Savvy CEO and Founder of JMS Creative Leadership Solutions Nicole F. Smith greets visitors to her website with “Hello, my friend” – which speaks volumes about the heartfelt approach she brings to her business.
It’s a fact that achieving professional success amid all else that daily life hands you requires running on all cylinders! Lifelong experience has nudged Nicole to always know what comes first.
“JMS are the initials of my two children, so the value of family is extremely important to me,” said Nicole. It’s right there in the title of her program.
For 26 years, Nicole has consulted, trained and coached leaders at every level of industry. She describes herself as a talent development expert, a certified leadership coach and a certified emotional intelligence coach with a passion for being the person for you and your team that she didn’t have while growing up in the corporate world.
“Being an emotional intelligence expert provides me with a unique set of skills which sets me apart from other leadership coaches,” said Nicole. “My signature coaching program called EQ IMPACT™ helps individuals maximize their emotional intelligence. The strategy is to provide a customized approach for each client and teach the practical application of EQ in real-world scenarios. This approach to emotional intelligence coaching provides holistic leadership development.”
With her love of speaking, Nicole has designed, hosted and facilitated educational events, conferences, workshops and seminars all over the globe. Yet, with such a full schedule (all wonderful things, of course) – we asked what inspires Nicole personally, on a daily basis.
“What inspires me daily is that I have 24 more hours to make a difference, whether it’s for me, my family or my clients. Ok, maybe it’s 12 or so hours because I try to sleep,” she said. “We have the same amount of time each day to make a difference, even for ourselves. It doesn’t always have to be profound, but it could be something that helps me be my best, such as resting and rejuvenating.”
Nicole says she’s also inspired when witnessing the personal growth of others and knowing she’s guided clients to finding personal peace.
“For myself, I have check-ins throughout the week that might include taking a moment to assess my emotional state, stress level and energy level,” said Nicole. “This helps me remove self-doubt, feeling overwhelmed and negative self-talk or indecisiveness that’s taking place in my life.”
Those moments can be as simple as riding in the car with no music, lying across the bed with no TV, sitting on the back deck or going for a walk.
“One helpful thing I do is ‘brain dumps’ before bed. Grab your notebook and ‘dump the day’ by including accomplishments, tasks you still need to do, things that stressed you or just your random thoughts. It’s an excellent way to clear your mind and have a good night’s sleep!”
As for her own time in the corporate world, Nicole said she was stressed because she didn’t have clarity on goals or next steps.
“I wasn’t inspired, committed or engaged. I worked hard and set myself up to leave the corporate world because I realized I had ‘gems and nuggets’ to share with people,” she said, with a nod to her first best-selling book, 20 Golden Leadership Nuggets. “I knew I had what it took to run my own business and help others but didn’t know where to start. Hint: The first step and key to success is the journey of gaining self-awareness!”
Self-awareness and mindset are the cornerstones of personal growth and professional success, and JMS gives you the insight that behavior, emotions and leadership effectiveness are all connected. Her second book, entitled Shut’em Down: Black Women, Racism and Corporate World – is an anthology based on 20 women’s stories of discrimination in the corporate world – Nicole’s story included. Her latest project, Empowering the Mind: Mindset Workbook and Journal, offers an outlet to record your thoughts but also teaches you how with writing prompts and affirmations.
Join Nicole on International Women’s Day! On Friday, March 8th you can gather with Nicole and other amazing women for The High Vibe Summit at the Goodwill Opportunity Campus in Charlotte. This exciting event will create a space for reflection and growth, guiding you to show up – and show off – your strengths and talents. The summit is for ALL women – including those who identify as women and allies – regardless of whether or not you’re a budding entrepreneur or traditional 9-to-5, this day is for you!
Please visit HighVibeSummit.co to register and view the lineup of speakers, all experts in their fields. Registration on March 8th will begin at 8:15 a.m. and the summit will run from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Ten percent of ticket sales will go to The Dr. Shirley Davis Foundation – Shirley’s Hands – which gives individuals and minority-owned businesses the help needed to achieve success in every aspect of their lives.
For more information, visit jmscreatesleaders.com, and follow Nicole on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn @thenicole_smith. Sign up for your bi-weekly newsletters via the website or LinkedIn!
