Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Nicole Kuck

We recently had the chance to connect with Nicole Kuck and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do you think is misunderstood about your business? 
One of the biggest misconceptions about estate planning is that it is only for the wealthy; only for people with vacation homes, trust funds, or large portfolios. The truth is that estate planning is for everyone. It is for the single mom raising her kids, the young couple buying their first home, the small business owner building something meaningful, and the grandparents who want to leave behind memories instead of confusion.

Another misunderstanding is that the process is too complicated or overwhelming. Many people believe they need to speak fluent legal language or have a law degree just to begin. That belief alone keeps so many families from taking action. My goal with Prep + Peony is to make the process less intimidating and far more intentional. I want it to feel like a conversation that is warm, clear, and rooted in care, not a stack of confusing documents that people rush to sign just to get it over with.

AND THEN there is the “it can wait” mindset. Most people do not want to think about death or incapacity, so they push planning off for another day. But that “someday” does not always come.

My family experienced this in a very personal way. We lost seven family members in just nineteen months, and I witnessed firsthand how different things look when a plan is, or is not, in place. I saw children placed in state care even though relatives lived nearby. I saw businesses forced to close because no one had the authority to keep them running. I saw families torn apart over decisions that could have been made with a little preparation and a lot of love, which would have avoided the conflict and kept family units in tact.

That experience is why I do this work. Estate planning is not about fear. It is about freedom. It is not about money. It is about meaning. It is about making intentional choices now so that your loved ones are not left to make impossible decisions later.

At Prep + Peony, I help families find peace of mind in knowing that their legacy, no matter how big or small, will be protected, preserved, and passed on with love.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Nic(ole) Kuck, and I am the Founder and CEO of Prep + Peony, an Arizona-based estate planning and legal document preparation firm. I help families, business owners, and individuals protect what matters most: their people, their assets, and their legacy. I spent the first three years in my business as Eminent Special Needs Planning, focused primarily on families caring for loved ones with special needs. During that time, however, I came to recognize how many “traditional” families and business owners did not have a plan in place, and decided to rebrand in order to reach, serve, and protect more legacies.

The name Prep + Peony reflects my mission: “Prep” represents readiness and protection, while “Peony” symbolizes love, honor, and legacy. Through my work, I help clients turn something that often feels heavy into an act of care and empowerment. Whether I am helping a family prepare a will or guiding a business owner through succession planning, my focus is always on helping them plan in love so they can leave a legacy with confidence and peace of mind.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
Becoming a mother completely changed the way I see the world. It gave me a new understanding of love, responsibility, and what it means to build something that lasts beyond yourself. Suddenly, every decision carried more weight. It wasn’t just about my future anymore, but about the kind of world and foundation I wanted to create for my children.

Caring for my own mother during her final years deepened that perspective even more. She was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at just 51 and passed away at 60. Walking with her through that journey was both heartbreaking and sacred. It taught me the importance of presence, patience, and preparation. Watching her lose pieces of herself while we tried to hold onto every moment reminded me how fragile life is, and how much peace comes from having things in order before you no longer can.

Both experiences shaped everything about who I am and how I work today. They taught me that legacy isn’t just about what you leave behind, it’s about how you live and love while you’re still here.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
For a long time, I carried my pain quietly. I did what so many of us do. I smiled through the hard days, stayed busy, and convinced myself that strength meant silence. It wasn’t until I found the Celebrate Recovery program that I truly began to understand what healing could look like. That space gave me permission to be honest about my struggles, to lay down the shame I had been carrying, and to see my story not as something to hide, but as something God could use.

Through Celebrate Recovery, I learned that healing isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress, surrender, and community. It’s where I discovered that vulnerability is actually where strength begins. Today, I have the privilege of serving as the Ministry Leader of my local Celebrate Recovery, helping others find freedom and restoration the same way I did. Watching people step out of their pain and into purpose reminds me every week that our stories are not wasted; they are the very things that connect and heal us.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
I truly hope so. I hope that what people see publicly is an authentic reflection of who I strive to be privately: someone who loves deeply, shows up for others, and tries to live like Jesus in both the big and the quiet moments. My goal is not to appear perfect, but to be genuine.

Whether I’m leading a client through an emotional planning process, speaking on a stage, or serving in ministry, I want people to feel the same heart behind it all: one full of love, loyalty, and faith in action. I believe integrity is who you are when no one is watching, so I work hard to make sure that who I am in public aligns with who I am at home, with my family, and with God.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
For many years, I did what I thought I should: built a career, stayed busy, and attempted to create and follow a path that looked successful on paper. I’ve held a variety of jobs and they each taught me something important, but none of them ever felt like my true calling. It wasn’t until I began this work of helping families protect what matters most through estate planning, that I felt that deep sense of peace and purpose that only comes from doing what you were created to do.

This work feels like both a calling and a gift because it allows me to serve others while still prioritizing the things I know I was born to do: to love God, to be a supportive wife, and to be a present mom. My career doesn’t compete with those parts of me; it complements them. It’s a reminder that our purpose doesn’t have to pull us away from what matters most, sometimes it brings us closer to it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://prepandpeony.com/
• Instagram: @prepandpeony

Image Credits
Hilary Cordes Photography
Katie Levine Photography
Slava Marketing Agency