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Appled Instnct

About

Hi, I'm Niki.

Strategist by trade. Intuitive by nature.

I help founders and leaders understand how they're naturally wired, then build a business that feels like theirs.

Niki, seated at a desk

My story

Eighteen years of strategy taught me where the real work is.

I've spent more than 18 years growing businesses, at places like Ogilvy, Skyscanner and Airalo. I loved the puzzle of it: the positioning, the launches, the plans that turned into real results.

And to be honest, the strategy was rarely the hard part. What got in the way, for me and for almost every founder I worked with, was the quiet voice that said we needed to become someone else to succeed.

So now I do things a little differently. I still bring the strategy, and I pair it with tools that help you understand yourself first. Once you know how you're wired, the plan has something solid to stand on.

The strategy keeps us grounded. The lenses make sure it fits you.

What I believe

Three ideas behind everything I do

01

A business is meant to reflect you.

When your business fits how you're built, it gets easier to run, easier to sell and a lot more fun to grow.

02

Your intuition already knows.

Most founders I meet have the answer somewhere inside. My job is to help you hear it, trust it and turn it into a plan.

03

Growth can look like becoming more of you.

Same ambition, same big goals, on a route that suits your strengths, your energy and the way you decide.

How I work

You bring the question. We choose the lens.

I use three lenses, always in service of what you're trying to do. Every session starts with your objective, then we pick the lens that helps you see it most clearly.

Strengths

What you're naturally great at, and how to lead with it.

Human Design

How you're built to make decisions and use your energy.

Tarot as a mirror

What you already know but haven't said out loud yet.

How I'm wired

I use the same lenses on myself.

Here's what they say about me, and what that means if we work together.

My top 5 strengths

  1. 1

    Ideation

    I see connections other people miss and love looking at things from a new angle, so we'll find perspectives on your business you may not have considered.

  2. 2

    Input

    I'm always gathering ideas, tools, books and good people. When we work together, you get all of it, because good support rarely comes from one place.

  3. 3

    Empathy

    I tend to feel what you're feeling, sometimes before you've said it, which makes our sessions a safe place to be honest.

  4. 4

    Learner

    I love the process of learning more than the finish line. It's how three lenses ended up in one practice, and why my hobbies come in seasons.

  5. 5

    Activator

    I like turning insight into action, so we never leave a session with just ideas. You'll always walk away with a clear next step.

My Human Design

  • Generator
  • 4/6 profile
  • Sacral authority
  • Generator

    I do my best work when something genuinely lights me up, so I say yes to clients I'm excited to work with.

  • Strategy: to respond

    I work best when people come to me. It's part of why Wired to Lead runs on a waitlist.

  • Sacral authority

    I make my best decisions from my gut, and I'll help you find and trust yours.

  • 4/6, the Opportunist and Role Model

    My work grows through relationships, and I share what I've learnt from living it myself.

Training

  • Strengths · Certification in progress. Expected Nov/Dec 2026

  • Human Design · Informed Coach

    Human Design Informed Coach
  • Tarot · Certified Transformational Tarot Coach, Biddy Tarot

    Biddy Tarot Certified Transformational Tarot Coach
  • Notion · Official Ambassador

    Notion Official Ambassador

A few things we might have in common

I'm a bit of a multi-hyphenate, to be honest. If any of these sound like you, say hello.

What I love

  • Hobbies I cycle through

    Piano comes back every year or two, then knitting, then a language (French, Spanish and Korean so far). Right now it's watercolour, cooking and building a more intentional wardrobe. I'm always learning something.

  • Mysteries and puzzles

    A whodunnit is my happy place. Sherlock Holmes, Anthony Horowitz's Hawthorne series, Only Murders in the Building and the odd true crime podcast. For games, it's Wordle, crosswords, chess and Murdle.

  • Books that changed how I think

    • Playing Big by Tara Mohr
    • Drop the Ball by Tiffany Dufu
    • The Art of Money by Bari Tessler
    More on Fable

What I make

  • Recovering writer

    As a kid, I was always writing. Then work took over. Now I'm finding myself as a writer again, working through The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron and writing more every week.

    Read on Substack
  • Book club

    I always wanted to run a book club, and I finally found a format that works. Everyone reads a different book on the same theme, so every session brings fresh ideas to the table. I'm really proud of Biz Book Club.

    Join a session
  • From podcast to YouTube

    Chief Best Friends, the podcast I started with my best friends, unlocked something in me. I got to talk with some of my podcast heroes and favourite authors. Now I'm starting a YouTube channel.

    Watch on YouTube

What it's like to work with Niki

In their words

“Niki challenged my thinking, understood the person behind the business, and helped me see things from a more strategic lens. I left more grounded and more confident.”
Gracia H.
Founder, Gracia Habre Method
“I am genuinely so grateful for Niki's help and the success of the new systems is owed 100 percent to her. I have had several clients reach out already asking me how I did it all... and the answer is, Niki did. Thank you!”
Sera M.
Founder, The Reoutfitter & Reloved
“I felt more committed to my decision, and it cleared the doubts I was having. Niki was genuine and gave me very objective insights.”
Ilya N.
Paris-based Private Chef
“I appreciated Niki's relatability as a female business owner... So warm, friendly and non-judgmental.”
P.
Founder, health tech

Where to start

A programme to join. Tools for going further on your own.

Group coaching

Wired to Lead

Understand your strengths, your energy and how you decide. Then turn it into a way of leading that feels like you, with a plan to match.

Six sessions · every two weeks · three months

Explore the programme
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Library

The library is on its way

Workshops and Notion templates, made around your strengths and your design.

Stay tuned
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Free email series

How to Stay You When Everyone Wants You to Change

For founders who want to grow without losing themselves.