Nikki
Clarke: Today’s Superwoman
I had the opportunity to sit down with
the amazing Nikki Clarke, from The Nikki
Clarke Show. I was able to find out about her entrepreneurial road to
success and she also gave valuable insight to aspiring authors and
entrepreneurs on how they too can have success.
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ikki has a number
of businesses and possesses the attributes of what an entrepreneur is
all about. When you see the body of work Nikki Clarke has done, the words that
come to mind are perseverance, strength, and courage. Sometimes as an
entrepreneur and a businessperson, you have to find ways to make lemonade from
the lemons that have come your way. According to Oxford dictionary, an entrepreneur (noun) is a person who sets up a business or
businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope
of profit (Oxford Dictionaries online, 2013). However, entrepreneurialism
goes beyond just setting up your own business. Some entrepreneurs (including
myself) will say, ‘don’t box me in.’ Perhaps that is because some entrepreneurs
do not want to be defined by just one thing. As you will see, Nikki Clarke
cannot and will not be boxed in.
In 2006 Clarke became a jewellery designer, which she says, “happened
by accident.” She started making pieces that coordinated with her outfits while
she was working as a professor at a Toronto college. She found that not only
was it a good way to meditate while making her pieces, she also found it to be
an “affordable and interesting way to coordinate accessories with [her] suits.”
Before she knew it, she found a buzz going around the faculty and her students.
She started getting orders because her pieces were so original. This is how her
company Bead 4 Health came about. She used natural materials such as semi-precious
stones and wood, which can also be used for healing purposes, hence where the
name Bead 4 Health came about. Bead 4 Health has become so well known that it
was featured on a CTV eTalk segment in 2011.
In true entrepreneur fashion, Nikki also has other professions up her
sleeve, which includes public relations. Her company Nikki Clarke Inc. (est.
2008) deals with public relations (PR), event planning and management, which came
about when she was invited to an event in Windsor, a few years ago. A friend
needed help with a girl group he was managing out in Windsor. She assisted in everything
from make-up to getting press; Nikki also found that she had a knack “for
getting free stuff” for the group. The latter Clarke acknowledges is partly known
as “PR.” Word got around about the amazing job Nikki did that she was soon
receiving calls to be hired for other jobs.
Although it is something that she stumbled in to, Nikki admits that
she is a natural people person, and that is a good quality to have when
entering a field such as PR. Engaging and sharing with people is part of what
PR is about. She finds that public relations is an interesting challenge
because it involves various aspects, such as business and interpersonal
communication. She also has to “learn [how] to adapt to people’s different
styles of communication [and] their personalities.” Although that can be a
challenge in and of itself, PR is natural to Nikki who says that, “PR became a label that someone gave
me, but it’s something that I always had.”
Shortly after starting her company, she was invited to be on Liquid Lunch for thatchannel.com where
she says she had a great interview by station owner Hugh Riley. They loved her
answers and charisma so much that the prospect of having her own show was
suggested. From there she pitched the idea to start her own show called “And
the Beat Goes On.” This idea came from the fact that she didn’t feel there was
enough platforms for Canadian talent.
In October 2008 they launched And
the Beat Goes On. The show had a four-year run, but Clarke says, “The show
needed to mature [and that’s how it] evolved into The Nikki Clarke Show, which is now on the XS Network.”
XS boasts 1.8 million viewers globally. “The show profiles people who
have overcome and have inspiring stories to share,” she says. Last month Nikki pitched
the idea to Rogers Cable, channel 10 Toronto and a commitment has been made to
carry her show, which will start in the next few weeks.
Going into television is not easy to do, and is not for everyone, but
she feels that she has a need to share and connect with people. “[It is]
something that is an intrinsic value of mine to teach,” she says. “[I taught]
for 10 years. There are many classrooms,
and I feel like TV is just another type of classroom for me.” She wants to use
media to educate and inspire, keep it honest and show integrity.
