Blueprint Change: Changing jobs to work for dad in new industry

An Interview with Niki Ververelli

The Basics

Age: 30
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Current occupation: Director of Marketing and Business Development for Dimitri J. Ververelli Inc. (engineering consulting firm)
Last school attended: Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA for master’s degree
Biggest and/or most recent Blueprint Change*: Changing jobs to work for dad in new industry
*A decision you made or something that happened largely or completely out of your control

Could you elaborate on your Blueprint Change?
My most recent change involves coming into my current position [at Dimitri J. Ververelli Inc.] I left my previous job at Drexel University, where I had worked on a professional level and attended on an academic level. I had been working at Drexel for six and a half years, so it was a very big change to leave a non-profit, yet corporate environment and come into a for-profit, very fast moving environment that has a completely different way of operating. It has been a big change.

[Also, in my new job,]I work for my father. So that in it of itself has been a big change, because I’ve had to learn to separate dad from John. That has actually been one of my favorite parts of my job, because I’ve gotten to get to know my dad in a completely different light. It’s nice to have a boss with whom I feel really comfortable going, “I have no idea what that means. Can you explain it more?” I feel like that has only benefited me. So, to say my Blueprint has changed is an understatement. It has completely flipped upside down. But, looking back, I’m so glad I made that change.

What was been the most challenging part of this change and how did you adapt?
I feel like I’m still adapting. The most challenging part was transitioning from an environment where so many people worked under one umbrella – where I interacted with so many people and would have meetings with so many people. Now, I work in a very small office. We are 12 people, and I see the same people every day.

We’re also an engineering firm, so it has definitely been an adjustment adapting to the change in industry and personality types in the office. It has forced me to expand the circle of people I talk to and network with. I worked at Drexel for such a long time that I could tell you anything about Drexel. I became an expert on the ins and outs of who’s who. Now, however, I’m learning a completely different language. I am learning how to communicate with engineers on a very different level. Instead of walking in and asking, “Okay, do you need me to write something? Do you need me to plan something?” like I did before, now, it’s much more complex than that. I’ve also been learning how to take the initiative in asking. At Drexel, I never had to ask for more work. Now, I am a department of one, so I have to create my own goals, objectives, and strategic plan. And any project that I’m doing doesn't really have a basis of comparison. I show my superiors what I’m doing, and they say, “That’s great! Nobody’s ever done that before.”

Niki with her father, John Ververelli (President of DJVI), and grandmother, Anastasia Ververelli

[In regards to how I’ve learned to] separate my dad from John, I think it was just a lot of trial and error. If you’re working with your parent, you can react to them and roll your eyes, have a more lax relationship with them. However, when I’m in a meeting with my father, I turn my respect level up. It’s not because I didn't respect him before, but he becomes my boss in that environment. So I think it’s just about being aware of the environment and being aware of my expectations. It has taken some time. I mean, I will have been there for a year in January, and I’m still getting used to it.

As for adapting to the industry change – it has been a lot of reading. I read industry publications. I read the Philadelphia Business Journal every day. I read the Wall Street Journal. I read The Inquirer. I am aware of what’s going on in Philadelphia, because it helps me know what’s going on in the industry. I can have the sense to think, “Okay, construction is going up. Does that mean our industry’s engineering will be doing well in the next year?” It’s a lot of reading. It’s sitting down and understanding what a cooling tower is, what an air handling unit ​is, what it is that we’re specifically doing. Actually, I just decided to alter my blueprint a little bit again, and I’m going to take a test to become a LEED Green Associate. Through the U.S. Green Building Council, I’ll be able to get certified. Because, to be completely frank, no one in this industry cares about my master’s degree [in​Public Communication]. But, if I have “LEED Green Associate” after my name, that gives me industry credentials and some perceived​ credibility.

Could you share a piece of advice from your experiences?
The best advice that I could give is that if you are starting to think about a change, it is already happening. I started to think about taking this position about a year ago on and it was in that moment that I was motivated to do more. I wrote my own job description. I started planning for the transition. And I think that, once you know it’s going to happen, embrace it. That’s my advice. I’m so glad that I did and made the change.

And I left on a positive note. When you are transitioning, you might not be transitioning for the best reason, but I’m so glad that I moved on with grace. That’s something that I am really proud of. I can still go back to Drexel and have lunch with my friends that are there. I can still catch up with them. It makes you feel like you've evolved into the right place. There are so many horror stories of people leaving jobs under the worst of circumstances and burning bridges. However, I still get to email my former boss about jobs that we’re doing at Drexel. It’s always good to have those connections.

P.S. Check out Niki’s podcast with Amy Katz, the President of Daughters in Charge, to learn more about her experience. Daughters in Charge is an organization dedicated to helping women gain tangible knowledge on how to navigate working for a family business. You can find the podcast on itunes or the  organization’s website.

Thank you so much for sharing, Niki! It's admirable how quickly you've jumped into a new industry!