Led by your primary growth partner, Nikki, she spearheads a network of specialised Growth Experts who are brought in to address your unique business challenges and drive success in key areas. From financial insights and Google advertising strategies to web development and brand design, our experts collaborate seamlessly to ensure every aspect of your business is primed for sustained growth and profitability.
Helping you achieve your goals and build lasting success.
Practical, driven, and approachable, Nikki combines consultancy and execution to ensure you see real, measurable results. As a Small Business Consulting Expert, she focus on building long-term relationships, solving complex business challenges, and turning your vision into reality.
17 years Old
Was the age she decided she wanted to help Small Business Owners Succeed! After a summer working at a cafe in the emerging mecca of Byron Bay, she returned home to Bayside, Melbourne. A newly opened local cafe struggling to connect with the community propelled her to create her first business roadmap and marketing collateral to help the owner to overcome the obstacles to the owner’s success.
After Year 12, she completed a Certificate IV in Small Business, gaining insight into entrepreneurs’ challenges. Seriously daunted, she then pivoted to an entry-level role with a multi-million dollar fashion brand, which led her to specialise in fashion marketing at RMIT, where she graduated top of her class. Working with Pacific Brands—Dunlop/Slazenger industry leaders and contributing to Big W’s range, she honed her brand-building and marketing skills.
Nikki transitioned from fashion to branding and advertising when Australian manufacturing moved offshore. As a Junior Account Manager at a boutique Melbourne agency, she quickly adapted, learning the ropes of both Above-the-Line and Below-the-Line campaigns. This experience was invaluable, and her journey continued at a global publishing company as the State Sales Manager for one of the local imprints, managing a team of 5. She was very fortunate to be mentored by an exceptional National Sales and Marketing Manager, who taught her the skills and foundations that still guide her work today.
Fashion
Eager to return to the fashion industry, she joined WGSN. A pioneer in online trend forecasting, this incredibly innovative, prestigious firm based in the UK had global satellite offices, one of which was in Melbourne.
Besides working as an Account Manager on major accounts like Country Road, Sportsgirl, and more, she was also afforded the opportunity to write Australian-specific content and forecast emerging brands. Australia was emerging as a fashion leader due to our seasonal differences, led by the summer influence of Australia’s surf and skate categories plus the rise of the fashion brand Sass and Bide.
Returning to Small Business equipped with Big Business strategies, she joined Australian accessories brand LouenHide as the New Business Development Manager for VIC, SA, and TAS. Leveraging her enterprise-sized business experience, she helped develop and implement strategies to enhance B2B sales and promote PR communications via email. These efforts effectively positioned LouenHide as a ‘Must Have’ item for retailers, helping to solidify its presence in the high street retail scene before the rise of eCommerce. Applying the sophisticated techniques and insights she had gained in larger corporate environments, she demonstrated how big business strategies could be tailored to foster significant growth for small businesses, setting the stage for her ongoing commitment to guiding small businesses toward success.
Springboarding from her achievements at LouenHide, she led the launch of four new US brands at Swing Gifts, a well-established, multi-million-dollar Australian B2B wholesale business known for its extensive market reach and robust infrastructure.
As Brand Manager, she leveraged her experience to craft impactful press releases and cultivate relationships with top-tier publications like Vogue Living, House & Garden, and the highly-rated TV show The Block. Despite challenges with brand alignment and shifting market dynamics, she spearheaded Swing Gifts’ performance marketing program, employing strategic marketing techniques to sustain brand awareness and navigate the evolving landscape.
Her role expanded as she was promoted to National Sales Manager. Managing three state offices, overseeing a team of nine direct reports and coordinating efforts with three sales agencies. With the guidance of a Director who emphasised the critical role of analytics and data, she developed strategic initiatives that significantly contributed to revenue growth for Swing Gifts’ mature brand.
10 Years of Digital
As e-commerce began reshaping the retail landscape, retailers increasingly bypassed wholesalers to go directly to suppliers. Recognising this significant shift, Nikki saw the future was in online retail. She strategically decided to pivot her career from traditional wholesale/distribution to embrace the emerging opportunities in the digital marketplace.
Driven by a passion for digital marketing, she immersed herself in learning Shopify and essential e-commerce strategies. Dedicating extra hours to mastering B2C and D2C online selling, this hands-on training was consolidated by her role with a fast-growing shoe distributor/wholesaler/retailer. She coordinated seven sites, built two, and refined the wholesale program.
After COVID and the surge in online consumer demand, she took a step back to reassess her career path. She realised it was time to return to her roots—creating roadmaps and helping small business owners succeed.
