another thing I love to do, I have a front porch. I just like to sit because where I'm at, I have a lot of nature around me. So you're so right. I hear birds all to the point where I'm like, wow, you guys are a little bit loud. What's going on? They are like everywhere. So yeah, I love that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Well, okay, let's talk a little bit about success for you. You've done some really amazing things throughout your career, and you've given yourself permission to pivot and take breaks. So I'm curious, what does success look like for you right now, where you're at?
SPEAKER_03I think the biggest thing is for me, success looks like being able to impart knowledge. Cause at this point, I am I'm I'm a constant learner. So I do want to learn. So I want to learn and understand where you are and what's going on in life. And that's whether I am helping to, you know, integrate some new technology, um, mentoring. But for me, success is am I able to give back in a way that's been meaningful to someone? Did I teach you something new and in a return receive something new from that person? Um slowing down and being okay with slowing down is good for me. Um success now with my kids growing, it's all about making sure I make time for them, for my husband, for my kids, for friends. You know, I think I value that more than anything. There was a time when success was about maybe getting the next title or achieving the next ladder or achieving some financial goal. And it's in the background, but it's just not primary anymore. It's it's the time that I spend with those that are around me and how I can impart some kind of knowledge or some kind of insight that I learned. Because for me, and you as you know, I've always said, why will I have all this information and not share it? I'm gonna die at some point and I can't take it with me. You know what I mean? Yes, I feel like that's very selfish. It's like I it's I I I'm trying to give more, but not give where my cup is empty. I want to give and receive back. So it's a kind of a reciprocal thing. So for me, if I can make somebody else's success happen, great. And and they they are able to see things differently or learn something new, I find that to be successful. It's it used to be so before it used to be material and now it's completely changed. I don't know, because maybe, you know, today this year was the year I became 50. So it's been like, I get it, it's been a mind shift for me, you know? And it's been building. You know that we've been on this journey for a minute now. And you know, when we met a couple years ago, it was like, what was I thinking in my life? We got to regroup. Oh, and I regrouped and I feel like I'm on the other side and is just I'm just open and ready for new things and doing kind of thinking about what I talked about when I was 13, taking those leaps of faith, yeah, and knowing that I'm gonna be okay.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. I guess I I've come to the conclusion, Janice, that we're all going to be okay. Yeah, yeah. I agree. Okay, let's do some summer rapid fire questions. Are you ready? I'm ready. Okay. Coffee or tea? Coffee. All right, sunrise or sunset. Sunset. All right. Favorite summer snack.
SPEAKER_03Oh, that changes. Mangles. No, that doesn't change. I just thought about that. Mangles is my favorite summer snack.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Do you eat them fresh or frozen or both? Both. But I try to do more fresh than frozen if I can. Okay. Last thing you binged watched.
SPEAKER_02Ah, paradise. And I have four more episodes to go for the second season.
SPEAKER_01Yes. Oh, that was pretty good. Okay. Okay, where can I find paradise? Hulu. Oh, I didn't know.
SPEAKER_03Okay. Yes. I did Hulu. That was it was actually pretty good. That was the last thing I binge watched. And I'm gonna, I'm gonna confess to something which I probably shouldn't prior to that. You know, when everybody was into like Games of Throne, I was not into Games of Throne. Prior to Paradise, I binge watched all of the seasons of Games of Thrones. So I'm finally like caught up with what everybody else was talking about.
SPEAKER_01You know what? I have not watched that. I watched like the first episode, and I was like, I don't know if this is for me. And everybody kept saying, you just need to watch a few of them, and then you will get into it. And I was like, I don't know that I have that level of commitment.
SPEAKER_03But I oh yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Maybe I'll have to go back and give it a whirl because you you recommended it. So now why not? Why not? Yeah, okay. What about window seat or aisle? One word that describes your leadership style.
