Natalia Nicholson is a corporate diversity instructor and digital coach who guides companies on how to be more inclusive and support all of their employees and provides guidance for women who want to set up their own online businesses. She is a Gold Tier facilitator for the Google I Am Remarkable initiative and the Director of Women in Digital Business (WIDB). Her goal is to ensure all companies understand the importance of recognizing and fostering, Dignity in the Workplace policies and building a community of women who will support and motivate each other with her WIDB Mastermind Group. We had the opportunity to catch Natalia Nicholson, the Director of Women in Digital Business (WIDB), for a quick 10-minute interview to find out more about how she has achieved business success.
Natalia Nicholson, Entrepreneur, Corporate Diversity Instructor, and Digital Marketing Coach
Natalia, you’ve built your entire business model on the importance of diversity. Can you tell us more about your motivation? Hi, I am Natalia, and I believe in equality for all, regardless of your race, heritage, sexuality, gender or gender preference, religion, or beliefs. I am a mother of two boys and a girl, all aged under 11, and never seem to have a moment to myself! My parents are part of the Windrush generation, and consequently, I was very aware of diversity issues as I was growing up. With more than two decades of experience as a digital serial entrepreneur, I have had my share of failures. Failing has shown me new ways of operating that have resulted in my current successful online businesses. I am passionate about digital marketing and diversity, and I aim to provide underrepresented women with the tools, framework, and knowledge to succeed without needing to have business contacts.
Do you run any diversity initiatives? I am a gold facilitator of a Goggle initiative called I Am Remarkable, designed to help women and underrepresented groups promote themselves effectively in the workplace. I have really enjoyed running workshops for numerous companies, including Lloyds Bank, Godiva chocolates, Citi Airport, and Core Recruitment, to name just a few. I am currently setting up my own company, You Are Important (YAI), which is centered around the Dignity at Work Act. The aim of YAI is to provide guidance about how to implement the requirements of the Dignity at Work Act. YAI will provide workshops, and a CPD accredited course to enable companies to train management effectively and efficiently.
How are you helping women from underrepresented backgrounds?
I have had a lot of so-called “business gurus” promise that I will get rich quickly with online selling in exchange for huge investment fees, but that never happened. Because of those false promises and failures, I realized I needed to learn the ropes of online selling myself. Now I want to put an end to other vulnerable women getting ripped off by the so-called “gurus." I strongly believe in the value of giving back and know that if I had been able to access the right guidance without charge, things would have worked out so differently, and it would not have taken so long to figure out the right blueprint that has made my businesses a success. This is why I launched the 5-Day Challenge to Launch Your Online Business! This is not vague information about marketing and networking. I provide a daily challenge with worksheets that guide women towards finally launching a profitable online business.
Why should companies be concerned about diversity and corporate social responsibility? The media, shareholders, and consumers are all aware of the importance of both diversity and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Not only have well-known, highly profitable companies embraced diversity and CSR but SME’s are also now beginning to see the potential of becoming involved in campaigns that they can use to show that they care about the issues around diversity and social responsibility. It is no longer enough to just 'talk the talk.' Companies need to prove that they are prepared to 'walk the walk.' A modest investment into embracing diversity and social responsibility will bring huge rewards. With positive brand recognition, companies can spend less on marketing campaigns and are far more likely to gain client and customer loyalty, in addition to increased sales. Another significant benefit of positive brand recognition is a more engaged workforce, higher retention rates, and attracting the top talent as the company grows.
What type of online businesses have you worked with?
I have worked with women from a range of sectors, including health care, recruitment, and technology. My life has been made more fulfilling as I have watched so many women flourish and start and grow online businesses. I am currently running the Women in Digital Business' initiative for diversity and inclusion, a crowdfunding campaign. My mission is to help at least10 women who have already started viable businesses by providing them with the necessary funds to market their business, take business courses and expand their client and customer base. All companies that donate will receive exclusive media coverage and will be able to proudly say that they take both diversity and social responsibility seriously!
What is your biggest current challenge?
The Women in Digital Business' initiative for diversity and inclusion, a crowdfunding campaign. My goal is to help at least 10 women from underrepresented groups to develop and grow their own businesses. In collaboration with Women in Digital Business (WIDB), companies that donate £250 or more will receive exclusive coverage on all of my social media profiles, with over 10 000 followers between them. Additionally, every company that donates prior to the 6th of July will also be featured in our monthly newsletters, which are circulated to 1000's individual business owners and published on my Linked In profile.
To make a donation, please use this link.
What is your next challenge? My next challenge is to grow the Women In Digital Business podcast. I am excited to speak with business owners and entrepreneurs about their future aspirations and how they plan to incorporate diversity and inclusion into their company culture. I have also recently launched the Women in Digital Membership site. After my failures and following my current success, I wanted to provide a resource where women can gain access to all the information they need to start, grow and run a successful online business. The Women in Digital Membership site provides women with the complete strategy and business framework to run a profitable online business. My aim is to provide women with everything they need, to enjoy the flexibility and freedom of running their own business. Through WIDB and the WIDB membership site, women can learn the most effective digital marketing methods and how to overcome business and personal challenges.
Sign up here.
What is your advice to SME's?
SME's need to show that they are doing what they can to ensure their business is diverse and that they genuinely care about wider social issues and are not solely focused on profit margins. This can be achieved in various ways, including running diversity workshops, encouraging employee resource networks (ERGs), and donating to social causes.
I always feel like I have made a difference after running I Am Remarkable IAR workshops and really enjoy receiving the feedback after. Part of the IAR workshop is about creating a safe space for interaction and connecting with everyone. Switch Hospitality Management chose to hold an IAR in part due to the impact of the pandemic. IAR is not about ticking boxes; it’s about supporting inclusion and challenging racial/gender disparities. As Switch Hospitality Management so accurately stated, companies should want to live and breathe inclusion as part of company culture. IAR for Switch Hospitality Management - Recommendation Natalia is a fantastic facilitator, and her passion shines through. She creates a safe space for all, and even though this is on zoom, we all felt a connection with her. The workshop has really empowered our team, and we are looking forward to holding more and thinking about what else we can do. We are holding a lunch for those who were on the workshop at the end of the month so we can keep the themes or IAR alive and get together and continue to discuss what makes us remarkable. Please either book an appointment here or send me an email at hello@womenindigitalbusiness.com I have recently launched the Women In Digital Business (WIDB) crowdfunding campaign, backed by NatWest. This initiative has been set up with the mission of raising funds to support women from underrepresented groups. To make a donation, please use this link: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/women-in-digital-business.
