2022 Star Women in Grocery winner Stephanie Goyette (Q&A)
Stephanie Goyette
Head of Marketing & Strategy – Taste Elevation
Kraft Heinz
How did you get into the grocery/CPG business?
It all started with my passion for food and cooking, which I learned from my parents at a very young age. From baking my first cake, to trying different cooking techniques and entertaining my family and friends, it began as a way to connect and explore my creativity. But, as I got older I knew I wanted to pursue a future in food. During my first year of university, the class that kickstarted my career progression was introduction to marketing. Within the first five minutes I knew my new goal was to become a great marketer. And then I thought, why not combine my passion for food and marketing? So when I graduated, I naturally set my sights on a role within food CPG. I joined Kraft back in 2001 and never left!
Biggest challenge faced in your career?
Working from home throughout the pandemic has certainly been one of the most challenging times, but also one of the most important times in terms of personal growth and evolving my leadership style. Adapting to online meeting requirements led me to become more vocal in establishing boundaries for myself and the team to ensure we could successfully deliver results within business hours. The importance in keeping teams energized and focused from a distance also changed how I prioritized and networked with teams, while also ensuring to find creative ways to remain connected in fun and personable ways, virtually. And last, but not least, finding the ways to balance the professional vs. personal life when working from home has been an evolving art. As a wife and mom of two young children, there’s no secret recipe for this part – it all comes down to choices, prioritization, goal setting and managing expectations that are achievable across all fronts.
Career highlight/greatest achievement?
I’ve had the opportunity to work across several roles and businesses within Kraft Heinz throughout the years – from sales to shopper marketing, to consumer promotions and brand marketing. It is always fulfilling to create a turnaround or growth plan and see the results materialize. My greatest achievement to date was being part of the team that brought together the strategic transformation plan for the company in 2020 as we shifted our portfolio management from category to consumer-driven platforms. Having the opportunity to collaborate as a North American and global team to deliver the strategic growth plan has been a one-of-a-kind experience that was exciting to see come to life. And that was just the beginning of our journey to deliver sustainable growth.
What do you like most about your job?
My team. I feel privileged and honoured to work with such an amazing and talented group of individuals that are all passionate and committed to achieving our business goals together. We all learn from each other and push ourselves do to our very best every day. Throughout my career I’ve had great managers and mentors that I’ve learned a lot from. It is the people I have worked with along the way that have helped me become the leader I am today. The people on my team are my number one priority, and that’s why I’m committed to helping them achieve their respective growth potential and career ambitions through coaching and/or mentoring. I now have the opportunity, and responsibility, to help develop the next generation of great leaders within our organization.
What are your passions outside of work?
Making every day count. Spending quality and fun time with the family is extremely important to me, which includes adventure trips, movie nights, dance parties, playing outdoors and “master chef” family cook-offs, just to name a few. I love listening to music and particularly enjoy going to concerts with friends. And as for sports, I will try anything that includes a board, from surfing to recently learning how to snowboard. And cheering on our favourite sports teams is a must. Watching hockey and football games with the husband (while cheering opposite teams) makes it interesting! For now, I am looking forward to the warmer weather and getting outside with my family.
Click here for the full list of 2022 Star Women in Grocery award winners.