Nikki Rangra

Director of Operations, FGI

Biography:

Nikki Rangra has over 13 years of experience in the global finance industry and has worked extensively within FGI Worldwide during her tenure. She currently serves as the director of operations for FGI. Nikki is an exceptional professional and leader who excels in all aspects of relationship, project, and portfolio management. She is a risk-mitigation and credit-insurance expert and has mastered the nuances of cash management in multiple jurisdictions around the world.  

Nikki has been entrusted with a range of responsibilities, from overseeing FGI’s finance and risk portfolios to stepping into assist with FGI’s latest credit-insurance software venture. In her role, Nikki leads the finance and risk operations groups, managing teams of portfolio managers, account executives, and operations specialists. Nikki has structured and built an operations team to manage all functions necessary to accommodate FGI’s unique methods for financing. She has contributed to much of FGI’s 18-year growth and expansion, implementing many of the processes and procedures that the firm utilizes in its day-to-day funding and cash-management operations, including joining the development team that built FGI’s TRUST platform, a proprietary software that she helped to craft from the ground-up. Nikki received a B.A in both Economics and Spanish at Rutgers University.

What advice would you offer to women just starting out in the industry?

1.  Own your losses and learn from your mistakes. This proves to people that not only are you self-aware, but you hold yourself accountable. It strengthens your credibility with your superiors and peers, making them more inclined to trust you and work with you. Get back up, shake it off and go over the play-by-play so you never make that mistake again.

2.  Embrace the gray zones of your job. Don’t think of your role as a black-and- white job description. When challenges come up and you’re asked to stretch,  run with it. This will benefit you in the long run and solidify that you are indispensable. My team was small when I started, so I wore many hats. This pushed me, helped me grow, and gave me invaluable experience. Early in my career, I got more out of challenging myself than if I said no and left work on time.

3.  Pay it forward. Help team members and mentor others as you move up the ladder. We all needed help to get where we are today. While it can be hard to carve out time to help others, remember that these relationships will be the basis for your network and support system.

Studies have shown women are more reluctant to tout their accomplishments in the workplace. What advice would you give to help women be more comfortable with speaking up?

I’ve been guilty of staying quiet about my accomplishments, thinking I was being humble. However, I have learned that I am my own best advocate. There’s a thin line between confidence and arrogance, and fear of overstepping often causes women to feel uncomfortable. It’s important to make clear your role in key company successes because, unfortunately, you won’t always get the recognition you deserve. Take baby steps by subtly pointing out your involvement, i.e. “I loved collaborating with X on this project”  or “I learned a lot while tackling this project.” As you grow in your career and get more confident, you’ll learn to be more vocal when needed.

What do you know now that you wish you knew in the beginning of your career?

Don’t be afraid to ask for more information.  Ambitious women often have a “just get it done” mindset -- I certainly did at the beginning of my career. But this can only go so far, leading to unnecessary stress and, in some cases, even failure.  Make sure you understand the goals and how success will be measured. If at any point you’re unclear, ask. This sets you up to swim instead of sinking in confusion. I think a 30/70 ratio of raising your hand/getting it done is a healthy mix.

How do you balance work/personal time?

Setting deadlines is very important for me. This way, I can do my best to check off everything  I need to do professionally so it doesn’t infringe on personal time at home. The  concept of a 9-5 day every day is not necessarily a reality anymore. If I have to leave work early to pick up my daughter at school and spend time with her, I will happily do that, and then log on after she goes to bed to make sure my work is done.  Also, I take days off for “me time” to recharge. Sometimes I watch guilty-pleasure trash TV or grab lunch with a friend -- anything that allows me to take a break from important decisions. I call it a “no-decision day.”