Rising Stars: Meet Nicole Locken

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Locken.

Hi Nicole, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
More than anything, I suppose my story is one of pure stubbornness. Let me explain; if you tell me I can’t do something, I’ll do it twice and take photos (wink)! That’s not to say that I am a rule breaker, (anyone who knows me knows that I am certainly not) I just love a good challenge.

On more than one occasion I have been told that I am always trying to find a “unicorn.” A rare, magical creature, or solution in this analogy, that doesn’t exist. But for me, it is this relentlessly stubborn determination to find my unicorn that has made all the difference. This constant search inspired me to create my business.

After working in the advertising agency world for over a decade, Nicole Locken Creative was born shortly after my husband and I started our family. Looking back now, starting a company with a 3-year-old and 1-year-old at home seems pretty wild. But to me, this was my unicorn: my way to support my family, spend more time with my kids and nurture my passion for collaborating with clients to create and grow their brands. Fast forward 7 years and I am still as stubborn and determined as the day I started but I am also immensely grateful.

Grateful for all the clients who have entrusted me with their brands, grateful for getting to do what I love every day, grateful for the relationships I’ve made along the way, and grateful for time with my kids. They inspire me. To do better and to be better – I hope that by watching me follow my passion, I am setting an example for them and teaching them that they should always chase their unicorns.

I certainly don’t have it all figured out by any stretch of the imagination – far from it. I think it’s that awareness and my constant drive to learn more and be better than I was the day before that has gotten me this far. Honestly, I think my story is just getting started. Each day is a new opportunity – who knows what it holds. But one thing is for sure, I’m always up for the challenge.

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 wouldn’t say it has been a smooth road, where’s the fun in that? Flowers don’t grow on smooth paved roads, they grow along windy dirt paths. I think we learn more from our mistakes than we do from our successes. The bumps in the road are why I’m here. You make mistakes, you learn from them, and you grow.

Being a mom and running a business is pretty wild, to say the least. You’re being pulled in a million directions at once, there just aren’t enough hours in the day, and don’t even get me started on ‘mom guilt’! When I first started my company, I was so grateful for any projects that came my way that I took on everything. I used to get up at 4 am to work before my kids got up and then work during naptime and then late into the evening after bedtime. While that was good for business and productivity, it wasn’t great for me on a personal level.

Lots of early mornings, late nights, and quite a few tears are what made me realize that trying to do it all was not going to be sustainable long-term. So I asked myself, what do you love to do? The answer was branding. So I pivoted and now specialize in brand design. It’s what I’m passionate about and what I truly enjoy doing. I love meeting new people, hearing their stories, and bringing their brands to life through design.

I have countless examples like this where I looked at the struggle as an opportunity to reassess, learn, and grow. At the end of the day, that’s what matters – not the struggle itself, but how you manage to learn from it.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Nicole Locken Creative is a boutique branding studio crafting a brand design with heart. We specialize in brand identity design and implementation. We are passionate about crafting brands that tell stories. Brands with meaning; not creativity for creativity’s sake, but creativity with purpose. We are creative problem solvers, thinkers, doers, and collaborators. We are a branding studio for the ones who aren’t afraid to do things differently. The ones who are willing to think outside the box because they know that’s where the magic happens.

What sets you apart from others? What sets us apart is our team of exceptional talents in design, copywriting, web development, and PR who have a relentless drive to always deliver more than expected. We approach each project as an opportunity to challenge ourselves creatively and craft the best brand possible for every one of our clients. Our business plan is pretty simple: Always go the extra mile, treat people the way you want to be treated, and create awesome brands.

What are you most proud of? My unicorn was to own my branding studio. Through hard work, determination and never giving up, I accomplished that dream. I’m pretty proud of that. By creating a culture of creativity, kindness, collaboration, and transparency Nicole Locken Creative has produced some amazing work that has even won some awards along the way. I feel extremely grateful that I get to help business owners achieve their dreams by crafting brand designs that tell stories. But most of all, I’m proud that I’m showing my kids that by working hard and never giving up, you can do anything you set your mind to.

Any big plans?
My plans for the future are to continue approaching each day as a new opportunity to learn and grow. To continue being relentlessly stubborn in what I’m passionate about. And to continue collaborating with clients to create and grow their brands.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nicolelockencreative.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolelockencreative/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolelockencreative
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolelocken/

Image Credits
Glueckler Photography