Nicole ForestaverdePreparing to launch 🚀or 🥕
Work-life... balance 🤭
Nicole Forestaverde
She/HerPreparing to launch 🚀or 🥕
Antarctica
81 followers 26 connections
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At the beginning of something unknown. My journey since 2011:
journalist (💎 stood out for a deep, unconventional approach)
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→ worked nights on personal startup ideas → team lead (stood for the truth ⚖️, got fired) → kept working on my startup ideas → pitched → failed 🧗♀️ → became externally displaced ▪️ → went through hell, across and beyond the land borders, spent years building a freelance career from scratch 0️⃣ → marketing comms intern (learned SEO 📚) → marketing comms specialist (stood out for human-first 💜, intelligent 🧠, yet tech-savvy approaches ⚙️) → kept working on startup ideas and learning development in the pre-AI era 🧗♀️ → came out as a trans woman 🏳️⚧️ → became externally displaced 2.0 ◼️ → didn't give up 🚣♀️ → kept performing in marketing comms 🔁 → kept working on startup ideas at night 🧠 → kept searching for ways out 📧 → dove into AI automation (💎 stood out for initiative and creativity) → AI automation specialist (created internal n8n systems with complexity at an extreme level 🤯) → kept searching for ways out ⛓️💥 → lost my position 💧 → became externally displaced 3.0 → a hand? anybody? Nobody. Location always prevails. Didn't give up one more time → accelerating my entrepreneurial side 🎯💜 → to be continued... 🤞
Top skills
Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) · Writing · Communication · Product Development · Market Analysis
Activity
81 followers
Nicole ForestaverdePreparing to launch 🚀or 🥕
In two weeks, I'm launching my own project. It will be either a rocket 🚀 or some ugly carrot 🥕. It's a weird moment when tears of joy and fear mix into…Read moreShow less
In two weeks, I'm launching my own project. It will be either a rocket 🚀 or some ugly carrot 🥕. It's a weird moment when tears of joy and fear mix into one river, and you think, "Damn, don't waste tissues now. You may need them if you fail."
It's gonna be my third attempt (different ideas, of course) over the last 16 years. I still have my old 30-page business plan in Spanish in millions of versions, and application replies from the French Tech Ticket startup program, which is something else these days. One got abandoned amidst life's storms, another didn't make it past the initial selection. Quite a portfolio 😅
What's different this time? I think it's the concentration and the acknowledgement of the ultimate cost in case of failure.
What didn't change is that I keep seeing business (B2C, as usual) not as a way to get rich, but as a way to keep earning enough to be there for those who may need it, to bring joy, to create a family of people from wherever who could amplify something good further 💜🌍💜🌎💜🌏
For someone, this may sound like naive blah-blah-blah, but for me that's the engine. The engine of a person who can watch some news and then spend the whole day worrying (at the same time!) about how Mr. Macron is doing and how the people are doing if they didn't agree on something.
That's probably the sh*ttiest pitch possible, but the point is that it's not a pitch. It's my professional diary.
It also means farewell (most likely, I don't know, I still have four gimmi-yummu-for-my-tummy floofs) to my freelance career, which I started building from scratch amidst some very wild turbulence exactly 10 years ago. It wouldn't have been possible without so many people involved. I'm very grateful for the chances, lessons, and time. Every experience, every company reshaped me professionally to very high standards. Even if I don't agree with every decision, which is normal, I see my mistakes too (I do), including the mistake of putting on a tough-girl face (that's actually a very consequential one).
But it also resulted in my current understanding that I no longer want to be Unbreakable Nicole. Strong, driven, yes. But not unbreakable. There is a very beautiful Birdy's song called "Surrender". Being unbreakable does consume an enormous amount of energy that can be put into something useful after a very productive crying session initiated on time.
If I fail, I hope I will get my refugee protection wherever there is sunshine, and the rainbow is shining bright 🌈, and I will look after some garden or clean penguin poop 🐧
To be continued... 🤞
Nicole ForestaverdePreparing to launch 🚀or 🥕
A, B, C... “Hmm, she is referring to that children’s song.” G, V, B... “Now, just English consonants.” L, U, R... “Seems like she doesn’t remember…Read moreShow less
A, B, C...
“Hmm, she is referring to that children’s song.”
G, V, B...
“Now, just English consonants.”
L, U, R...
“Seems like she doesn’t remember the order, but she is trying to name the English alphabet.”
F, Ð, Z...
“Ahh, it’s the Icelandic alphabet, got it.”
O, Ñ, H...
“Icelandic and Spanish, likely.”
Î, ß, P...
“And French and German. Okay, what is your point with these English, Icelandic, Spanish, French, and German letters?”
My point is:
üňłéçÿïŕēŵő...
Before anyone tries to put someone’s experience into a familiar box, maybe it’s worth leaving room for the thought that whichever box you keep putting it in is wrong.