ADVICE FOR AUTHORS AND
ENTREPRENEURS
A very important part for an author’s sales is to obtain reviews. “You
want to make sure that you get a good review,” she advises. She suggests,
“giving your book away to trusted individuals who are in favour of you.” She
also offers the idea to take one chapter out of your book, and send it as a .pdf
to a mailing list who enjoy reading– from there some people may be encouraged
to buy your book. You can also ask for
testimonials from the recipients to include on your website.
In order for aspiring authors to get promotions Nikki encourages book signings.
“[It is a] very important way of promoting yourself” she says. “[It’s like]
casting a net, you’re hoping you can catch good fish.” Often you have to give
away things for free, but if you do it right you will reap the benefits in the
long term. Nikki advises that you should do your research in advance. Contact
the bookstore manager and arrange a day to go in when your targeted audience
will be there. She gives an example to find a high traffic bookstore to do these
signings, however it is also important that the store should be related to the
genre of your book. For instance, if the bookstore specializes in crime novels
and your story is a children’s fairy-tale, you may not find your target
audience there. She offered the idea to spend two to three hours there and
engage with the people and offer potential clients coffee and treats – if they buy
your books great, but it is really about making the connection and selling
yourself. In other words, “people buy products from people they like.”
Besides in-store book signings, social media is a great way to connect
with people. “Social media can be
very effective in boosting your business, but you have to know your audience.”
For Nikki it is all about catering to your specific demographic. Nikki says
that typically Facebook has an audience around the ages of about 18-36, so it’s
all about being what she calls “punchy” – getting attention, but keeping it short
and sweet. Twitter is another example of keeping it short. “You only have140
characters to create an impression so you are going to have to use brevity and
punch [as well].” She warns that
people tend to have “social media ADD” so this is why it is important to be
quick and to the point. However, with
LinkedIn, because it is a professional networking site with an approximate 20-55
age demographic, Nikki says that you can afford to be more specific in detail.
So the concern for emerging authors and entrepreneurs alike is that
they may become lost in the shuffle. To avoid this, it all comes from
consistency. Clarke notes, “I use social media like a habit, like brushing my
teeth […] just the other day I Googled (sic)
myself, and I found myself on over 2 million sites.” Social media is really how
she got her name out there.
This can probably be attributed to the fact that Nikki has done a
pretty good job at building her brand. This is not an easy feat; it comes with its
struggles.
“You will come across certain obstacles [such as] self-doubt,” Nikki
says. “You are going to have those days where you question if it is something
that you should be doing.” You will not always get the support from the outside
to reaffirm what it is that you are trying to do.
“As a self-employed person, you’re
going to have to have the intrinsic value of accomplishments and pride to get
you through certain days.”
She forewarns that one is going to get rejection from “people who
don’t get you [and] negativity from people who have failed [in the past]” and
are projecting their fear of failure on you. Other issues that you may come
across is funding, money and resources or the lack thereof. This is why she
encourages looking into getting grants, investors or putting money aside to
help grow your brand.
Branding is important, but there are big mistakes that can be made.
This includes, “not knowing what the brand is, not having a clear image,” she
says. If it’s not clear in the beginning issues with your “brand” will be sure
to follow. She notes that one has to be “completely at ease and completely convicted
with whatever you are trying to brand; and stick with it [because people] need
to see stability.”
Speaking of stability, there are times when someone starting out finds
they are spreading themselves out too thin. Turning down an opportunity can be hard
even if your schedule already seems tight. Nikki agrees that “When your
starting your business it’s very important to promote yourself and to use
almost every opportunity to get attention[.]” However, she warns, “There comes
a time when you have to evaluate the opportunities. Weigh them carefully to see
if they are beneficial to you. You also
have to access your worth, once you know your worth; you have to apply that
into what you are doing.” So certain things are not going to be worth your
time. “It’s going to be difficult to do when you are used to pleasing people. When
it comes to business, you have to be clear and direct,” she says.
For Nikki, it’s about learning to say no and about
letting go. “It’s going to be a lot better for you, then saying yes and being
resentful in the end.”
You can follow Nikki Clarke on twitter @Nixondamix
