How Sheila Muniz Ebanks Leads Coca-Cola’s Large Store Division
From Frontline to Executive Leadership.
How do you progress from driving delivery trucks to leading Coca-Cola’s Large Store Division across North America?
In this episode of Candid with Candidates, Jenn Hahn sits down with Sheila Muniz Ebanks, a seasoned executive with over 15 years of experience across PepsiCo, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, and The Coca-Cola Company.
Sheila shares how her early frontline experiences shaped her respect for the people closest to the customer, and how her leadership philosophy has evolved from tactical to strategic to inspirational. Today, she leads an organization of more than 100 people while guiding partnerships with some of North America’s largest retailers—including Albertsons, Publix, and H-E-B.
What makes Sheila’s perspective unique is her focus on culture first, people second, and performance third. She also emphasizes the value of building a “challenge network,” the courage to take calculated risks, and the importance of a strong personal infrastructure to support professional growth.
Episode Highlights
(03:47) Breaking down Sheila’s current role and her leadership responsibilities
(06:44) Early career at Frito-Lay: from delivery trucks to district sales leadership
(10:38) The four Ps guiding her career: People, Process, Passion, and Performance
(17:22) Owning your career: the difference between mentorship and sponsorship
(18:13) Why every leader needs a challenge network to grow
(20:05) Staying grounded: the importance of humility and remembering your roots
(23:53) Building personal infrastructure to enable professional risk-taking
(32:48) Approaching interviews with curiosity, resilience, and growth mindset
(35:06) Standing out by asking: “How can I create capacity for you?”
“I will take a bet on myself every time. I will take a bet on the people that I put on my team every time.”
What You’ll Learn from This Episode
How to progress from tactical to strategic to inspirational leadership
Why culture, people, and performance—in that order—create lasting impact
How to evaluate career transitions with clarity and confidence
The role of risk-taking and personal infrastructure in long-term success
Practical advice for candidates on interviews, career ownership, and leadership readiness
Connect with Sheila
Sheila Muniz Ebanks on LinkedIn
Stay Candid
Candid with Candidates shares real stories from inside major organizations—stories that don’t make it into the slide decks or LinkedIn highlight reels. Follow along for conversations that inform, encourage, and help you navigate your own path to leadership.
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