Nicole ForestaverdePreparing to launch 🚀or 🥕
In 2014–2016, I was managing a team of journalists assigned to my department. We had a young woman in her 20s who was dealing with an abusive husband. One…Read moreShow less
In 2014–2016, I was managing a team of journalists assigned to my department. We had a young woman in her 20s who was dealing with an abusive husband.
One day, the situation escalated over the phone. You know, those old-school wired ones. Ringing, talking, ringing, talking. People writing articles. Ringing. Talking.
“Give me the phone,” I told her. She did. I don’t remember ever yelling and swearing at anyone like that. Not over the phone, not in person. I usually don’t.
I put the phone down. Loudly. I was shaking. It rang again. Repeat. Again.
This was six years before my transition. After that shift, I walked her to the metro station to make sure she was safe. For the next few days, I was scared to walk near the office myself. For obvious reasons. But that was my problem. Not the team’s. Not hers. Mine. I had the option to put my head in the sand and pretend I wasn’t there. That it was none of my business. I didn’t.
I’m remembering this lately because a lot has changed over the years. I’ve had many managers and supervisors since then and, honestly, I still haven’t met anyone who would reach the bar I set for myself. Yet so many people call themselves leaders (accepting input isn't leadership).
I think there is a huge difference between a leader and a person with money. The first can be both. The second can only be the second.
And a final thought. After recently watching the documentary Eras Tour: The End of an Era, I think it should be on the must-watch list for anyone who wants to manage teams. Because somehow (strangely so, right?) hard work, team success, feedback, human love, emotions, empowerment, authenticity, and finances can all be equal ingredients in that super-professional soup called: “Damn. This is just beautiful.” And we lack beauty... We do.
And that's a new between-the-lines bar that I want to reach: leader. And I will 💜 And I genuinely want as many strong women in leadership positions as possible.
1 comment
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Kenya L.
Such important work 👏🏾
Nicole ForestaverdePreparing to launch 🚀or 🥕
A lot of my 🧠, 💜, and "Phew... ok, here's what we gonna do" were put into these. ⚪ Case study: CMS localization (https://lnkd.in/eFuBxmCu) ⚪ Case study:…Read moreShow less
A lot of my 🧠, 💜, and "Phew... ok, here's what we gonna do" were put into these.
⚪ Case study: CMS localization (https://lnkd.in/eFuBxmCu)
⚪ Case study: Data analytics in marketing comms (https://lnkd.in/eQJHQqFb)
#LGBTQInTech #Automation #AIImplementation #AIAdoption #BuisinessAI #AIEngineering #n8n #AITransformation #AIStrategy
2 comments
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Katherine Neli
Nicole is an impossible 200% combination - with 100% professionalism and another 100% amazing personality! It's 2X of what a regular company can ask for. What a LUCK for any team to hire her - saying this based on my personal experience working together 💕
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Nicole Forestaverde
Thank you, Kate! 💜
Nicole Forestaverde reposted this
We’re sharing difficult news.
4 comments
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Bree Taylor
If you’re looking to support US-based relocation assistance (within the states and between states) for trans people who are statistically and wildly more vulnerable at this time than just the broader LGBTQ+ umbrella, please check out Trans Unity Coalition and offer to help. The team is directly in contact with trans community members begging for assistance. They wouldn’t be reaching out to us if the established systems were helping them, and this is a concern we have been directly told is growing: more and more relocation programs aren’t just losing money, they FAILING to show allyship, while still taking a salary. We are 100% volunteer.
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Natasha Cassinath
I would love to know more about the politics behind the government funding cuts.
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Jean Claude BELINGA
I share, thank’s for this information
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Nicole ForestaverdePreparing to launch 🚀or 🥕
It's truly fabulous to know that I was a part of it 🔮 and was even called a "mega brain" in a company-wide channel after one of the company-wide hackathons…Read moreShow less
It's truly fabulous to know that I was a part of it 🔮 and was even called a "mega brain" in a company-wide channel after one of the company-wide hackathons 😊 #canvalove you, folks! 💗 Keep rocking! 🚀 I wish LinkedIn had the emojis from Canva's Slack. 😍
Nicole ForestaverdePreparing to launch 🚀or 🥕
A community builder runs workshops. A copywriter creates educational content. An analyst creates analytical content. A partnership manager leads Zoom…Read moreShow less
A community builder runs workshops.
A copywriter creates educational content.
An analyst creates analytical content.
A partnership manager leads Zoom meetings.
A designer creates infographics and visualization.
A marketer elaborates on brand positioning.
An SEO specialist identifies off-page priorities.
A communication specialist takes care of b2b comms.
A PR specialist takes care of news events.
A data analyst works with data massives.
The specialists like myself do everything from the above depending on strategy and external factors.
