Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Sellars.
Nicole Sellars is a former New York News Anchor/TV Host, and current SAG Actor and Certified Professional Media Coach. With a combined 20 years of experience in broadcast news, tv hosting and acting she has acquired an invaluable skill set for one of the most difficult and sought-after careers in the world.
Sellars has worked for big names in the TV and film industry including MTV, NBC and AOL, and has also appeared in several primetime TV shows and films including The Resident, Swamp Thing, American Soul, Deputy, The Following, Tyler Perry’s Nobody’s Fool and Clint Eastwood’s latest film Richard Jewell. Sellars is also a freelance instructor at The Connecticut School of Broadcasting in ATL and has coached many successful students there for the past 4 years.
As a child actor, Nicole appeared in several national commercials. She left the business in the 90’s to focus on her studies, friends and sports. She was an avid women’s lacrosse player in high school and college and was named team captain in both her junior and senior year.
Her first job out of college was a Production Assistant at MTV Networks in New York City. She was given the opportunity to write and produce on-air promos, some of which led to interviews with music legends. This experience drove her to pursue her broadcast journalism career.
Sellars rose up the ranks quickly from a General Assignment Reporter to a full-time Anchor/Reporter for top 20 news markets and spent most of her time in the #1 news market in the country, New York. After a decade of journalism Sellars decided to pursue more light-hearted jobs and found her niche in personality-driven hosting. She landed the coveted co-host spot on AOL LIVE! AOL’s first live news programming venture.
While working on-air she launched TV Hosting Academy in 2012 in New York. She conducted workshops and virtual sessions to build clientele and garnered the title The Camera Ready Coach by her students. She has also been named a Backstage.com Industry Expert for Hosting and continues to write for the publication which garners millions of readers.
In 2015, Sellars relocated to Atlanta. She has booked recurring roles on Atlanta based TV shows and continues to practice her craft in the city she now calls home. Sellars is represented by Jason Lockhart of Atlanta Models and Talent.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wish I could say it was a smooth road! Anyone starting a business has to deal with some type of struggle, right? I didn’t crowd source or receive any type of funding to launch my business. I used the money from my previous client or job to pay my next expense. Trying to keep costs low when starting out was a challenge. I learned how to utilize social media (still learning) and accepted that it’s okay to talk about yourself and your business when out in a social setting. You never know who you’re going to meet.
I remember telling minimal information about what “I do” when people asked. What a waste of time that was! I later found out that some of those people were quite impressed by what I do and almost always asked me for advice.
Please tell us about TV Hosting Academy.
Sellars launched TV Hosting Academy in 2012 in New York when she realized the lack of support for broadcast media talent. Being in the news business herself, she longed for mentors, guidance, additional training and tools to boost her TV career.
“In the beginning of my news and hosting career it was a sink or swim environment”., says Sellars. “It was very hard to grow as an on camera professional when the world was watching my every move. I wish I had someone to help guide me through those tough times who understood what I was going through.”
When the digital revolution happened a larger pool of talent was needed to create compelling content for various media platforms. Individuals also wanted to make a name for themselves as Influencers, Vloggers and Hosts. With the lack of on camera training and career guidance offered in the industry, Sellars felt compelled to fill that void for her fellow artists. She knew their skills needed to be stellar all wrapped in a marketable package.
TV Hosting Academy helps guide TV Hosts, Vloggers, Influencers, Broadcasters and On-Camera Experts (think Dr. Oz) through their professional journey. Clients have landed talent agents, managers and on camera jobs at HGTV, QVC, Fox Business Network and more! Career guidance, on-camera training and branding are all part of TV Hosting Academy’s boutique services. Private virtual sessions can be booked and weekend intensives are typically held in ATL.
What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
- Utilize local networking groups that align with your business goals.
- In the beginning, offer some services for free or at a low cost just to get your name out there and receive some online reviews.
- Nail down your niche, audience and always have a goal in mind so you’re not working aimlessly.
Too many days (and nights) were wasted in front of the computer trying to reach people who could care less about the services I offered, and worse wouldn’t ever pay for!
- Explain why you’re valuable and why they need you. What can you do for THEM? What problem are you going to solve?
- Write out your goals and a timeline.
- Stick to a schedule and pencil in networking events, social media marketing and applicable webinars.
- Just keep learning! Building a business and brand is a process that takes time and thought.
- Know your value and what you can bring to others.
- Practice your pitch and be personable. Remember, it’s about the client, not you. Offer helpful hints so they can grow, and in turn, you will too!
Contact Info:
- Address: TV Hosting Academy
8000 Avalon Blvd. Suite 100
Alpharetta, GA 30009 - Website: https://www.nicolesellars.com
- Phone: 917-613-6545
- Email: nicole@tvhostingacademy.com
- Instagram: @therealnicolesellars
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TVHostingAcademy/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ncsellars
- Other: https://tvhostingacademy.com
Image Credit:
Sarah Vitel Photography, Tracy Page Photography
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