 By her own admission, Fenia Mavromichali doesn't often speak about her personal life. An "introvert disguised as an extrovert," Mavromichali has the innate ability to make people feel comfortable in conversation, but what she really wants to do is listen. "It makes life interesting," she explained, "and I think there is more value in making sense of the world in that way." Those who do get the rare opportunity to hear Mavromichali's story find a wealth of knowledge and experiences, and a narrative that is far from being completely written.
Mirror Ball Lady
Mavromichali had never dreamt of following her current career path while growing up in Thessaloniki, Greece. It was by pure luck—or, as she describes it, "providence"—that Mavromichali came to meet Chris Giannoulas, Owner of Omnisistem. Giannoulas' sister was studying art at the same time Mavromichali was earning her Ph.D. in mass communication at the University of Washington. "Our buildings happened to be conveniently located across from each other and we often met between classes for a quick coffee and dessert," recalled Mavromichali. It was through this friendship that she met the entire Giannoulas family and came to accept a temporary position at Omnisistem, covering for Chris' assistant, who had gone on vacation.
"When he gave me my first paycheck, I thought he was testing me. He never said to come back on Monday and he never said don't come back. So, I showed up," said Mavromichali. "He tested me for three months and then we started to discover how similar we were."
Omnisistem only had a handful of employees at the time and, impressed by the way Giannoulas was starting to lead the company, Mavromichali became Giannoulas' right-hand woman. Tapping into the strong work ethic instilled in her while working for the family business back in Greece, she began working with Giannoulas to come up with ideas for how to grow the company and create the best impression with its customers.
"We made plans together on how to promote the products and bring them into the right markets," said Mavromichali, who considers herself the architect and Giannoulas the visionary. "When he was envisioning the company, I was with him to make sure we had the right materials and tools to make it happen."
This was in spite of the fact Mavromichali didn't have a background in business management. Her training was in media and mass communications, but she found that working for Omnisistem was "the equivalent of an MBA" and helped her to discover talents she never knew that she had.
"Chris would give me the green light to try things, and that's how I found some strengths I never knew I had. I saw that I was good with numbers, and started taking responsibility for the treasury and meeting commitments with overseas vendors," she recalled. Four years into her tenure at Omnisistem, Mavromichali earned her current title, Vice President of Operations, and now splits her time between managing Omnisistem's finances and personally serving 16 to 20 vendor accounts.
"I'm proud to say that it's very rare to have our customers complain about their orders," said Mavromichali, who certifies the lasers and works with the moving yokes and lighting products. As someone who has always loved learning, Mavromichali has worked hard to develop an expertise in the lighting and laser products with which she works, even earning the nickname "mirror ball lady."
"I'm learning a lot from our sales leader, Burt Gilleland, who is an excellent mentor," said Mavromichali, who has also picked things up from listening to third-party conversations. "It's a skill that I have that I can focus and learn without being directly taught, she said."
Mavromichali recognizes that she isn't an expert in every product and is the first to refer a client to someone else at the company to make sure they get the information they require. But she happily goes above and beyond and, regardless of her high-ranking title, is not afraid to get her hands dirty in the name of helping a client.
"I will go down to the warehouse and personally put labels on things if I have to," she explained. "It's not unusual to run to the airport to fly products out so that the customers can pick them up the next day."
"We're a small company, and that allows for personal relationships with the customers," Mavromichali continued. "I'm able to look after them as they would do for themselves."
Being Her Personal Best
A self-professed workaholic, Mavromichali is learning to devote as much time to herself as she does to her professional life. "I'm trying to bring balance to my life. I'm committed to doing so. Now I only work 10 to 12 hours a day, instead of 16," she said with a laugh. But to assume Mavromichali is all business is a mistake. She is a well-rounded woman with many hobbies, which are often aimed at making herself a better person in general.
"I also do pointillism because it takes patience, which I don't really have," she explained. "I do things that help develop the areas where I have flaws. I want to be able to grow and to be creative." That desire has also drawn her to activities like writing, and especially baking.
"I love baking, because it relaxes and rejuvenates me after work. I like to be creative and then bring it to work the next day," said Mavromichali. "I like to bake cakes, and I make a great tiramisu, as well. A few of my customers tried it and they said it was the best they'd ever tasted."
Sharing her happiness and her personal strength is one of Mavromichali's true joys, both inside the office and out. "I like to bring people pleasure in different ways, and I like being able to impact others when you listen to what they have to say," she continued, once again returning to her favorite talent: listening. "At trade shows, what I enjoy best are the after-hours moments when you interact with your distributors and dealers on a personal level, whether it's over dinner or drinks. I learn from their personal experiences. That is what I value a lot."
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