We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nikko Smith a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Nikko thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Taking a risk is literally my whole career. Entrepreneurship has tons of ups and downs, so it’s a major risk to wake up and choose myself everyday. I haven’t always been an entrepreneur and honestly, I became one before I was fully prepared. Back when the pandemic first started I was working a full time job. It became a remote position and then eventually I wasn’t working at all. I was worried about what my next move would be. How would I make money? Instead of me applying for other jobs, I poured into myself and my own brand. During those months of not working, I truly invested in myself. I honed my craft, I bought my LLC, I did test shoots to build my portfolio, etc. I wasn’t making any money, but I was spending it. That’s one of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken to this date. I didn’t know when the money would come back, but I believed in my gifts. I’m grateful for that time, because if it hadn’t happened I wouldn’t be here today. It taught me to always bet on yourself. No matter what the odds look like, you always have to come through for you.

Nikko, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Nikko Smith is a multi-passionate entrepreneur who was born and raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. With talents ranging from his first love as a singer/ songwriter to a thriving visual creator and wardrobe stylist, he takes no prisoners when it comes to visually maximizing anything. In late 2019, Nikko decided that he wanted to be known as an artist, not just a singer, and incorporate his love for fashion and photography with his first love, music, to create walking masterpieces.

Nikko’s work has been featured on accredited platforms such as Sheen Magazine, Fashion Bomb Daily, Style Rave, Style Crave Magazine, WOW Magazine, Dappy Fashion Magazine, and Obvious Magazine. Nikko has a wide range of experience in branding and creating looks for his clients including, DJ Duffey, Dondria, Tashara Parker, and DeDe McGuire just to name a few. After working as a stylist for Neiman Marcus for over two years, he transitioned to working as the Retail Manager and Wardrobe Stylist for the J. Bolin Style Agency, LLC. Today, Nikko is his own brand and he’s paving his own way in the fashion industry.

Nikko’s curated looks are meant to connect with women from all walks of life and visually captivate creative and business professionals around the world to #giveittothem

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect for me is seeing the final vision come to life. I’ve encountered so many different women from all walks of life and we’ve all been able to bond over fashion. It’s my job to create a luxury, unforgettable experience for my clients. We go through the consultation, to shopping, to the fitting, to the shoot or event. It’s always so rewarding to see the clients get emotional over their transformations.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I do everything in excellence. In this industry, your reputation definitely precedes you. Everyone knows everyone, so how I carry myself is always top priority. It’s also important to remain humble. No matter who you are, you should treat everyone with the same respect. Humility will take you far.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.saynikko.com
• Instagram: @say.nikko

Image Credits
@m_knight77 @gabeovrr @_brianwalker @kauwuane @tyanadanae @mo_storyteller