Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nicole Palmer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Nicole, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea.
When I first started in business. Honestly, there was no strategy I just jumped in. I think because I had no choice, I didn’t really think about it. It was messy, I was afraid, but I showed up anyway. And because I showed up, I was able to make mistakes sooner so I knew what I needed to fix.
I didn’t initially have anyone to learn from only my own mistakes. And while learning from your own mistakes isn’t always a bad thing, in business, there are some legal and foundational things you need to have in place or else! Yes, I had talent and ideas in spades. I was able to learn from my trials and errors, Google a few things, and even gained some insight from a few books. But what I didn’t have was someone (a mentor) who was able to help shortcut the process, cover my blindspots, and provide insight and support to help me work through my biggest challenges — and even the ones I didn’t know I had yet.
Building a business goes far beyond just having an idea. I quickly realized it wasn’t enough to just cross my fingers and hope things would happen. If I was going to level up I needed to gain clarity about who I was, the value I had to offer, who I was most equipped to serve, and how can I best show up. Everyone starts at zero but if it was easy, everyone would be killing it. Hence, the need for a mentor, a proven strategy, a community, and aligned action to make things happen.
Nicole, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m Nicole Palmer, a mom, a multi-passionate entrepreneur, strategist, and branding specialist focused on one thing — creating impact. Originally from Jamaica (the island), I moved to Brooklyn, New York when I was 17. Opportunities were more difficult because of my immigration status… or the lack thereof. But the experience allowed me to flex my muscles of being an ambitious entrepreneur.
Over the years, I met many aspiring and established entrepreneurs that had incredible vision and goals but lacked the expertise and know-how to turn their vision into reality and their goals into results. I wanted to bridge that gap. So in 2015, armed with my business savvy and unique experiences I established a strategic communications consultancy. A year later, I went back to school and earned a bachelor’s in Communications with a focus in Visual & Media Studies. Together with expertise in brand strategy, creative direction, marketing, PR, event planning, project management and digital media coupled with my strategic vision and tactical execution — it was a perfect fit!
Today, clients turn to Nicole Williams Collective when they need to get clear on their message, better position their value, and drive positive outcomes. I consult with women, BIPOC, and other underrepresented leaders and entrepreneurs to build sustainable growth and impactful brands. On my blog and podcast, I share content related to career, productivity, entrepreneurship, self-development, and lifestyle. I’m also the author of Bet On Yourself: Life Lessons to Cultivate and Create Your Own Success.
Have you ever had to pivot?
Truth? Over the years, I’ve pivoted and reinvented myself many times. I started out freelancing as a makeup artist and wardrobe stylist, over time I got into project management which lead to me becoming a certified wedding & event planner. I also loved to write, connect with people, and solve problems. But what I came to realize is that pivoting is a gift. You’ve got to give yourself the grace and space to grow and evolve. What I learned is that ‘you must never stop pivoting and tweaking until you find yourself operating in your genius zone and walking in purpose’. Think about it… even Apple and Microsoft make updates every week. Pivoting led me to my genius zone — helping others to gain clarity to turn their vision into reality and goals into results through brand strategy.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
One holistic word — personal branding. While your competence goes together with the results you deliver, it is your ability to promote the impact of that value that matters. Through personal branding, I learned how to position and communicate my worth (through my story, expertise, experience, and values) to stand out and to attract new opportunities — even when I wasn’t looking. In this ever-changing digital age where people are constantly bombarded with content, you must learn to position and promote your value in your industry or the career marketplace. You’ve got to learn how to build credibility, trust, and authority to stand out from the crowd and boost your career. And that’s what I help others do.
There is an art to positining, and when done correctly, help you to confidently show up, raise your profile, and grow your revenue. So if anyone is looking for a simple yet proven approach to help them package, sell, and promote their brand or business and drive positive outcomes… I welcome them to schedule a FREE consult over on my website at www.nicolewilliamspr.com/
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nicolewilliamspr.com/
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/nicolewilliamspr
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/nicolewilliamspr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamsmnicole
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicolewpr
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBqQEqMMPBTezAbFhpG8WbQ
- Other: Podcast: https://nicolewilliamspr.com/podcast/
Image Credits
Tiger Lilly Photography (the one imprinted) and the rest courtesy of Nicole Williams Collective