Our region’s future is bright thanks to the strong leaders who are navigating change and cultivating successful teams today. These leaders are not only a catalyst for the change that is happening right now, but they are molding and shaping the leaders of future generations. FIRST & 42 is shining the spotlight on the region’s stars from the 2020 class of Leadership Kalamazoo. All eyes will be on the spotlight to learn about these leaders’ “firsts” in life as well as their answers to a few deeper questions about their leadership and vision for our community. Today we have the privilege of learning more about Nikki Probst in this Leader Spotlight series. Nikki is the vice president of business relations at Custer Inc. and we’re thrilled to be turning the stage over to her.
Nikki has been leading Custer’s business relations initiative for about a year and a half, primarily with its architecture and design partners, and she also leads the marketing team. “I love that I get to be a part of crafting a brand message internally and then have the responsibility of taking that message of our company’s capabilities into the community,” said Nikki. She strives to be a leader that can be counted on by her team, her colleagues, and her professional network. To gain trust and build relationships, she earns others’ respect with a strong sense of credibility and excellent follow-through. One of Nikki’s favorite historical leaders is Amelia Earhart whom she admires for her confidence, courage, passion, and above all, being a risk-taker who wasn’t afraid to be different. A favorite quote from Amelia Earhart is “…decide…whether or not the goal is worth the risks involved. If it is, stop worrying.” Fly away and read the full spotlight.
First Things First
WHO IS THE FIRST PERSON YOU GO TO WITH GOOD NEWS?
My brother. We’re exceptionally close, and he’s the only family I have in West Michigan. It’s great to be able to share news about our mutual community with him.
WHAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU FELT LIKE A LEADER?
I felt like a leader in school as soon as group projects were starting to be assigned! I always liked designating different tasks to a team and honestly taking the lead to make sure we all stayed organized and we were collectively successful.
WHAT WAS THE FIRST CONCERT YOU EVER ATTENDED?
Oh boy. Backstreet Boys in…gosh…1996? Now I’m going to have that entire first album of songs in my head for the remainder of the day.
The Deep Dive
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN YOUR CURRENT POSITION? WHAT ARE YOUR DAY-TO-DAY RESPONSIBILITIES?
I have been with Custer Inc. for about a year and a half collectively. My specific role has changed quite a bit year to year as needs of our organization change and Custer as a company grows into other markets. I lead business relations primarily with the architecture and design partners that we work with often, as well as heading up the marketing team! I love that I get to be a part of crafting a brand message internally and then have the responsibility of taking that message of our company’s capabilities into the community. My favorite part of my role is connecting with others and my business friends knowing they can turn to me to potentially connect them to someone they’re hoping to meet.
WHAT IS YOUR LEADERSHIP SUPERPOWER?
I’d say my leadership superpower is a combination of credibility and accountability. I strive to be a leader that can be counted on by my team, my colleagues, and my professional network. I think respect is earned and a strong sense of credibility and follow-through are the best ways to gain trust and build relationships, which I feel are the basis of good leadership.
HOW HAS YOUR LEADERSHIP GROWN THE MOST IN THE PAST YEAR?
I’m so grateful for the past year of my leadership growth! I’ve had the opportunity to work with an exceptional leadership coach who has helped me gain confidence and guided me on how to have more productive communication with my team members and fellow leaders at Custer. I also feel that having more of a strategic approach to goal setting has contributed to me being a better team leader and being able to celebrate successes more openly. I’d recommend finding a coach for anyone looking to tune their professional skills.
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE HISTORICAL LEADER? WHY?
I can’t choose a favorite. But a historical leader that I’ve looked up to since I was a child is Amelia Earhart. Outside of her accomplishments in flight, she was a trailblazer for women being able to accomplish feats that only men were thought to be able to do at the time. She was confident, brave, passionate, and above all a risk-taker who wasn’t afraid to be different. A great quote from her is, “…decide…whether or not the goal is worth the risks involved. If it is, stop worrying.”
WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS?
For Kalamazoo, I see the community continuing to grow and work together. A city will benefit most when we can connect and engage each other’s strengths and talents to build a better place to live, work, and play. I hope that we continue to take action around equity and inclusion and build stronger, more diverse networks to help all kinds of businesses grow in West Michigan.
