Optimistic Creative

There is nothing worse than writing your own bio, other than, possibly, writing your own obituary. I’ll leave the obituary to more capable folks and take a stab at the bio.

Born in a small prairie town as a love child, I’ve spent most of my life trying to make it more interesting than it is. The great thing about marketing, writing, and creating is that I get to make other peoples’ lives more interesting, too.

I like to be involved in a project from the tiny seedling of an idea through to fruition. Known for my creativity and big ideas, I like to go deep, get my hands dirty. Content marketing, video production, email campaigns, team leadership, delivering presentations, generating effective case studies, SEO strategy, delving into analytics, curating social media campaigns all of it.

Finding the story in a brand, a movement, a life, is my passion.

I am a data-driven marketer. I don’t use data to tell stories, but rather tell stories and use data to back up the narrative. The ideation, brainstorming and creative element of campaign planning is something I relish. Defining a goal and key metrics for success must follow, and optimizing marketing strategy based on data is essential. I have presented for audiences at FUZE, Young Women in Business, SREDA, SYPE, Tourism Saskatchewan, VendastaCon and Ideas on Tap. Presenting key learnings in this format has helped me thoroughly understand the output of data and condense it into key findings and tactical action items that others can implement.

Don’t take it from me.

Nykea is a natural leader in her department and for the whole company. She has an uncommon mix of intelligence, work ethic and an unshakeable disposition that makes everyone around her want to come to work in the morning. What I look for in a leader is someone that consistently makes the people around them better. Nykea does this regularly and we're privileged to have her on our Vendasta team!

Jeff-Tomlin-2
Jeff Tomlin Co-Founder & CMO, Vendasta

Nykea is a brilliant marketer, extraordinary writer, and the best manager I've had the pleasure of working under. Her guidance and management of projects is clear, yet she always leaves room for the exploration of creative solutions. She welcomes new ideas with enthusiasm, and helps to develop them from concept into fully-fledged projects that intertwine with the overall marketing strategy. No matter how busy her schedule, Nykea always has time to help out in a pinch, and her door is always open for project discussion, or even just a chat. I truly believe that Nykea's management style and inspiring presence have helped me grow into the professional I am today. With her infectious laughter, sharp mind, and unrivalled creativity, Nykea's a force to be reckoned with—in the best possible way.

Dew Smith
Dew Smith Brand Strategist, 7shifts

Nykea is a writer, communicator, marketer and thought-leader. She sets an impossibly high standard for her work, using creativity and data to succeed.

Bonnie Clark
Bonnie Clark Marketing Director, TCU Financial Group

Nykea is one of the greatest leaders I’ve had the pleasure of working with. She lights up a room, motivates a team with her contagious energy and is truly selfless in her management approach. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Nykea since January 2014, and over the past few years have witness her massive impact on Vendasta's culture. From hosting our company-wide all hands meetings on Fridays to mentoring new employees through our Sprouts program, to orchestrating some of the most memorable social committee events, she’s a driving force behind why Vendasta is such a wonderful place to work. She also plays a major role in Vendasta's outward facing brand. Nykea is the voice behind a lot of our content, and she’s a memorable delegate at every conference she attends. She always has a can-do attitude and inspires others to do the same and rise to their potential. We are lucky to have Nykea at Vendasta, and I’m personally fortunate to work with someone who makes “work” an amazing place to be.

JacquelineCook
Jacqueline Cook CSO, Vendasta