Life & Work with Nik Rubio of East Valley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nik Rubio

Hi NiK, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My name is Nik Rubio.

I’m not ever sure which season of my life to bring people up to speed with, but I think the core of all of me starts with going through a lot of trauma and learning about how to be in this world as myself when it’s encouraged to be everything but. It’s how I ended up shutting down my marketing agency on a random Tuesday morning so I could pursue a passion in art. It’s how I ended up the co-founder of a women’s networking group here in Arizona (which, to be clear, is 100,000% out of my comfort zone). It’s healing for me to share my knowledge with others and to offer a safe space where they can be themselves.

It’s a space where I can be myself, which isn’t something I can say I’ve been able to do completely before. You either fit in or you don’t, and as much as I tried, I never felt like I was a part of something. Once I learned to live as myself, I just started attracting people who wanted to be around my true self.

And my true self is an artist. I’m a creative. I enjoy playing the piano, religiously analyzing 2001: A Space Odyssey, and finding ways to express myself. These days, that includes helping others be their true selves. Aside from boudoir and creative photoshoots, I work with entrepreneurs and small businesses here in Arizona to find that true connection with their target audience. With my marketing background, I understand how campaigns run, and I take that into account during our photoshoots. I can envision how this image is going to be used across different marketing pieces instead of just creating a beautiful image (which we do regardless).

Aside from running my photography business, The 1992 Archive, and planning out events for the networking group, The Phx Women’s Club, I have a family that I adore, and I’m just out here like everyone else, trying to find my happiness in the midst of all this chaos.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’m a domestic violence survivor who came from a very broken home. As a teen mother, my education unfortunately got delayed, and I didn’t actually graduate high school until I was 22. A fact about myself that I seldom share but have started to be more open about. The trauma I endured as a child set the tone for my early adulthood, and living in that chaos has caused some damage I’ve been able to manage and some I haven’t. I live with sometimes debilitating PTSD. … but here I am. Sometimes I hate hearing that saying, “What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger,” because that kind of sucks, but it’s true. At least in my case. I’m in a position where I can honestly take anything that is thrown my way. I am not afraid of failure, and I am finally not afraid to experience life.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As a photographer, I’ve always been passionate about connecting with people through visuals. There’s something powerful about capturing a moment, preserving a memory, and telling a story in a way that words can’t. My love for film and the art of storytelling is what inspired the name The 1992 Archive. It’s about belonging to a greater story—preserving memories and the narratives that shape our personal and collective identities.

In addition to running my photography business, The 1992 Archive, I co-founded The Phx Women’s Club, a networking group for women entrepreneurs here in Arizona. We’re building something special—a community where women can connect, learn, and grow while being their authentic selves.

We do a little bit of everything to keep things fresh and meaningful. Every month, we host coffee meetups where we brainstorm, share ideas, and get inspired. We also hold weekly virtual meetings where members can talk about their businesses, discuss challenges, and share resources. Then there are the workshops, which are led by experts in their fields and dive into all kinds of topics, from business strategies to personal growth. For a more social vibe, we’ve got happy hours, and soon, we’ll be adding retreats—think intentional getaways that blend empowerment, self-care, and connection.

What I’m most proud of is the community we’ve created. People walk away feeling seen and supported, which is exactly what we hoped to create when we started this. Everything I do is rooted in helping people connect—either with themselves or with others.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
It’s interesting to me when we discuss the idea of luck and how it plays into our lives—mostly because it suggests that we have no control over our own paths. For someone who doesn’t believe in an afterlife, this idea might be easier to accept compared to someone who is religious or, like myself, more spiritual. I don’t believe in random chaos, but I also don’t think we have as much control over our lives as we like to believe. This is where I think ‘luck’ comes into play. We don’t get to choose our parents, where we are born, or what schools we attend. What we do control, however, is how we act and react in those circumstances.

In my life, I’ve seen how my actions and reactions reflect my upbringing. As a ‘grown’ woman, I’ve made the choice to take more control over how ‘luck’ affects me.

Pricing:

• Mini-Branding Photoshoots: $199
• Full Branding: Starts at $600
• Mini-Boudoir Photoshoots: $325
• Full Boudoir: Starts at $600
• The Phx Women’s Membership Pricing: $25/month

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.the1992archive.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nik.rubio/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrandengineer/
• Other: https://phxwomensclub.com/official-5095