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Sandra Zimmerman

Sandra Zimmerman

Tacala

Career Roadmap

Sandra's work combines: Business, Food, and Working with Others

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Day In The Life

Area Coach

I work with teams and leaders to help run successful restaurants, grow people capabilities, and plan for future success!

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

    Cocke County High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Accounting and Business/Management

    East Tennessee State University

Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Training & Development Specialists:

Bachelor's Degree: Accounting and Business/Management

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Life & Career Milestones

I've taken a lot of twists and turns

  • 1.

    Took on a full time job at McDonald's in the beginning of high school and kept grades up.

  • 2.

    Graduated high school, moved away from home, and started college, and took on a management position at Taco Bell.

  • 3.

    I struggled to adapt to the stress of school, management, and marriage. I gained weight from emotional eating, not adjusting to change and marriage well, and not prioritizing important things.

  • 4.

    Flunked out of college.

  • 5.

    An epiphany! I was not happy with my life, so I started a diet and exercise regime which gave me more energy, higher self esteem, happiness and motivation to be productive. I re-enrolled in college!

  • 6.

    Took on a management opportunity half way across the county and chose taking an RGM role over finishing school.

  • 7.

    I moved closer to home due to a family emergency. Took a demotion within company to have a place on the team.

  • 8.

    I was able to grow even more from stepping backwards and taking in a new perspective. I promoted into an RGM role, a MTM role, and now I am training for an Area Coach role!

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Society in general:

    Fast food is the bottom of the food chain. It's dirty and people who work there are people who have failed at life. If you don't fit in with everyone no one will like you. There's no reason to be so happy at work; stop being annoying.

  • How I responded:

    Fast food is ever growing, and the opportunity is limitless! You get what you put in, and there's plenty of life experience in it. Attitude is everything. Mary Poppins said, "In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun, and snap! The job's a game!" PERCEPTION IS REALITY. How you look at things will be how you react to them. Find the good. See the details. If you want to succeed you have to believe you will succeed. Be yourself; don't be ashamed. Own your energy!