Meet Dr. Nicole King-Smith | Generational Leadership Expert

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Nicole King-Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Nicole, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When I decided to launch NK Enterprise Consulting in 2014 it was the result of a Fortune 500 company calling me and asking me to come do a paid speaking engagement. It was at that moment I realized my passion of speaking and training professionals on building better relationships across multiple generations was now a profitable business. Prior to launching, I spent several years using my talents of speaking, teaching college, and running a career center at a university learning the major obstacles individuals and organizations were having with building opportunities. I constantly saw a need and was able to provide solutions, but now with the business I can do it on a bigger scale with a strategic plan in place to target certain organizations that could use my strategies. Now, 10 years later, I have been able to help hundreds and thousands of people connect and get results in their workplaces and overcome conflict as a Generational Leadership Expert.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am Dr. Nicole King-Smith founder and CEO of NK Enterprise Consulting, LLC and our mission is to be the #1 leader that bridges generational gaps and fosters inclusive, positive workplace culture where every individual thrives. For the first time we have 4 going on 5 generations working amongst each other with a 30, 40, 50+ year gap in age which comes with some challenges in communicating and building positive working relationships. So that is where I can come in and work with leaders at every level of the organization.

What sets us apart is our approach and the deliverables of how we work with our clients. We turn high conflict situations into a fun safe space where people can let their hair down, have honest conversations, and focus on celebrating what makes them unique and how we can embrace those traits in the workplace culture. I have over 20 years experience in the hospitality and tourism industry and that is the heartbeat of our cultural approach, making people feel welcomed and valued while going through a transformative journey. Not only am I an expert in my field of being a generational leader, but I also focused my Ph.D. studies on this topic conducting research in this area of study to see what truly works.

To get where I am today it took a lot of trial and error and just believing in my abilities to be a pioneer in this space. I light up like a Christmas tree when talking about what I do, but most reactions are followed with a puzzled face. So I had to learn how to relate my business services to the professionals who could understand what I was offering. I slowly started molding and shaping the business to solidify a solid plan, and approach to building my customer base.
What I have learned is to make a plan and work the plan for at least a year and monitor your progress weekly/monthly/quarterly and yearly. Track what works and why and then track what doesn’t. Be open to change, and remember to trust the process of your abilities. The key to building a successful business is having strong relationships. It has definitely not been easy because you tend to have to trust other people and businesses to support you. Sometimes it hasn’t worked in my favor and has cost me thousands of dollars before I realized it. So I am very calculated before I go into an agreement and do my research to make sure they have the same culture values, because who you do business with as a supplier represents your brand.

What I am most proud of is that in September of 2021 my personal life and professional life collided in a perfect storm with being hospitalized with a high-risk pregnancy. At that time I literally had to put a full stop on my business and it caused me to not complete projects. My personal life was also getting put on hold as I was in the hospital and delivered my daughter 3 months early with an emergency delivery. I was at my lowest point trying to figure out how to move forward. I took things one moment at a time and built myself back up slowly with self-care. As I gained more strength, I built my business back up and today I am able to use that experience in a program I created called “Step Into Your Purpose” that is all about looking at self-care through a generational lens. This program came from taking my most vulnerable moments in life and helping others through theirs.

I want the world to know I am a person who has experienced a lot on my journey called life, and I use the tools, resources, and experiences to help others navigate their careers, businesses, or professional development goals so they can be the best version of themselves and build intergenerational relationships. I deliver my services in a way people feel safe, and walk away having fun while they grow and learn.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love Downtown Fort Lauderdale! The beaches, the restaurants, and the vibrant community, it is the perfect place for me to go and bring any one else along with me.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Janet Brooks, founder of BWBOEE (Black Woman Business Owner Executives & Entrepreneurs) She took me under her wing when I had no clue what I was doing or how to do it as a first time business owner. She believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself and encouraged me to achieve goals that weren’t even on my radar. She also connected me with so many woman who were first in their industry to pave the way for women of color and they poured into me and gave me resources that landed me business opportunities and clients. I am forever appreciative of her guidance, support, mentorship, and continuous support as I have grown in life reaching major milestones personally and professionally. She is now my family.

Website: www.drnicolekingsmith.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drnicolekingsmith/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drnicolekingsmith/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrNicoleKingSmith