Humans of Zinier: Introducing Nikki

Welcome to our Humans of Zinier series and meet the people building the new era of field service automation.

Nikki Grimsley,  Enterprise Delivery Manager at Zinier
Location: UK

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What is your typical day like for you in your work and at home?

I have to be super organised because my children (aged 15 and 11) are autistic, so they struggle to cope with anything that deviates from their expectations. I have the privilege to be both a mum and a dad to my kids (his decision and his loss) so there is a lot to do each day, and I am lucky to be able to work from home now, which saves on commuting time and has made a huge positive difference to our family.

My core working hours are 9am-6pm but often start earlier or finish later. I take my lunch break when I do the school pickup, although I sometimes get help with school runs from my sister, who is a fantastic human and the hardest worker I know.

My job role in a nutshell is to deliver our product to our UK clients. This involves anything from project and account management to assisting with QA, product development and product/training documentation. I enjoy my challenging and varied role at Zinier a lot, but I do try to remember we work to live, not live to work!

On weekends, we make sure homework is done first and this can sometimes take a whole day. To relax, we do things like shoot hoops or play swing ball outside, go bike riding or go for walks in country parks. Last weekend we visited the Think Tank Science Museum in Birmingham, which was fun.

The house is a fixer-upper so I have learned how to do DIY and the kids love helping with that at weekends. We also have a huge garden (or “back yard” for those in the US!) which was an overgrown tangle of trees, bushes, weeds, pampas grass and brambles when we moved in, but we are transforming it gradually.

Where is one place you’d like to visit?

I have a long list of places I’d love to visit. We are sticking mainly to the UK at the moment as there are so many beautiful places to explore that are close to home. I’m currently planning a trip to Scotland to explore the lochs and take a trip on the Harry Potter train!

What is your favourite quote or motto?

My mum brought me up with the motto “if at first you don’t succeed, try and try and try again”. Also: “The one person you can rely on in life is yourself”. 

I appreciate that as it has empowered me with independence, a strong work ethic and determination. When life knocks me over I always get straight back up again. I live by those mottos to stay strong and achieve my goals.

‍What’s a fun fact about you?

I love horse riding although I have never owned my own horse. I used to go on week long treks with my sister but I am not great at riding - I injure myself quite often so I have not been riding for some years now as I can’t afford to be out of action! The funniest time I took a fall was when plodding along the edge of a field in Autumn. I was riding a huge and placid Shire/Cob cross. Laddie trod on a dry twig, it snapped loudly and he bolted in fear - but left me behind like a cartoon!

What was a recent work project you enjoyed working on?

My current project is redecorating my daughter’s bedroom. It had Disney princess wallpaper, which was fine for her younger self, but now needs updating for a pre-teen! I love improving our home for my kids so they always have a welcoming environment that they enjoy being in.

Nikki’s Quick 3

Top 3 most used mobile apps: 

1. WhatsApp
2. Chrome
3. GMail

3 things that you wish were automated: 

1. Mowing the lawns
2. Changing bed sheets
3. Taking out the recycling and rubbish (or for those in the US: the trash!)

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Be a part of the team where work-life balance and personal growth thrive? We’re always looking for new additions to the Zinier team. Check out our current opportunities here.