About me:
I live in rural Indiana, about an hour west of Cincinnati, OH, where open space and time outdoors with my family are part of everyday life. My dog gets plenty of space to run and I operate in remote and hybrid environments. Professionally, my background specializes in UX design, research, and management with a focus on simplifying and enhancing people's lives through technology.
A peek into some of my adventures:
How my ambition shows up
I'm driven by continuous learning and long-term growth. I treat growth as a discipline. I test, seek feedback, and refine deliberately. I care less about quick wins and more about compounding value over time.
Success, to me, shows up in refining and optimizing over time. I'm focused on the horizon and strategically positioning our efforts on the highest value goals. Whether improving ecommerce flows or coaching the people on my team, I focus on small, measurable improvements that compound over time.
As one colleague shared:
“It is a golden ticket having the opportunity to work with such a great professional. Nicola helps us all learn and progress every single day. He is resourceful, respectful, collaborative and a great guide.”
— Megan, Senior Manager Product Design, Kroger
How my collaboration shows up
Trust is earned before its needed. I strongly believe in fostering deep relationships with my partners and stakeholders.
I invest in understanding how people think, what motivates them, and where their strengths show up. This makes it easier to find common ground, share responsibility, and move together when decisions matter.
As one teammate described it:
“Nick's ability to recognize and utilize my strengths effectively, coupled with his skill to challenge [me] and elevate my career, is incredibly valuable. His approach strengthens our team's cohesion and collaborative foundation.”
— Jess, Senior Product Designer, Kroger
How my personality shows up
Brené Brown's phrase "clear is kind" resonates with me. Ambiguity creates friction and I prefer to address things directly and respectfully. This shows up in a few ways:
Asking clarifying questions, especially in high-stakes conversations
Naming tradeoffs explicitly
Protecting team focus by saying no when priorities drift
Holding people accountable, including myself
One leader shared:
“He fearlessly asks clarifying questions and holds individuals accountable, regardless of their position in the leadership hierarchy. His advocacy for his team members is equally noteworthy, as evidenced by his efforts to address pay disparities and champion inclusivity within the organization.”
— Matt, Group Manager