Nicole S. Farrellis a multi-creative, extroverted individual. She is someone who has a unique essence and personality and is passionate about holistic self-development and professionalism.
She is a strong advocate for operating with confidence and authority and unabashedly sharing one’s magic with others. She says that, “It is my belief that we all have so many gifts and talents to exhibit and that we should never shrink ourselves but instead be a bold representation of ourselves.”
Describing herself, she says that, “I’d say that I’m a straightforward, friendly, ambitious and stylish woman who has grit and loves to see others win as much as I like to win.”
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your journey, venture, initiatives. Also, share your goals, interests, role models, etc.
My early school life was full of great experiences. I was very much involved with extracurricular activities from dance to modelling, singing competitions/festivals, theatre projects, playing the steelpan, etc. I enjoyed them all immensely and they exposed me to so many opportunities to develop as an all-rounder and not just academically. I was a bit shy but once I entered a stage setting, I transformed into a fierce version of myself. Performing was and still is an absolute joy for me. It’s somewhat difficult to describe the kind of exhilaration and satisfaction that comes with it.
During my adolescent years, I definitely shed the shyness and became more outspoken. It was during those years that I also developed my unique personality and style. I was ‘that girl‘ with the unusual hairstyles; signature walk; an apparently different way of speaking than my friends, etc.. I had the freedom to attend almost every concert that rolled into town during my late teens, and once my older adoptive brother was available, I’d get to go to the clubs. I share this because many of these experiences shaped who I am and they set a sturdy foundation for who I’d grow into as a woman. Parts of it helped me to form a deeper appreciation for music and entertainment and to develop my social skills.
As I navigated early adulthood, oddly enough, some of my managers at work became my role models. Several of them exemplified such commendable leadership qualities and they left a lasting impression on me. They commanded the highest of work standards, treated everyone fairly, were always willing to impart knowledge and wisdom in some way, were compassionate when necessary and so much more. They were an inspiration for holding myself to a certain standard and wanting to continually evolve, not only professionally but also on a personal note.
Being an Image Management Consultant now is pretty interesting because even when I was a teenager, my friends would always approach me to assist them with shopping for attire, makeup applications, hairstyling and general image advice. Creating new looks for others and myself was something that I always innately enjoyed. Entrepreneurship and the Arts were also two areas that I’ve always loved too, so I would usually digest as much about entrepreneurship as I could and delve in the Arts as much as possible.
When I was seven years old, I got the nudge to be an entrepreneur. So, it’s something that I’ve pursued diligently and I’ve seen the rewards for my consistency.
Generally speaking, one of my top current goals is to continue building my business and brand, both locally and internationally. I’m concentrating more now on consultancy and coaching within my Public Relations and Image Management portfolios, together with Communications Journalism. Seeing that I cater to clients remotely and on-location, I can facilitate sessions virtually and in person to solopreneurs, business entities and corporate-type NGOs.
Other professional goals include becoming involved in the fashion and beauty industries, writing books that align thought leadership lines, continuing international speaking engagements, delving into real estate and travelling occasionally for work projects.
Tell us something about your initiative/business. What is it about? How is it helpful to others?
I am actually at the centre of a rebranding of my business. However, the core aspects of it remain the same. When I first opened for business, I offered services in Public Relations and Event Management. My first major P.R client was the Miss World Trinidad and Tobago Pageant Company and I was hired as their Publicist and Communications Specialist.
Having made some changes, I now offer services in Public Relations, Image Management and Communications Journalism. I wanted to create a one-stop shop of sorts to individuals and entities alike where they could obtain customised advice for modern strategies, ideas and concepts; branding and marketing techniques; and creative management.
I am very intentional about edifying clients from the consultation stage to the execution stage, so clients can always expect that they’ll walk away with much knowledge to make informed decisions if we part ways. I don’t believe in hoarding information and I certainly want to see my clients succeed.
My coaching sessions are highly customised and practical exercises are included so that clients can get a real sense of possibilities and acquire a level of familiarity with certain situations and this makes them fully prepared.
I’ve been able to tap into my 20+ years of knowledge and experience gained from the corporate world where I worked in Executive Administration and the media and entertainment industries.
What would you like to share about the pandemic on a personal and professional level?
Like everyone else, the pandemic made me feel uncertain about the near future at first. After all, it was the first time in my life that I’d ever experienced something of this historic magnitude.
