We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nikki Nuckols. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nikki below.

Alright, Nikki thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?
I started my first business at 22 years old. Looking back, I’m so happy I started so early, I was employed full-time at an ad agency and took in a wealth of information, while slowly building my business on the side. At the time, it was a hope that someday I would be able to take it full-time but was pleasantly surprised when it snowballed quicker than I had hoped. Starting a business at 22 years old allowed me the time I needed to attend every networking event, promote my tiny business and dedicate my free time to building it into what it is today. I continued working full-time for 2 years, while growing my business on the side, at 24, I took the plunge and dove in head first to working for myself and never looked back.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I lead my team as a brand and web design expert who marries innovation and creativity with digital strategy. With a degree in Advertising and Marketing, I started my career at an advertising agency, working with corporate giants such as Target, Best Buy, and Lens Crafters, but soon realized my passion for small business growth and success. For more than a decade, and after working with more than 500 businesses, I take immense pride in creating smile-worthy concepts, that capture personality, and inspire brands.

When the away message is on, you can likely find me poolside with my two favorite people (Son, Colton who is 8 and daughter Olivia who is 5).

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Referrals and testimonials! We ask every single client about their experience and typically they like to share their feedback and are happy for us to share that feedback with our audience!

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?
As a female business owner, who was in the active growth stage of business while having both of my babies – it was always a balancing act to manage pregnancy, “maternity leave”, school schedules, and of course COVID interruptions. Throughout these major life changes, there have been many times where I had to rework my schedule. During Covid, I started working new hours 4am-12:00 so that I could begin my “shift” as a homeschool teacher from 12-5 every day. The major lesson I’ve learned is to focus on flexibility!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.doodledog.com
• Instagram: doodledoginsta
• Facebook: facebook.com/doodledogadvertising
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-nuckols-00a7a3a/