Hi, I’m Nicole Parker, a small business consultant helping founders and creative entrepreneurs build clearer strategy, stronger systems, and more sustainable businesses.

Early in my career, I studied metal and ceramic design at Virginia Commonwealth University and earned a BFA in Craft and Material Studies. After graduating I worked for local artisans and started my own jewelry business, where I experienced firsthand how closely creative work and entrepreneurship are connected.

I have spent most of my life working in and alongside small businesses. I even grew up in a small business started by my grandparents. Early on I learned that creative work only lasts when the business behind it is strong. That realization led me to focus deeply on learning how small businesses operate and grow.

Over the last decade I have worked closely with over a dozen founders of creative companies. My work has included designing products, managing production, planning retail spaces, developing wholesale pipelines, and creating operational playbooks that help businesses smoothly.

In 2024 I stepped into regional leadership as the Executive Director of a federally funded small business support program (WBC). In this role I designed educational programs and incubators, advised more than 300 small businesses, and built strong ecosystems of support for local founders.

Today I work with small business owners across industries to make clearer decisions, choose the right tools, and build simple systems that support how their businesses actually run and grow.