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Stacey Oliver-Knappe: From Chick-fil-A Cash Register to Paris with Disney
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A story of discovering her calling the long way around
When Stacey dropped out of high school in her senior year, she didn’t have a plan — but she did have grit, curiosity, and a quiet belief that things would work out. In this deeply honest episode, Stacey Oliver-Knappe shares the real story behind her career in Learning & Development: from smelling like peanut oil while cleaning fryers at Chick-fil-A, to working at Walt Disney World, and eventually finding herself training teams in Paris (without speaking French).
We talk about mental health, workplace politics, growing up in corporate, and why falling in love with adult learning changed everything. Stacey opens up about what it really takes to thrive in L&D, why service is at the heart of everything she does, and the difference between being a corporate employee and running your own business.
If you’ve ever questioned your path, felt behind, or wondered whether you’re “allowed” to do meaningful work without the perfect résumé — this one’s for you.
Meet Stacey:
Stacey Oliver-Knappe is a business consultant, speaker, and author who helps organizations solve workplace challenges—through their people. Her career journey spans hospitality, contact centers, HR leadership, and organizational development, but the common thread has always been a passion for helping businesses become their best version.
Today, Stacey partners with small and mid-sized businesses to tackle retention, culture, and leadership challenges—often when leaders know “something isn’t right” but can’t quite pinpoint the problem. She's also the author of Compassion@Work and writes the popular Business Practical Magic newsletter.
Known for her optimistic, strategic approach (and a good dose of humor), Stacey believes every workplace can be transformed when you focus on the people who power it.
Connect with Stacey:
Instagram: @staceyok110
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CruisePortCaptain
Website: https://www.staceyok.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceyok/
Your host, Candice Mitchell, can be found online at:
Website: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicemitchelltdnerd/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent_development_nerd/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@candicemitchell.TDNerd
Talent Development Academy: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/tda
Original music composed by: Paul DeHaven
53 episodes
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