Nicole McMickle

I really think my success comes from the development of my team. I have a really strong team that works under me, which allows us to influence so many parts of the business, and I'm known for being able to develop leaders. One of my team members was our Outbacker of the Year last year, which is a huge lifetime achievement award. I have a team member this year who's going to be team member of the half year and then team member of the year at the restaurant. Another girl that works for me is the WFF Changemaker winner for 2025. Really, that's what I'm most proud of - watching my people shine and get the recognition that they deserve and helping lead them in a way that makes them so successful. I also had an incredible mentor, Warren Sheeler, who was my joint venture partner when I worked for Bonefish. He was very down-to-earth, a great operator, brutally honest with you, and would challenge you to be better no matter how good you were. His leadership style was amazing - instead of just giving me answers or a list, he would say things like 'come show me what you see here' or 'what do you see? What do you hear?' That really shaped how I lead today.

The best career advice I ever received came from John Cooper, who was the president of Bonefish. He asked me what my priorities were, and I said my family, and then my job. He told me I had it wrong. He said it has to be you first - you have to take care of yourself and be the best you can be, and then your family, and then your work will fall in place. That really stuck with me. It took me a long time to get there, but now I try to be the example of how you can have work-life satisfaction. There's not balance all the time, but really being able to show up for everybody in your life, as well as yourself, will make you more successful at your career.

What I've tried to show young women is that you can have it all. I have 3 kids, I serve on a board as the board chair for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, I'm married, I take care of my mother, and I'm successful professionally. It took me a long time to not feel like I had to pick and choose. The advice that really changed things for me was learning that you have to put yourself first, then your family, and then your work will fall in place. I try to be the example of work-life satisfaction - there's not balance all the time, but really being able to show up for everybody in your life, as well as yourself, will make you more successful at your career. I also make sure my team knows they can take care of themselves and their families. I tell them, if your kids are sick, you go take care of them, we've got this. I fundamentally believe that, and showing that makes all the difference. I had friends who told me years later that they loved working for me but felt they could never leave because I was always there first. I've tried to really not be that person going forward.

One of the biggest challenges in my field is the ongoing inequity women face in corporate and hospitality roles. However, I see a strong opportunity to spotlight and elevate female leaders—especially those who began in hourly positions—to inspire others and help create clearer pathways to leadership.

The values most important to me center around taking care of yourself first so you can show up for others, both professionally and personally. I believe in work-life satisfaction rather than perfect balance, and I try to model that for my team. I have an open door policy and I'm known for developing leaders and helping people shine. I fundamentally believe in supporting my team when they need to take care of their families or themselves. Beyond work, giving back to the community is incredibly important to me. I'm the board chair for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which I became involved with after getting my mental health first aid certification through our employee health and wellness group, Bloomin' Balance, which I founded. I also lead our team for Miles for Moffitt every year, organizing volunteers for the event. That one's really special to me because I lost my dad to liver cancer. Whether it's mental health advocacy, cancer research, or other causes like St. Jude's and Susan G. Komen, I believe in being involved and supporting in any way I can. I continually try to educate myself around the things I do and become as knowledgeable as I can in that space, and then I find what I love and continue to stay more involved with that.