Speaker Bio
Nikki Martin is a Speaker, Facilitator, Writer, and Yoga Teacher & Teacher Trainer. As a twice published novelist and award-winning screenwriter, she brings years of storytelling experience to what she does and weaves her own life experiences, struggles, and triumphs into her presentations. She is a captivating and inspired speaker and has carved out a niche for herself sharing her journey of self-acceptance as a Biracial woman through addiction, recovery, loss and grief to finally becoming a successful community leader. Her gift is in being able to humanize and personalize challenging and sometimes uncomfortable topics so that people can truly see themselves in the work of making change in their lives and beyond.
As a DE&I educator and speaker under her company NM Creative Inc. Nikki continues to teach and inspire people to actively make change for the better within their organizations and communities through the lens of embodied leadership. Through this unique lens and her gift of story, groups are left feeling curious, open and inspired.
Speaker Topics
This workshop led by Nikki Martin is for people in a leadership role, or who hold positions of power and influence in their work or communities. It’s designed to support those who are training or mentoring, leading teams, or holding space for groups with diverse individuals so that they can understand how to actively participate in creating spaces that are safer and more equitable for Black, POC, LGBTQ+ and other marginalized folks. This workshop is about what it takes to place ourselves in the work of creating more equitable, diverse and inclusive spaces and how we must first be willing to look within at our own privileges, biases and more as an important starting point.
If you are in a role of leadership you are having an impact either for or against the movement to change. This workshop will support you becoming more self-aware and help support you in seeing your place in making change… in being a CHANGEMAKER for yourself, your clients/students/peers, and your community and staff which is such important and vital work in the world today.
Get inspired to be part of the change for yourself and others!
What does it look like to build relationships with your team and even amongst your peers in ways that are fruitful, engaging and energizing, and that ultimately remove the limitations of power-over mindset while still fostering the power of being a great leader; one who inspires their team to do and be better, all while fostering an inclusive environment? TRAILBLAZERS is an answer to this and more!
In this workshop, we look at culture and climate within a team or organization as well as our relationship to power in the work of examining how we show up for ourselves and our teams. All of this in order to lead us towards building stronger, more authentic, and open relationships with our peers and employees.
Get inspired to reimagine how you lead and let curiosity and imagination be the foundation for carving new and bold trails forwards, ALL while becoming a more effective, supportive and trusted leader.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- The vital work of being a great communicator and of recognizing when lines of communication have broken down and why
- How imagination and curiosity will open up your ability to manage more people in different, effective ways
- The transformative and impactful work of learning to ask great questions
- Assessing your lens, biases and positionality in regards to POWER while becoming more self-aware in action and reaction
- The importance of recognizing the opportunity in CONFLICT and your responsibility to lean into it
- What incremental and sustainable change looks like when addressing systemic issues
- How to move from knowledge to action in making changes in how you lead and respond
Nikki is a passionate speaker and shares from her own experience and story. From addiction and depression as a teen and into her late twenties, to losing her father and how it led her to a spiritual life and new beginnings, from her struggles and loneliness as a person of colour in yoga spaces, to how that led her to become an advocate for change in yoga and fitness spaces and studios as well as a community leader in the DE&I movement along the way. From her most heartfelt story, one of failing at a young age as a writer and then finding her voice again years later and how that led her to publish her novels and find her way into film, nothing is off limits as she shares from the heart to inspire and ignite a fire in others to chase their dreams and make change in their lives as they pursue what is possible in the most purposeful of ways.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Finding and embracing your passion
- How to embrace the commitment, dedication and drive to build a successful life
- Acting courageously and making decisions with certainty and without fear
- Breaking down the barriers within and outside of ourselves to realize our dreams
- Grief, loss and sacrifice and their role on a spiritual path and to getting inspired
Testimonials
Nikki took the time to dive deep into our organization’s values and goals to create a session for our staff that felt connected to our mandate and rooted in what we do. Her presentation was engaged and welcoming, while also not shying away from important, difficult topics. She created a space where our team felt comfortable sharing their feedback and questions and the reverberations of her work continue to resonate within the organization.
…your training was honestly the BEST I’ve had in a very long time. Your vulnerability, the collaborative approach and individual focus for change just made for such a valuable experience.
Nikki’s presentation was nothing short of amazing – she proved to be an eloquent, organized, and engaging speaker. Her ability to deliver content with precision and clarity left a lasting impact on myself and my team.
Nikki’s workshop not only met but exceeded our expectations. Her insights into embodied leadership were profound, and she skillfully navigated the complexities of creating diverse and inclusive spaces. The workshop was not just informative, but also transformative, providing us with valuable new perspectives that will undoubtedly influence our approach to leadership and inclusivity.
I highly recommend Nikki Martin as a speaker for any organization. Her expertise, coupled with her engaging delivery, makes her an invaluable asset for any team or event. We look forward to the opportunity to engage with Nikki again in the future.
I had the privilege of attending “Trailblazers” led by Nikki Martin, and I walked away with so many valuable insights that are already shaping how I communicate with my peers, leaders, and direct reports. One of the biggest takeaways for me was the realization that when something is misconstrued, it’s not about defending or justifying or explaining your initial position—it’s about listening, learning, and understanding where the other person is coming from and apologizing if there was hurt or offence caused. That shift in perspective – that sometimes you just don’t get it right and being open with your team members so that trust is built was so powerful, and it’s already helping me approach conversations with more openness and self-awareness.
Nikki made a subject that can sometimes feel challenging or divisive feel engaging, accessible, and thought-provoking. She created an environment that fostered curiosity and growth, making me eager to embrace each new concept and apply it in real time. There were so many “aha” moments throughout the session, and I truly believe every leadership team should experience this training. Less than 10 hours later, I’m already seeing the impact in how I communicate, and I know it’s only the beginning!
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Videos
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