Nicole KingMartin

I have been in business for over 20 years, starting with franchise ownership and management, then moving into franchise consulting with companies like 7-Eleven and Miracle Air. In 2016, my life took an unexpected turn when both my parents were diagnosed with Alzheimer's and I left corporate America to become their caregiver. My husband told me to bring my dad home, and that decision changed everything. We went from two incomes to one, with two daughters heading to college. I remembered how my own mother had me fill out scholarship applications every Saturday morning during high school, which led to my debt-free degree from Wilberforce University. I started applying that same approach with my daughters, staying up until 2 or 3 in the morning finding scholarships while caring for my dad during the day. My oldest daughter Michaela graduated debt-free in 3 years from Georgia State, and my youngest Melania is playing collegiate volleyball at Winston-Salem State on scholarships. After my mom passed in 2022 and my dad in 2023, I officially launched Scholars Ready to Win in 2024. Now I help families navigate the scholarship process, conduct workshops for parents and students, organize HBCU college fairs, and advocate for starting the scholarship search as early as 5th grade. I believe in finding those less competitive scholarships that add up, and I teach families that the key is in telling your story through essays and starting early.