On a personal level, it drew family members and I even closer and I think we developed a deeper reason to cherish one another with even the simplest experiences. During the lockdown periods, it impressed upon me how much I had enjoyed spending time with my family every weekend, so being away from them for weeks at a time felt odd and left me a bit saddened to say the least.
Business-wise, I had a choice. I could ‘fold’ under the pressure of the unknown or I could roll up my sleeves and figure out a way to navigate forward. I chose the latter. I recall thinking about major corporations. Whenever there was any type of crisis, did they throw their hands up in the air and surrender? No, they went to work with contingency plans and new, focused actions.
When the pandemic began, I actually had two businesses. Amazingly, one business, which was a Branding, Advertising and Marketing coaching and consultancy business, grew exponentially during that early stage of the pandemic with virtual work taking centre-stage. However, in early 2022, after three years of operation and after much thought, I closed the doors on that endeavour.
In 2021, at the height of the pandemic, events were of course, prohibited, which meant that in-person affairs would not happen. For some time prior to the pandemic, I’d started feeling to ‘change course’ with the business. So, with the lockdowns persisting, I decided to discontinue the event services. I re-structured the business and introduced the Image Management and Communications aspects, making it a three-pronged entity along with Public Relations. It was a gamble trying something new within a business at such a time when there were so many uncertainties surrounding the business community but I felt at peace with my decision.
I absolutely love what I do, however, the pandemic reminded me that family time should always be a priority.
What has been the response from users of your venture?
I’m happy and proud to say that clients were always pleasantly surprised at how in-depth and all-encompassing they found my sessions to be. On the coaching side, I facilitate media interviews, photoshoot posing, wardrobe styling/branding sessions. The services are needed but to some extent, it’s taken some conditioning and reconditioning on some people’s part to summon the confidence to get coached. Thankfully, I always gained their trust very quickly and they opened up themselves and were able to embrace the work and make changes.
In 2022, I was frequently sought after to be booked for podcast interviews with hosts from all over the world, including Italy, Dubai, United Kingdom, the United States of America, to share my insights, knowledge and experiences with relation to my fields. It was also a year where I was heavily booked for international conferences.
Between July and December, I was featured in several international magazines, including the Black Entrepreneur, I Am Woman Global and the Global Times magazines. In May of 2023, I was selected as the Cover Story for the IGC (Ishkama Global Change) Magazine, making me the first national of Trinidad and Tobago to be featured in the magazine and also on the cover.
I have been a co-author of two anthologies, namely, Women’s Voices On Time, Vol. 1 and Women’s Peace Purpose, Vol. 1. They are both available online. Another book feature is in the works.
How has your life changed because of your venture/initiative?
Having been consistent with ‘showing up‘, networking and being otherwise intentional has brought me countless phenomenal opportunities. I have met some incredibly wonderful people from all over the world, built some lovely work relationships, gotten fantastic work opportunities and learnt so much on a wide scale.
In October 2022, I was appointed as the Country Chair – Trinidad and Tobago for the G100 Oneness and Wisdom organisation. Then, during that same month, I was appointed as the official Delegate for Trinidad and Tobago under the Global Chamber of Business Leaders (GCBL), which is based in Switzerland. In January 2023, I was promoted to the position of Director For Communications at the GCBL.
In May 2023, the Ishkama Global Change CIC appointed me as their Global Chair – Public Relations & Strategic Communications.
It all perfectly aligned with my goals to work closely with international organisations for work and passion projects.
Do you have anyone who is your biggest support system?
My mother is certainly my best friend and most steadfast supporter. She’s my prayerful partner. I am a strong person but the occasional times when I feel overwhelmed by something, she’s there to uplift me and she is a constant reminder of the goodness and faithfulness of God.
What would you tell young, budding entrepreneurs about the change you’d like to see? Or share a motivational message.
I’d definitely want aspiring entrepreneurs to understand that building a business and brand takes time, diligence, commitment and proper strategies. Do not get into the trap of using gimmicks and unshaped tactics in order to try to achieve quick success. Try not to feel guilty about wanting to pivot or start over as growth is a process where we learn about ourselves, desires, strengths and gifts. Give plans a healthy timeline and tweak as needed, always trusting your instincts. Wanting visibility and opportunities is inevitable and understandable but do not be desperate to join random collaborations, on-board any type of client or customer or allow yourself to be exploited for the sake of exposure. Lastly, work hard but work smart as well and remain mindful of your branding efforts and goals.
Get in Touch with Nicole:
- LinkedIn: Nicole S.J Farrell
- Instagram: nicolesfarrell_prcomms
