Meet Nikki Childers

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikki Childers.

Nikki, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up in a small town in Ohio but I always dreamed of big things. My childhood dream list included getting my pilot’s license, working on a cruise ship (for the travel perks), seeing Paris, becoming a writer, all while going to school to become a chiropractor.

Everything changed when I went to college though, as I quickly realized that I was following a reality that wasn’t my own. I was surrounded by people who were just getting by working in the field of their degree and certainly couldn’t pay off their student loan debt. So, I switched gears from college to setting out on my own path.

I jumped right into the workforce and began learning on the job and honing my skills, even moving to Los Angeles and working in marketing and communications with Fortune 10 companies. That’s when my next realization hit: I had enough of the grind. I was stressed and didn’t feel like I had the work-life balance that I wanted. But, do I quit one job to run into the same issue at another one? Nope. This time, I started my own business! Writing has been a passion of mine ever since I could pick up a pen, and I had learned a lot about business management and marketing in my six years of working for other people. I was up for the challenge.

On top of that, I decided to break free from the conventional lifestyle at the same time… I started my own business while becoming a “digital nomad” and traveling the world full-time for 3.5 years. My partner, Al Fuentes, and I sold our belongings, got rid of our LA apartment, and bought one-way tickets to Hawaii. Within the first nine months of our travels, I taught myself with some help from Al how to design and build websites and launched my mindful travel blog: NikkiChi.com.

Fast forward to 2020… I’ve visited 32 countries and traveled all over the US in an RV. I have a thriving business in mindful marketing with clients all over the US and abroad. I truly wouldn’t change a thing about how I started or how I got here.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Overall, it has been a smooth road. I always had a roof over my head and food to eat. I got to travel the world and start my business with the support and encouragement of my best friend and partner. However, I faced the challenges that many business owners and creatives face including self-doubt and feeling inadequate. I had to grow strong in my confidence and belief in myself, my value, and that my work matters. That’s where the personal work comes in through meditation or visualization. While I developed my niche of mindful marketing to help businesses communicate with more truth, energy, intention, and passion, I too was on a journey of being more in my truth. I stepped into providing this role for others as I learned how to step into it more for myself.

There were of course, a few special obstacles that come with building a business while traveling the world, such as limiting travel to places with reliable internet and working at night because I was in southeast Asia but needed to do some work during US business hours. Or, having your computer go on the fritz due to the humidity in Vietnam. But, all things that can be navigated and are part of the magical journey!

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I provide mindful marketing services to a variety of businesses and professionals. I started as a copywriter and editor, but quickly saw a need for mindfulness in web design, email newsletter management, and social media management. So, I’ve naturally branched out into many different mediums all with the deeper intention of mindfulness.

I begin with a one-hour interview with all of my clients, asking them specific questions to pull out their story, passion, and intention or purpose behind what they do. Then, I use the skills I have developed through my personal spiritual journey to channel each client’s essence into the copy I write for them. The biggest compliment I get from clients is that my writing is exactly what they would do if they had the time and/or skills to do it themselves.

I didn’t set out with mindful marketing in mind when I started my business. As I worked with different clients, I began noticing a pattern. The majority of people have a great “why” and a cool story behind their business or how they got here. We also don’t think of storytelling when we think of marketing our business. But, studies show that 95% of purchasing decisions are subconscious and driven by emotion. That’s when my mindful marketing niche was born!

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Both working for myself and having the freedom to travel are so amazing that I would love to have done this sooner! However, by skipping any stage of my journey before that I may have missed an important lesson or learning of a skill that is integral to being able to do what I have done. There are always thoughts of doing more, sharing more, and believing in myself more and sooner, but I truly wouldn’t do anything differently.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.NikkiChi.com
• Email: info@nikkichi.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikki_chi/

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