SPEAKER_03One word that describes my okay, that probably should be rapid fire. Um I don't know. It has changed over time. I think I'm in my empathetic phase. Where I try to listen and think and not react. I've grown a lot and not take things personal. Yeah. And understand that as we grow, we are learning how to deal with things differently. And I don't know where you are right now and why you're reacting the way you're reacting. So I try to check myself first and say, hey, did I where are you right now? What was your, you know, the feedback that you're getting? Did you contribute to it? And then if if I kind of look at it, don't think it's me, then I try to figure out what's going on with you. Because I am all about being collaborative. Yeah. And I think you need empathy sometimes so that when things are coming towards you, you don't um you don't take it personally. You try to understand what somebody else may be going through. So maybe you can approach or are or change your approach so that you ultimately both get to the same goal.
SPEAKER_01You know? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it does change over the years, that's for sure.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Okay, let me ask one more question. And I this is one I'm dying to know. What's your favorite vacation spot you've ever been to? Because you are a world traveler.
SPEAKER_03Oh, that changes too. But I want to say my favorite city, I just got a warm and fuzzy was Barcelona. Really enjoyed that city. I like the vibe. Um it's a nice, it's a mix of old and new together.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Um I just enjoyed that. Even when I went, I went, I went last year actually, and I brought my kids for the first time, and they had a good time. I just like that vibe. So I'm sure there'll be something else that'll come through. Yeah, I'm always trying to build on my, you know, where can I go and see and um touch history?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Yeah. No, I get that. I get that. Okay, well, we've got the SOAR conference that's coming up in September. And I know you're gonna be there. I'm gonna be there. Let's talk a little bit before we close out today. What does the Bluebird Leaders community mean to you? And maybe why are you why is SOAR such a priority for you? Because you've gone several years.
SPEAKER_03Um, I think that for many years, as a as a woman in leadership, you feel really alone a lot of times. Because you are developing, you're growing, and you're leading people, and you're doing all of that simultaneously. You don't have it all figured out. That's right. And so is a community where you can actually say that. I don't have it all figured out. Yeah. And you have other women leaders that can say, that's right, you're not gonna have it all figured out. And that's let's partner together, let's lock arms together. You share, I share, let's see where we can get you to keep going forward. That's what I like about the word leaders. I think it's very authentic in the connections you make. Um, I think we're generally trying to help each other and be collaborative. And maybe that's where the word empathy comes from, where I'm more empathetic because I understand the struggles in order to be a woman, in order to be a woman leader, um, in order to be in a very male-dominated health technology world. And I like that. I felt like when I talked with other bluebird leaders, it was very much we you got this. We totally understand where you're coming from. We've been there. And these are the tools that you may need. Maybe you need to think about it this way. I thought that was very helpful because for a very long time, doing it and doing it by yourself sometimes is hard. Um, sometimes you and sometimes you self-isolate not knowing. So, you know, just growth, I think it's been the best thing. Why do I go to SOAR? Because I have decided that it is important in this day and time that not only to build on your network um and on your connections, but to have a place of like-minded people around you that you guys could share ideas and feel safe to talk. And I think that's a great environment to be in. When you walk in, you feel loved, you feel appreciated. And that's something as women we need. It's it's what makes us who we are. And I think it's okay to have that part always in your life. Sometimes we get into the corporate world and we feel like we need to be in this corporate line and do it this certain way, and we lose essential parts of us that make us unique. Um, and especially in healthcare per se. We got into the business. I know I got into the business, and I'm sure we've had conversations. We got into the business for the care portion first. That's what led us. It's a calling. I don't care what anybody says. Healthcare is a calling. And I became a nurse because I had a calling, and I don't want to lose that because that is what made me who I am today. And I think that is important. You need to feed that part of you. And I think I think blueboards is a place to feed that.
SPEAKER_01Well, well said. So, listeners, viewers, thank you so much for joining Janice and I today. I've had a blast talking to her. Hopefully, you have had a blast of listening.
SPEAKER_03You make me talk way too much.
SPEAKER_01Oh my gosh. I just I have so much fun with you. And just as a reminder, the SOAR conference is in Austin, Texas this year, September 23rd through the 25th. If you have not been, you need to make this a priority. It truly is life-changing, just like the Bluebird Leaders community. Thank you so much to Rebecca Woods for giving us the opportunity to do the podcast train. And as you can see, the next leader of the podcast is going to be none other than Janice. So we look forward to seeing you all shortly and uh see you in Austin. Thanks so much.