Spotlight

Nathalie Gregg, Author and Speaker

Nathalie Gregg leads BIG and wants us to play BIG.

Meet Nathalie Gregg.

Nathalie Gregg is passionate about building high performance individuals, teams, and organizations and empowering women who dare to SOAR! Change agent, organizational developer, non-profit guru, grant writer, public speaker, published writer and television personality all describe her distinguished record.  She is a veteran in the business arena where she focuses on strategic partnerships and collaborations, project management, leadership and economic development Nathalie is a graduate of the Kenan-Flagler Business School of UNC Chapel Hill’s Executive Management Program. She’s a recipient of Columbia College’s distinguished President and ATHENA Awards and an alumnus of Columbia College. As an executive coach and a leadership development consultant, Ms. Gregg is strategically focused on leadership and organizational development, personal and professional development, and coaching and facilitation.

What BIG obstacles have you overcome in your career? What did you learn from it? 

I made the mistake of listening to others who were try to fit me into the box they had designed for me. To avoid that, I learned it was important to find strategic partners who embraced my vision, made me stretch, and who kept me focused on my goals and objectives.

Terri Zelenak, my leadership coach, lit the flame for Leading in Stilettos when she told me I was capable of playing a bigger game and was living beneath my potential. That statement irritated me for days! So, she coached me for eight weeks on a concept called Play to Win! Several exciting insights emerged from my program with Terri:

• I embraced my father's legacy and passion for business which I realized he had passed along to me.

• I discovered that play was a process I had utilized in facilitating my clients to discover their potential. I believe we're our most authentic selves when we're at play.

• I began to talk about the stories from my childhood and saw a common theme emerge.I developed three strong branding words. Inspire. Lead. Transform.

One of the central themes of Leading in Stilettos is thriving in a male dominant society while keeping your femininity. Each chapter contains a snippet from my own journey. From kindergarten to adulthood, I used play as a springboard, tool, and foundation to keep me continuously operating in my passion to inspire, lead, and transform.

After they’ve read Leading in Stilettos, what do you hope women will do differently?

Our passion is our play!

We should always honor our passion which we often discover in kindergarten. An early experience with play can give us clues into our future. By analyzing how we play, we can discover our passion. As children, we’re our most authentic selves when we’re not controlled by the stereotypes and barriers our society places on us. Usually we decide to stifle our creative spirit because of societal norms. Those pressures often make us prisoners in our own worlds and trap us in self-imposed physiological boxes that must be shattered.So ladies, play football with the boys, learn how to get dirty, and last but not least, learn how to always play dress up and Lead in Stilettos.

What do you believe women must do to have more power?

1. Own It! Embrace your uniqueness and build your strengths.

2. Rock Your Brand! Communicate your talents and engage others.

3. Sit at the Table! Don’t be afraid to jump in and lead.

My first inspirations came from my mother, father, grandmothers and great-grandmother. My father had a passion for business which he passed along to me.I continue to be inspired by an amazing team of family members, mentors, coaches, and sponsors who continue to demand my excellence as the standard.

What’s next for you?