Early in the career of Nancy Newel—her first year of sales—she participated in a training program called Neuro Linguistic Programming. It’s a somewhat controversial approach to communication, personal development and psychotherapy. Newel, who was a competitive swimmer growing up, was familiar with the “mind over matter” concept and approached the exercise with a curious nature.
Upon concluding the course—which was designed to visualize accomplishing goals—the participants were put through an exercise to anchor what they had learned, she explained. Newel volunteered, along with several others, to apply the instruction to a certain task. The challenge? Break 2×4 boards laid across two stacks of cinder blocks.
“Those who only used brute force were not successful, but those of us who applied what we learned sliced right through the blocks,” said Newel, a 2026 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “It was truly amazing. I apply this whenever I am challenged or uncomfortable and it helps me to perform successfully.”
In nearly 40 years that includes stints with Océ, Sharp and now Konica Minolta, Newel has leveraged her passion, competitive spirit and determination to slice through on-the-job challenges (and not just boards). Even early on, she knew she wanted to push past boundaries and learned the value of being her own advocate.
Smart Decision
In her first industry role, Newel served as a customer service representative, training customers and account reps alike on the company’s copier line. Eighteen months in, she wanted to ply her skills in the field of sales. However, the vice president of sales didn’t think it was the proper career path for a CSR. Undaunted, she turned to the company’s New York office leadership and made her case. Eventually, the VP of sales relented and allowed Newel to be mentored. She did not disappoint. At the end of her first year, Newel was named rookie of the year.
“I look back on that experience often. And I am so glad I did not let someone convince me I could not do something I wanted to do or be something I wanted to be,” Newel said. “Passion is so key and I love the phrase: ‘Sing as if no one is listening, Dance as if no one is watching and Work as if you don’t need to.’”
It was during that first year that Newel pitched a proposal to a large automotive manufacturer prospect at the car maker’s headquarters. It was a test that would confirm her confidence.
“I had a great team and we crushed it,” she noted. “That feeling of confidence in our offering, the ability to deliver on all key objectives, and the look on their faces of satisfaction and appreciation made me feel proud, filled me with excitement and confirmed my passion. They signed the following week, and this was my first new major account sale.”
Currently a regional government account manager, Newel loves the small joys the day can offer. Sometimes, it’s something as simple as getting through the day without a technology glitch. And there’s no underestimating the value of gratitude, the power of a ‘thank you’ and the knowledge that she made someone’s day a little easier/brighter as well.
Mountains to Climb
Newel is excited about the prospects offered by artificial intelligence (AI). One of her goals for 2026 is to expand its use and reap some of the time-saving benefits.
“I have dabbled in the use of AI to help with some daily work tasks, but I have just scratched the surface,” she said. “I know there is so much more to further enhance my work.”
On the home front, Newel cherishes her big three: husband Jeff, son Casey and Flexer, which she termed the “best dog ever.” The happy couple is celebrating 30 years of in August with an eight-day Caribbean cruise, and Casey will come aboard as well as he blows out 25 candles on his birthday cake that month. The Newels enjoy scuba diving, swimming, hiking, exploring and experiencing all manner of cuisines.
As her early career experiences proved, sometimes it’s better to look inward for answers—a notion she’d impart on her younger self. Elders and leaders won’t always have the right answers for you, Newel noted. The gaps in life and work experiences of yesterday, today and tomorrow keep getting wider.
“When you see a fire, fight that fire,” she added. “Don’t assume others will see the same fire.”
