Employee Spotlight: Vanessa Grissom

At Tandym, we know that success is a team sport, and every month, we take a moment to recognize one standout player who goes above and beyond. Our Teammate of the Month isn’t just someone who gets the job done; they embody our values, uplift those around them, and make a lasting impact. Get to know Vanessa Grissom, Tandym’s Managing Director and Tandym’s Teammate of the Month for March 2026!

Who are you?

I was born and raised in Harlem, New York. I know a lot of people just say Manhattan, but I always say Harlem because Harlem is just a different place than actual Manhattan, and I like to make sure people know that’s where I’m from. I grew up there with my mom and my brother. I went to Brandeis High School in Manhattan and later attended Monroe University for college.

I have three children of my own, two sons and a daughter, and I’m a proud grandmother of two boys. My husband and I also have a blended family, so together we have four children total. It’s a bit of a Brady Bunch situation, which I love.

I’ve lived all over New York over the years, including Manhattan, the Bronx, and Mount Vernon. Now, my husband and I are settled empty-nesters living in Orange County.

It’s movie night at your house. What are you watching?

Honestly, this is a tough one because my husband and I have completely different tastes. He loves action-packed movies, and I’m more into shows like Game of Thrones, so we’re usually on opposite ends of the spectrum. Also, I feel like there haven’t been that many great movies lately, so I’ve kind of fallen out of the loop when it comes to movie nights. I’ve definitely been more into series.

Don’t laugh, but right now I’ve been completely hooked on Top Chef. I’ve been binge-watching that, and also Bridgerton. That’s more my speed these days.

Who were your heroes or inspirations growing up?

My role models were never really celebrities. Of course, there were entertainers I enjoyed, but my biggest inspiration has always been my mom. She is such a hardworking and strong woman. My family originally came from the South, mostly South Carolina, and in the 1960s, they moved up to Harlem to build a new life. Watching my mom navigate everything and raise us the best she could had a huge impact on me.

Even now, she is just full of life. We recently celebrated her 79th birthday with a pasta brunch in the city, and she was right there with us, having the best time. She has such a vibrant spirit and really lives every day to the fullest. She doesn’t take anything for granted. I truly admire that about her. I hope I can live my life even half as fully and meaningfully as she has.

What does your playlist currently look like?

Right now, my playlist is all over the place, but in a good way. I’m going to the Jay Z concert this summer at Yankee Stadium, so I’ve been back in my Jay Z era. I’ve been listening to The Blueprint and Reasonable Doubt a lot lately, just to bring back the memories.

I’ve also been playing a lot of Cardi B. Don’t judge me. Beyoncé is always in rotation, of course, and I’ve been listening to Cleo Sol as well. And I have to include Jill Scott. Her new album is definitely in heavy rotation right now.

What is a hidden talent that you have that your coworkers don’t know about?

I would definitely say I’m an amazing cook. I’m the go-to cook in my family, especially between my brother and me. My macaroni and cheese is a big deal. I’m known for it.

I was also a Beachbody coach for many years. I built and coached a team of women, and I loved being able to motivate and support them. I helped quite a few women achieve significant weight loss, which was really rewarding.

On top of that, I actually started my own skincare company in 2021. It’s called Nessfeli Natural Skincare, which is a combination of my name, Vanessa, and my sister-in-law’s name, Felicia. We built it together, and it focuses on fully natural products. We’re currently on a bit of a hiatus while we revamp and update the product line, but it did really well, and I’m very proud of it.

You’ve been entered into a food-eating competition. What are you choosing?

Lobster, no question. Grilled lobster. I was going to say mac and cheese, but that gets heavy after a while. Lobster is something I could just keep going with. Definitely lobster, with butter and lemon. That’s all I need.

Did you find Tandym, or did Tandym find you?

Honestly, it was a little bit of both. I was first introduced to Tandym as a temp. I was placed at one of their clients, and that role turned into a full-time position in HR, where I stayed for 12 years. At that point, I actually became a client of Tandym myself.

Years later, after that role ended and I had moved on to something else, someone from Tandym reached back out to me and asked what I was doing. She suggested I come work for Tandym, and I remember thinking that I had always done in-house HR and was not sure about transitioning into staffing. But she was confident I would love it and be good at it, and she was right.

I ended up coming to Tandym and started in the Stamford office, focusing on healthcare recruitment. At the time, everything was still under one umbrella, so it was a bit different from how things are structured today.

Looking back, it really feels like a full-circle moment.

You’re a big foodie. What’s a restaurant everyone should try at least once?

I feel like a lot of people may have already been there, but I have to say Del Frisco’s in the city.

It’s one of my go-to spots because the food is always consistent and the service is amazing every single time. The drinks are great, and I absolutely love their crab cakes and steak. It’s just one of those places that never disappoints.

There are also two other restaurants I love. Soothr, which is incredible Thai food, and Le B, where Angie Mar is the chef. Both are excellent and definitely worth trying as well.

What was it like to hear that you were selected as Tandym’s Teammate of the Month for March?

I was completely shocked.

I was sitting in the meeting watching everything unfold, and I had no idea it was coming. Honestly, I’m just glad it happened when it did because I was literally about to eat a banana. I remember thinking, thank God I didn’t take a bite right then.

Once it registered what was happening, I got so excited and immediately started trying to see who nominated me and what people said. I was trying to read everything as fast as I could and just take it all in.

It was such a great moment. I felt really happy, grateful, and honestly just so appreciated.

If I handed you a plane ticket right now to anywhere in the world, where are you going?

I would go to Ghana. That’s actually a trip I’ve been wanting to plan for a while. I’m really interested in the history, and I’ve never been to Africa, so I would want to start in West Africa before exploring anywhere else.

My daughter has been to Ghana, and hearing about her experience and seeing everything she did there made me want to go even more. I want to try the food, experience the culture, and really take everything in.

More than anything, I just want to go to the motherland and be able to experience that connection in person. That would be my first choice.

What are your goals for 2026 with Tandym?

I’m not going to lie, I always struggle with questions like this.

Of course there are the professional goals we all have, like hitting certain numbers and continuing to grow from a business perspective. But for me, a big focus this year is my team.

I have a newer, smaller team right now, and we’ve become really close. My main goal is to help each of them reach their own goals, especially when it comes to their growth and success. I want them to feel confident in their roles, continue to develop, and really excel in what they’re doing.

More than anything, I just want to be a good leader for them. If they’re successful and feel like they had a strong year, then I’ll feel like I did my job.

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

That’s a tough question.

I think it would definitely be something in the wellness space. I’m really into fitness, health, and overall wellness, so it would have to be something aligned with that.

I don’t think I would want to work for someone else though. I see it more as building something of my own. I would probably expand on my skincare business and turn it into something more full spectrum. Not just skincare, but also incorporating wellness, fitness, and even things like natural teas.

It would be a combination of everything I enjoy and am passionate about outside of work, all brought together into one business. Honestly, that’s something I could see myself doing in the future. It’s definitely a long-term goal of mine.