85. When Your Business No Longer Fits Your Life: Nicole Richards on Burnout, Faith, and Reinventing Success
The Real Story Behind a Glossy Career
Nicole Richards was at the top of her game. Celebrity-level bridal clients. Magazine spreads. A buzzing makeup studio with a team of 15 artists.
And then… she walked away.
But it wasn’t a dramatic implosion. It started as a whisper. A quiet nudge that said: “This isn’t it anymore.”
What followed was a powerful, humbling journey that led Nicole from paintbrushes and powder to purpose-driven coaching.
When Your Soul Says Stop
Nicole’s decision wasn’t logical. It wasn’t planned. But when she got into her car after one of her last weddings and the door slammed back in her face—literally—she knew she had overstayed her calling.
Three months later? The pandemic hit. The entire wedding industry imploded. Nicole had already stepped out.
This is your reminder that intuition isn’t just soft—it can be strategic.
Building an Empire You Can’t Sustain
One of the most poignant parts of Nicole’s story? Her honesty.
She built something incredible. But behind the scenes, her personal life was breaking down. Her marriage was unraveling. Her body was exhausted. And her identity? Tied tightly to what she did.
“I was building an empire my life couldn’t sustain,” she says.
Sound familiar?
From External Success to Internal Alignment
Today, Nicole helps entrepreneurs not just build scalable businesses—but lives that can actually hold them.
Her whole-life coaching approach challenges the idea that business is separate from personal growth. Burnout, she says, is your soul’s way of throwing up a red flag.
She asks clients questions like:
- What’s your hobby?
- Do you have real rest in your life?
- Who’s helping you hold this up?
If your answer is “no one and nothing,” it’s time to make a change.
Faith at the Center, Not the Sidelines
Nicole’s pivot wasn’t just professional—it was spiritual. She founded Minding His Business, a podcast and summit that explores what it means to lead as a faith-driven entrepreneur.
It’s not about perfection. It’s about remembering who you’re doing this for. And how you’re doing it.
If you’re faith-based and feel like you’re the only one in the room? You’re not.
Redefining What Success Looks Like
Success for Nicole used to mean magazine covers and high-end gowns.
Now?
It looks like a client finally believing in her own dream. A daughter who runs her own crochet business at 14. Coaching calls that create “aha” moments and legacy-level transformation.
Success is peace. Alignment. Rest. Presence.
Final Thoughts: Are You Building a Business That Your Life Can Sustain?
If you’re exhausted, unfulfilled, or just vaguely annoyed by the business that was once your dream… Nicole’s story is your mirror.
Listen to the voice. Trust the whisper. Pivot before it crashes.
And remember: success isn’t about building more. It’s about building right.
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