You pass them in the halls, see their faces on Teams calls, and exchange emails. You know their job title and department and might even know their extension by heart. But do you truly know who you’re working with? Get to know Danielle Garcia, a Sourcing Manager and Tandym’s Employee of the Month for February 2024!

Who are you?

I was born and raised in Poughkeepsie, NY and pretty much lived my entire life there with my parents and two sisters (I’m a textbook example of middle child syndrome). I was big into sports and other activities growing up. I played softball competitively all over the country and Canada and during the offseason I was a competitive cheerleader. I’m what you call a “flyer” – which are the people that get thrown up in the air all the time. I loved cheerleading so much that when I transferred to Niagara University after a year and a half at community college, I joined their team and ended up being named captain. Doing that and studying for my bachelor’s in hospitality took up a lot of my time during college, but it was some of the best years of my life. I’m a busy body type of person. I like to be involved doing things all the time, so that was perfect for me. When COVID hit, my family put up our childhood home for sale and it sold in two days. I live in Danbury, CT, but currently apartment hunting on the Upper East Side with my boyfriend of 5 years. So, if you have any leads / connections, let a girl know!

If you could only use three condiments for the rest of your life, what would they be?

Ketchup is number 1. I always need a ketchup base for dipping anything into. It doesn’t matter what I’m having, ketchup is always there. Number 2 may be honey mustard. Yeah, let’s go with that. It offsets the ketchup and works well with pretty much everything. I don’t know about the last one. Wait, can I choose McDonald’s sweet & sour sauce? If so, that’s number 3 – but only if it’s from McDonald’s! They have the best one.

Who were your role models / inspirations growing up?

It would have to be my dad. He came over as an immigrant unable to speak English and hardly knowing anyone. He faced every obstacle you could imagine. But through it all, his drive and determination allowed him to provide for his family and give us opportunities he never had. He’s not only a family first guy, but he’s also an everyone-first guy. Friends, neighbors, you name it and he’ll always manage to put them before himself. He’s who I model my work ethic after. He’s a true inspiration.

If you were only allowed to binge one show for the rest of your life, what would it be?

The Office. I’m a big fan of dry humor. I think I’ve watched the entire series over 5 times. I know every line. It never gets old and is funny every time. I’ll even go onto YouTube and watch for hours.

Did you find Tandym or did we find you?

I was really focused on working in the hospitality industry and got an internship with Hyatt right after college. I truly loved the job and worked my way up to manager. And then COVID struck. Everyone got laid off and I was in a state of limbo. I’ve been working since I was 14 years old and have always had a job, so that was a tough stretch. I ended up getting a Tax Administrative Assistant position at PwC and was a jack of all trades for them. I’d help with everyday administrative duties, but then also take on full projects of training new employees and event planning. A 3-month contract turned into a two-year role and, while I loved everyone I worked with, I wanted something more. I left that position and joined a different staffing firm before this one and loved that I was helping people each day – one of the main reasons I studied hospitality. However, I didn’t see myself staying there too long and one of my coworkers knew someone at Tandym. I wasn’t sure if they were looking for a Sourcer (my original role), but they got my resume, liked what they saw and now I’m here!

How did it feel to win Employee of the Month?

I was truly shocked. I had no idea I was even nominated. I mean, people in the office joked around saying they nominated me, but I figured it was just banter and whatnot. This is a brand-new position, so a lot of it is trial and error. I didn’t know if I made the right decision to go into sourcing management over recruiting. But I like it a lot and apparently, I’m making the difference with our group because it got me nominated. It felt so good to know that my team really cares and likes working with me. It was funny to have people randomly congratulating me throughout the office. I called my parents and boyfriend immediately after. I was on cloud 9. Still am a bit too!

If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, which would you choose?

Okay this is going to sound bad and I’m going to come off as weirdo, but I’m not much of a music lover. Don’t get me wrong. I love dancing and stuff (2000s hip & hop and R&B forever!), but I’m not the type of person who is obsessed with an artist and needs to listen to an entire album front to back as soon as it comes out. If I’m listening to something, it’s usually an audiobook or a podcast. I have an unhealthy obsession with true crime podcasts. I guess if I had to pick an album for the sake of this question, it’d be Ariana Grande’s “Dangerous Woman”. It’s just fun and I like her voice.

What advice would you give to your coworkers on how to reach Employee of the Month status?

Persistence is key. In this business, there’s going to be highs and lows. That’s just the way the industry is. If you go in each day knowing that you can control the outcome of every decision, your coworkers will recognize that and recognize you. Maintain your consistency, keep pushing, and continuously strive to prove your worth. Also, if you show appreciation and gratitude towards your coworkers, people will in return reciprocate. It really goes a long way.

Rank the seasons.

Summer is easily the best. I love the warm weather. I like to be tan and I’m a wholeheartedly a beach person. I don’t care if it’s 100 degrees out and I’m sweating like crazy, I love it. Fall and Spring are both kind of tied for second. Maybe Fall before Spring just because I love the leaves changing, Halloween, apple picking, and all those fall flavors. Spring is great because Summer is on the way. And last and definitely least, Winter. I absolutely hate being cold. I have my own personal heater in my bedroom at home. In the office, I wear long sleeves all the time with either hoodie or jacket over that. I just went skiing for the first time ever. It was fun, but I don’t understand how people are cool with just being all bundled up and cold at the same time.

If you had to choose an entirely different career, what would it be and why?

I have this little charcuterie board business right now that I do on the side (which you can all follow on Instagram if you’d like!). In an ideal world, I’d have a shop dedicated to expanding that. You could come in and build your own charcuterie boards, learn about the different meats & cheese, and, of course, have wine along the way. And then at night, it would turn into a cocktail bar. Since my business is called “Grazing with Dani”, I think a good name for the shop would be “The Graze”.

What are your goals for 2024 with Tandym and beyond?

I would love to build and grow out this position and take it to the next level. This is a brand-new role at our company, and I think the benefits of it are quite apparent. It would be great to expand it from just the Professional Services vertical to across the entire company – adding more facets and responsibilities to it along the way.

I love working with the group of Sourcers we currently have. Teaching them the best practices and helping them to grow each day has been so gratifying. Not to mention Michael Cooke’s guidance and his unrelenting confidence in me have gone a long way. It’s honestly through his patience and leadership that I’ve assimilated so well into this role. So, for the rest of 2024, I want to take an educated approach to learning about the other verticals more, seeing their day-to-day processes, and then seeing how a Sourcing Manager can assist them and their team. By the end of the year, I want the entire company to know my name, what I do, and why I’m good at it. I want them all to want a Dani Garcia working with them on their team.

What would be your last meal?

My aunt and grandma were the best cooks and my love for food comes directly from them, so it’d have to be one of their homemade dishes. Honestly, tacos, rice & beans, chips, salsa & guac, and a great margarita. It’s what I grew up on (minus the margarita) and it reminds me of home. It’s true comfort food.