Ep 85 | Nicole Gibbons

Written By Yasmin Nouri

How to Leave Your Corporate Job & Do Your Own Thing

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Nicole Gibbons is the Founder of Clare, the only Black-owned paint brand in the US, and is a favorite of Jessica Alba, Maria Sharapova, and Nate Berkus to name a few.

Before pursuing interior design, Nicole spent nearly a decade managing PR for one of the world’s largest retail brands, Victoria's Secret. Although she was excelling in her career, Nicole felt uninspired and was looking for a new outlet for her creativity. She started working on a decorating blog on the side that ultimately gained serious traction and led her into the path of interior design.

After working as a designer and establishing herself as a voice in the industry, Nicole decided to do another career pivot and had a yearning to build something that would be a household name. When working with clients, she always noticed the hassle around picking paints and saw an opportunity to disrupt the outdated paint industry and create a direct-to-consumer business that makes the entire process a way better experience.

Nicole has been featured in top media outlets such as HGTV, The Rachael Ray Show, Good Morning America, and Oprah Winfrey’s OWN. She's also raised venture capital from the backers of Warby Parker, Casper, Peloton, and more.

We talk to Nicole today about the power of patience when it comes to building your business, how to think about your finance before you take the leap, how she raised money and built a tech business with zero connections to start, and so much more!

Show Notes:

  • Nicole's thoughts on confidence and the nature of risk and reward in entrepreneurship. [3:09]

  • The familial links that Nicole has to entrepreneurship and her early corporate career. [4:44]

  • Starting a side hustle and how Nicole began working on her passion while still employed. [6:20]

  • How the blog organically evolved from a passion project into a business. [8:12]

  • Patience and consistency; how Nicole managed to take the leap into her interior design work full-time. [10:01]

  • Foregoing the safety of paychecks and betting on yourself. [13:16]

  • Signs from the universe and trusting a gut feeling; Nicole's experience of listening. [17:52]

  • Nicole's second pivot; executing on her research and ideas. [20:48]

  • The important meetings that helped build Nicole's confidence and send her on her way. [24:11]

  • How networking has played into Nicole's strategy throughout. [26:57]

  • Entering the world of venture capital; Nicole's philosophy towards funding. [29:32]

  • Nicole's advice for approaching investors; asking questions and due diligence. [37:15]

  • Sharing the story of your brand and creating a common thread through everything you do. [39:11]

  • The resources that Nicole draws on; the power of community, the right questions, and more! [43:33]

  • Nicole's thoughts on the idea of work-life balance and welcoming different seasons. [48:30]

  • Lessons from the early days of hiring for a new company. [51:07]

  • The next phase of growth with Clare; looking to the future with Nicole! [53:06]

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Yasmin Nouri
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