At just 5 years old, Nicole Malachowski knew she wanted to be a pilot. By 12, she had joined the Civil Air Patrol.
Recognizing her career path with such certainty at a young age is incredible enough. But DRIVE podcast viewers and listeners can also hear the amazing story of how Malachowski made history along the way.
On the latest episode of DRIVE, Ford CEO Jim Farley sits down with the retired U.S. Air Force colonel, whose numerous achievements include becoming the first female pilot to fly with the famed Air Force Thunderbirds.
Malachowski’s military career was later cut short due to illness. Farley and his DRIVE audience hear how that tragedy helped shape her life, eventually spawning a career as an inspirational speaker and leadership consultant.
“I always tell people, ‘The runway behind you is always unusable,’” she says. “All you ever have is the runway that’s in front of you. And that’s kind of the mindset that got me through my phase.”