We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicolette Travis and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Nicolette, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I wanted to start my own business because I wanted to provide a great place for people to work and a great place for people to do business. I had so many thoughts and ideas that I couldn’t help but want to do them myself! I also have always had a love for leadership and I believe that is what owning a business is, the ultimate role of leadership. I was excited to get to use that in my own company. Another motivating factor was that I wanted to build an empire for my family, something that they could have opportunity in when the time is right. My husband and I needed an opportunity where the sky is the limit and owning your on business is exactly that!
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I wear many hats in the company. Sometimes I am hands on in the field, sometimes I am in the office doing dispatch, sometimes I am a friend when an employee is in need, sometimes I am an estimator. What sets me apart from others is the never ending drive to do more and be better, every single day. Never giving up. Getting to where I am today professionally was not easy, it has taken a lot of grit and hard work. I overcame challenges by not letting my emotions get the best of me and tackling challenges with a lot of thought, and prayer. Lessons I have learned along the way are: Hire personality first, talent can be taught, personality cannot! Another one is: make decisions on faith, you can’t always see the other side and it’s OK, you just have to trust your gut because you never know until you try. There is NOTHING wrong with failing, if your not failing then you’re not trying hard enough because failure is the biggest part of success.. those failures lead us to our biggest success.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would love to shout out a very special leader that I worked under for almost 5 years, Bret Gowens. He gave me opportunity of a lifetime that I will never forget, he always encouraged me and is still here for me until this day! Bret is a huge part of where I began my leadership journey and the opportunity he gave me instilled the foundation that was completely necessary to start my own company. I also would like to give a huge shout to my husband. None of this would have been possible without him, he always pushes me out of my comfort zone and shows me that anything you put your mind to is possible. He is also the pioneer behind ideas of growth and expansion, I organize everything and take the action make it happen!
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