#ShesSoFly: Nathalie McFadden

Cocoon Career Consulting’s #shessofly series continues this week, but slightly differently. For the past few weeks, we’ve been featuring famous women, specifically in the marketing industry, and in C-level positions. While we’ll continue featuring these women, it’s important to recognize other kick-ass women a bit closer to home.

There are so many INCREDIBLE women who are in marketing, know how to properly market themselves/their brands, and who run small businesses. We can learn something from all of them, which is why we’ll be interspercing them into the #shessofly series- so you can get to know them (and even connect with them too!) First up: Nathalie McFadden!!!

Cara (Cocoon Career Consulting’s founder and the person writing this blog) first met Nathalie after moving to Madison and joining Cyclebar, a spin studio that felt like a dance party. Cara had taken a ton of spin classes before, but none like this, and none with a teacher like Nathalie. Nathalie’s enthusiasm, inspiration, and literally KICK ASS rides were the perfect combo that got Cara out of bed at 6am. A couple of the things that make Nathalie so perfect to feature for this week’s #shesofly is 1. Incredible SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE: Nathalie really knows how to market herself/her classes/inspire her riders to come workout with the power of social 2. PASSION for her work: read below to learn more about both of Nathalie’s jobs, and the passion and energy she has for both of them (also how she uses marketing in her daily work) 3. HELPING OTHERS: Everyone should have a role model/mentor, be it personal or professional or both. Nathalie is always willing to help others, whether it’s making someone feel welcome in their first spin class, spreading joy to others with her puppy Teddi, connecting UW alumni around the world, and so much more.

And now… an interview with Nathalie McFadden!

CocoonCareerConsulting: Where did you go to school and what did you major in?

Nathalie McFadden: I went to the University of Wisconsin and majored in sociology. Go Bucky!

CCC: Tell me about your jobs...both of them.

NM: For my full time job, I am the chapter and regional relations manager for the Wisconsin Alumni Association. In this position, I get to work with our highly involved alumni chapters around the country from Boston to San Diego. Our team works with our chapters to create and market events which can range from game watches and student send-offs to events featuring faculty from the University. A number of our chapters also have scholarships for students in their area who want to attend UW so we help them in their fundraising efforts. I also work a lot with our board training including on-boarding new chapter board members and our annual Badger Leaders Conference during homecoming weekend. Usually, I'd get to travel a lot and spend time with them in person, but like most organizations, we have pivoted to virtual-only programming, which has been an interesting but exciting challenge.

For my second job, I am an instructor at Turnstyle Cycle in Madison. Turnstyle was founded in Boston where they have five locations and just opened their first location in the midwest here in Madison.

CCC: What are you most proud of?

NM: Oh boy... I'm a good dog mom? Hehe just kidding. I think I've always been really good at seizing the opportunities I've been given and making the absolute most of them.

CCC: What’s your favorite form of social media? Why?

NM: I love instagram. I think it can be used to communicate so many things from pictures of my dog, to information about my jobs, and advocating for important social issues.

CCC: Choosing either job: can you please explain why marketing is so important for you to do your job successfully?

NM: For the Wisconsin Alumni Association, marketing is super important. We are lucky to have a whole team of incredibly bright and creative marketing professionals who we get to work with on a daily basis. We have over 445,000 alumni living around the world and marketing helps us keep those hundreds of thousands connected. I think marketing is especially important now since my colleagues and I aren't traveling, alumni aren't coming back to Madison, and we aren't having in-person events. Marketing (including everything from emails to large scale virtual events) allows us to keep everyone connected during a time when so many of us feel disconnected.

For my job at Turnstyle, marketing is important for so many reasons. I think boutique fitness can oftentimes be seen as this exclusive club as it is often portrayed in pop culture. But from all of my years in fitness, I have always found that the fitness studios I've been lucky enough to be involved in are the most welcoming and supporting group of people, and it sounds cliche, but from clients to instructors and desk staff, we are all truly a family. After all, there is nothing that can bring people together like sweating with strangers!!

Additionally, this is the second opportunity I've had to be a part of opening a studio here in Madison-but my first time being a part of an opening during a pandemic. In a saturated fitness market, marketing allows studios to set themselves apart from one another and helps tell a story about why they are special. And beyond that, through social media, instructors have an opportunity to market themselves and show what makes their playlist, their energy, and their class special.

CCC: What was your scariest or best job interview experience and why?

NM: Well my scariest and best was for my current position. I was an internal candidate and they were already almost set on hiring someone else (she's great and got another job on our team). At the last minute, they gave me a courtesy interview which turned into three interviews in two days. I think my first interview was on a Wednesday and I got the job Friday morning. It was a wild ride but SO worth it. Since I figured I had nothing to lose, I allowed myself to let down my guard a bit and really let my quirky personality shine, and it actually ended up paying off!

CCC: What’s your dream job?

NM: I'm super lucky to have my dream job! I never knew how lucky I was to attend the University of Wisconsin until I moved away to Chicago after college and hearing about other people's college experiences, I realized how lucky I was to have had this incredible education (social, professional, and academic). It also didn't hurt that the Badger Basketball team went to the national championship that year :) I feel super lucky to advance the mission of the university and in my position I get to work with some of Wisconsin's most enthusiastic and involved alumni around the country. Also, how many people can say they got paid to sing their alma mater with an actual astronaut, which I got to do at an event in Houston last year??

CCC: What outfit makes you feel most confident?

NM: I'm totally an athleisure girl, especially now that we are all working from home. I'd say a nice pair of leggings and a cute Badger sweatshirt :)

CCC: Besides teaching spin, what are some of your other hobbies?

NM: Hanging out with my puppy, Teddi Bear. I feel super lucky to live in Madison, which is surrounded by three lakes and lots of spots for great walks. During quarantine we've been taking almost daily adventure walks at Picnic Point and the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. Other than that, I love to shop and bake :)