FTD Celebrates Our Influential Women in Honor of International Women’s Day

As International Women’s Day rapidly approaches – we decide to take the time to talk to some of our female leaders, influencers, and blog contributors here at FTD.  We are lucky to have these powerful and inspirational women at FTD, and in these short interviews, we got to know a little bit about the influential women in their lives.

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Becky Sheehan

Our first interview is with Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President Becky Sheehan.  Becky joined FTD in July 2006 and has been a very influential leader in the company.

What women inspire or have inspired you?

I have two dear friends who are very strong women…. I am inspired by their ability to balance; be positive in the face of adversity; reach out with support even when their own ‘plates’ are full.  They inspire me to be positive and to believe in what’s possible. 

How do you celebrate the influential women in your life?

I strive to spend time with people that are important to me; to write a note/send a card; to make a call; to stay in touch.

What advice do you have for other women?

Believe in yourself. Be positive.  Stay true to your values.

Anne Saunders

Another influential female leader at FTD is Anne Saunders. She recently joined the company in November 2014 as the President of the Consumer Division and has brought vast amounts of energy and knowledge with her.

What women in your life have been an inspiration to you?  

I think of my mother-in-law – at 84 she just stopped working full time, she sings in her church choir, teaches English as a second language, walks a couple of miles each day, belongs to two book clubs and is close to her extended family.  She lives life with her values at the forefront, something I aspire to do.

How do you celebrate the influential women in your life?

I make sure I tell them how much they mean to me and how they impact my life.

Do you have any advice for other women?

Years ago at a dinner party one of my female friends was discussing a job offer she had gotten – to be CMO of a start-up. She was questioning if she could do they job, if she was really what the company needed, and so on.  Basically asking, “Am I good enough?”. One of the men at the dinner said, “Forget that, what you should be asking is do you want it?”

At that moment I realized the freedom that comes with believing in yourself, letting go of self-doubt and going for what you want.

Andrea Ancel

Andrea Ancel is a creative designer here at FTD and has been the author of several blog posts including the popular – How to Arrange Your Mixed Roses.  Andrea has been with FTD for almost three years and has brought to life many of the beautiful bouquets you see every day.

What women in your life have been an inspiration to you?  

Let’s see what women inspire me?  I have a long list, but let’s focus on my friend Kely; she has a knack for taking life in stride, able to handle all challenges with the biggest smile on her face, and a joke to deflect the bumps in life.  Kely inspires me to live life and embrace it all, no matter how perfect or imperfect it is.

How do you celebrate the influential women in your life?

Perfect timing on this question… Kely and I will be spending next weekend together in Chicago catching up and celebrating our friendship by spending time together. We both love the arts, so there will be museum and gallery visits, seeing as we met in art school it’s the perfect way to spend a couple of hours and celebrate where our friendship started.  It’s not as easy as it used to be to get together now that we live 800 miles away from one another.  

What advice do you have for other women?

Friendships can last a lifetime.  Take the time to talk to your friends, pick up the phone and call even if you’re rushed and short on time.  As we grow up and older we travel the world, get married, have children, and move to other cities. There are many challenges in life and a good friend will be there to share the laughter, conquer the fears and tears and celebrate how you conquered it all with grace and smile.

Nisha Patel

Our last (but certainly not least!) influential female and fellow blog contributor is Nisha Patel.  Nisha has been with FTD since November of 2012 and is a Senior Buyer focused in all of the beautiful jewelry, gifts, chocolate, and more!

What women in your life have been an inspiration to you?  

My Mom

How do you celebrate her?

I celebrate with my mom by spending time with her and showering her with gifts that she can cherish and look at every day to make sure she knows she’s special

What advice do you have for other women?

Advice:  I would leave everyone with a quote that Hilary Clinton would say as there are a lot of things mom’s say or want an individual to do as they also believe they are always right. Most cases they are but sometimes you have to live and learn on your own and realize maybe mom was right?

“Take criticism seriously, but not personally. If there is truth or merit in the criticism, try to learn from it. Otherwise, let it roll right off you.” — Hillary Clinton

As International Women’s Day gets closer, we encourage you to take the time to recognize and reflect upon the influential women in your life.