Meet Nikki of City of Light Creative & Consulting

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikki.

Hi Nikki, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When I first entered college, I thought I wanted to work in the church with youth. Unfortunately, five years later, I was leaving seminary with half a Master’s in theology and more questions than answers about faith and religion.
I was embarrassed, and I felt lost. Thankfully, my time in ministry did endow me with a few transferable skills. I was a strong public speaker, good at building curriculum, and proficient at donor and volunteer recruitment. Perhaps most importantly, I had learned a lot about administering a nonprofit.

I moved to human service nonprofits, where I gained a reputation for taking on projects facing big challenges and wrangling them into efficiency. This wasn’t easy work, though, and eventually I got the idea that my fertility challenges may have something to do with my stress level at work. I moved to state government looking for security and good insurance. It was there, but so was boredom. My work felt so stale, and the layers of bureaucracy were suffocating.

In my newly available free time, I had begun volunteering to help nonprofits. They all seemed to be facing issues in the same few areas: strategy, funding, marketing, and tech. It sparked an idea that if I could build a team to offer wrap-around services to organizations as they launch or grow, we could make our clients more effective at serving their communities. Honestly, the idea of doing work that mattered, behind the scenes, was the catalyst for City of Light Creative and Consulting.

Alright, 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?
Absolutely not. I’ve been the lead consultant at CLCC through a rough pregnancy, a rougher divorce, a pandemic, and now two presidencies that were unfriendly to nonprofits. I’ve had to remain creative, nimble, and optimistic through some of the most challenging moments personally and professionally.

As you know, we’re big fans of City of Light Creative & Consulting. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
City of Light Creative and Consulting meets nonprofit organizations where they are and helps them grow and adapt to meet their communities’ needs. Our team of 9 works on strategy, development, and marketing to help communities around the world. We’re unique in two critical ways:
1) We were formed for nonprofits, so our skills, our offerings, and our pricing are all designed to be accessible and supportive for their unique concerns.
2) It’s all here. I realized quickly, nonprofits are quick to ask about fundraising, but your chances of successful fundraising go up when your branding, marketing, and strategy all align. No one is funding the LOI that arrives from an org with no website or letterhead. At CLCC, you talk to one team, and we all support you like worker bees until you are leading real change.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I’m the oldest of six kids, so I’m comfortable in chaos and with leadership. I was always bookish and curious. I’d happily spend a weekend diving into the life story of Eleanor Roosevelt or deciding to teach myself Gaelic or some other shenanigans. My family also rescued wildlife and camped a lot, so I grew up in love with the outdoors and its creatures.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cityoflightconsulting.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cityoflightconsulting/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cityoflightconsulting
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/city-of-light-creative-consulting-llc