We’ve had an opportunity to talk to Nicole Joy for this week’s feature. An entrepreneur for the past 14 years, Nicole felt until recently that she had not yet “made it” in any of her ventures. Amid declining revenues and on the verge of quitting, Nicole eventually found her groove. Not only has she achieved business success, she’s also discovered something she is passionate about: teaching women how to be confident on stage through her venture SHESpeaks.
ISB: What first led you to the path of being an entrepreneur?
NJ: I am a teacher by trade – but the school classroom was a place that I never saw myself long term. It was actually around the kitchen table one night having drinks with my brother and some mates that my first business – Frankie & Nicole Sleepwear was born. I wanted to become the next Peter Alexander! It didn’t work out that way, but I had a lot of fun and learnt (A LOT) along the way
ISB: Despite being an entrepreneur for many years, why did you feel you haven’t achieved success?
NJ: Because it just felt so damn hard all the time. I was on the famine and feast cycle – doing really well sometimes and then barely scraping by other times. I guess I spent too much time focusing on what others were doing. When I saw other businesses winning awards, being endorsed by celebrities or going viral – and I wasn’t – I told myself I mustn’t be doing it right.
ISB: How did the founding of SHESpeaks change your perspective as an entrepreneur?
NJ: That when you find the sweet spot in business – the place where your strengths and talents intersect with the gap in the market that you are filling – you can achieve more success and grow more rapidly than you ever thought possible. The entrepreneurial journey isn’t linear, but you learn so much along the way and you just never know when skills you had to learn when you were cutting your teeth will come in handy again. Nothing is ever a waste of time.
ISB: How does the mindset of “I will make it work” versus “I hope this works” affect one’s growth as an entrepreneur?
NJ: Look, I am not a huge fan of hustle culture, I believe that we can have it all without sacrificing our health, and our nervous system. However there are times when you do have to go ‘all in’, say no to things that you really want to say yes to and make sh*t happen. I learnt a saying recently by one of my very successful entrepreneurial friends and that is sometimes you have to “f*ck your mood and follow the plan.” Sometimes you have to show up and post on social media – even if you don’t feel like it. You have to show up to a meeting when you just couldn’t be bothered. “I will make it work” is grounded in discipline whereas “I hope this works” is grounded in fairy dust – which isn’t that reliable.
ISB: How important is having a sisterhood as a support system in challenging times?
NJ: Absolutely crucial. Your support network, especially when you are solopreneur with very little or no team, is why you will keep on going when you don’t want to. I often ask audiences who is in their circle. Is your circle facilitating your expansion? Is it full of people that want to see you win and who will always push you to fulfil your potential? Or is it full of people that cast their own fears and projections on to you? Filling you with doubt and making you second guess your every move? Moving you towards being ‘safe’ and ‘comfortable’ instead of really seeing what you are capable of? Choose your circle wisely – especially in business. Surround yourself with and seek out women that are doing what you want to do, that see your light and want you to keep shining it instead of dimming it to make others around you feel better.
ISB: Why is it important for you to be able to share what you’ve learned in your business journey with other women who are facing their own challenges?
NJ: It’s not talked about enough. We see everyone’s highlight reels on a daily basis – we see the wins and the accolades and it’s easy to think, “Oh they’ve made it. They must have it easy now. They must know exactly what they are doing, having their sh*t together and never have doubt.” But that’s never the case! We are all working it out as we go. Nobody and I mean nobody has their sh*t together and the successful women that you see are working through a tonne of things (new level new devil right?) The thing is though – they keep moving, because here’s the thing – a confident woman doesn’t know more, a confident woman moves more. Even when she doesn’t know it all or know how it’s going to turn out.
