Nicole Nichols

I think being grounded, not taking things overly seriously, but putting things in perspective. Prioritizing things to a level of putting them in the box that they should be in. It depends on how people determine success for themselves. Success for me, work-wise, is when people are happy with the event that's been produced. When clients come up to me after an event and they're like, 'Nicole, this is great, this is better than we had even anticipated, you really thought outside of the box,' those are the things that keep the fire lit in me to continue on this professional journey in this industry. Personally, it's just making sure that those around me are happy, living as best of a life that we can. That's what's really key for me and what keeps me motivated, what keeps me going.

Someone said this to me recently: Realize the impact that your voice has. Stop underestimating the impact that you have on people. I think your words have a lasting impression on people, and that becomes who you are as a person, your words.

My first thing that comes to mind is, don't be scared to switch gears. It's never too late to change your industry, it's never too late to realize what your true passion is. I would also say try as many things as you can, see what sticks to the wall, because that's also a way to find out what your passion is and what your purpose is. It's never too late to switch gears, it's never too late to find the second coming of yourself, because who we are in our 20s is different than who we are in our 30s, it's different than who we're going to be in our 40s, our 50s, and our 60s, and so forth and so on. So it is never, ever too late to rediscover oneself and to rediscover and realign who you are as an individual, because as women, we are a multitude of things. We are moms, we are working women, we are girlfriends, we are grandmothers, we are all of these things and then some. So there is so much to us, so don't limit yourself. That's what I would say.

As a woman in the workplace, that alone can be a challenge. Even in the year of 2026, it's still challenging sometimes to get that seat at the table, to have your voice heard, but heard in a sense where it's not taken in an opposite type of tone. It's challenging to not let those moments get to you to a point where you're just so stressed out, frustrated and want to throw in the towel. It's still challenging to find ways to overcome those moments so that you can have your voice heard, you can have your thoughts and your ideas matter, and to be a sounding board also for other women in the workplace, because there's a lot of women who are still fighting that, where they are not just seen, but also heard. It's one thing to be seen, but another thing to have your voice heard, because you can also have a seat at the table but not have your voice heard. Those are still some of the challenges that I know I face, and I've spoken to other women, girlfriends who were in the workplace, and they also face those challenges still.

My words are very important. I'm very intentional and mindful with how I speak to people and what I say. I think your words have a lasting impression on people, so that is something I really value myself on, being very intentional and mindful when I speak, because that becomes who you are as a person, your words. So it's very important to me. Delivering on what I say I can deliver professionally, not over-promising too much, finding that balance, but just being true to what you say you're going to deliver. Professionally, for me, my brand, my name, when you hear the name, anyone's name, what does that conjure up when you hear that person's name? You want a more positive mindset. Personally, what's important to me is my self-care. Of course, besides family and friends and things like that, but really self-care, really having my mind at peace, making sure that I am making myself a priority and taking time, even being in events and long days, making time for self so that I am able to give to my work, so that I'm able to give to these other things. Because as they say, you can't drink from an empty cup, so you have to keep refilling yourself.