I have conducted dozens of workshops, written numerous articles, led hundreds of external Zoom meetings, created multiple infographics, engaged with hundreds of media contacts, and developed numerous news events to be heard. We are constantly in Inspector Gadget mode, which is both inspiring and continually leads us to new growth opportunities. #growth
Nicole ForestaverdePreparing to launch 🚀or 🥕
I always thought that managing a team is not my thing. Turns out I was an awesome manager by always doing only unique things myself, creating and moving…Read moreShow less
I always thought that managing a team is not my thing. Turns out I was an awesome manager by always doing only unique things myself, creating and moving complex strategies, standing for the best and reasonable, being a balance between opposite sides, being a shoulder to my team, and their shield in any situation ready to bring and reveal all the reasons and truths. That's how I ended up my manager career in journalism back in 2016: "If you want to push something against her, here I am to give you all the objective reasons, let's talk!" In five minutes, I was fired but was able to protect my teammate from unfairness. At that time, I gave myself a vow that I will always stay on the side of the truth, no matter what, and I will never care about money, mainstream, trends, etc. They are nothing. The only thing that matters is truth and dignity, whether I manage myself or someone else.
1 comment
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Nadya Pominova
You're breathtaking!
Nicole ForestaverdePreparing to launch 🚀or 🥕
Big kudos to the ZDNET team and Jada Jones for not Apple-ying the blind mantra when covering this news https://lnkd.in/dhtxtrUg It's truly the developers'…Read moreShow less
Big kudos to the ZDNET team and Jada Jones for not Apple-ying the blind mantra when covering this news https://lnkd.in/dhtxtrUg It's truly the developers' achievement, insane achievement (!), not Apple's! It's unfortunate how many other media outlets made it all about the corporation, even though Apple itself emphasized that "Developers generated $1.1 trillion..."
Recent comments
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David Wolverton Absolutely (I'm not even considering choices of a few random individuals)! In everyday reality, if you need to cross a stormy ocean, you just build a more resistant ship.
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Wonderful message, Abby! 👏 💚 I usually write longer comments but I'm still processing. It clicked, for real.
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I imagine it would be like this (replace with anything else): stop using cutting board and knife, use food processor only; don't use cooking pot, only multicooker or you're doomed; don't shred it, use blender. Conclusion... Get the hell out of my kitchen!
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On Susann Heller’s post
The dinamicity of the sound is just incredible 🌊
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On Dave Hammond’s post
It does sound like a massive step forward 🙌 Must be really cool inside the cabin.
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On Rosalba Rolón’s post
Aww 🥰, this energy is just irresistible. Amazing!
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You always know how to make me blush ☺️ Thank you, Kate! Like really, really thank you! 🩷 A wild gal is ready for a wild journey 🐾
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On Kenya L.’s post
This is a brilliant project, Kenya! 💚 Subcribed twice to not miss next releases.
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On Anna Sale’s post
Subscribed! 💚 This is brilliant, because I've talked to many indie engineers and innovators, and their ideas are true gems most of the time.
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On Maria Lourdes A. de Vera’s post
I literally got dissolved in this wonderful minute. Thank you, Maria 💜
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On Nicole Barker’s post
The pace became unsustainable. I'm a millennial. It was different, and I think when you meet the storm from inside the storm, you sometimes don't notice how fast and destructive it actually is, which is different from how you see it at a distance. It's a very healthy reaction: "Nope, I'm outta here!" I've always been a rebel against all those "Mr. Nice Suit" types, and I'm so happy seeing you guys push back when it's a possible solution 💜✨️
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On Janet Navarrette’s post
Yay! I love the energy 🏆
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Glad seeing the correct shift of the perspective 💯 It’s such a poor understanding of reality when the default response to everything a trans woman has to go through is "just find a therapist". We don't have issues with ourselves! We have issues with being forced into this battle where the absolute majority of the population thinks that they are entitled to having whatever sick ideas they have in their heads, and to whatever little power they may hold to get along with those ideas. So, yes, since there is no way to force those characters into minding their own business, I believe we have to pump our resilience to some beyond-any-imaginable levels.
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On Karina Martinez’s post
Coffee for the brain, beautiful story for the heart. Thank you you making my day 💜
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On Chehel Anil Tiwari’s post
This place totally needs more of such thinking, 'cause it's wild how every action gets interpreted through some whatever lense: why she commented (sales?), whom this post targets, what is her strategy (aha, gotcha!)... I'm just thinking out loud, ok? Chill.
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On Kelsey Zara G’s post
You are a true inspiration in that most balanced meaning of this definition: knowledge, dedication, heart, moral strength. Thank you for sharing this part of your journey. It's beautiful... it's beautiful to know that none of that balance gets wasted for those who don't deserve even a bit of unintentional goodness someone like you can offer.
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On Kelsey Zara G’s post
Lock the entrance door -> shield everyone from "kind" people without agenda -> hope someone will shield me (keep hoping) -> keep building while I can -> feed the cats -> feed the cats -> fall asleep on laptop -> feed the cats -> make this big floof proud of herself -> repeat 🤭
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On Asma Derja’s post
I call it a peripheral vision as the opposite of linear thinking. That's what we need, and it was really refreshing seeing it in the suggestions feed 🙌
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On Karishma Christopher’s post
I love the perspective 🙌 All this "expertise-ism", honestly, is super toxic. Judging a model based on some mainstream conventional task or something complex but with contained variability such as code operability/security. But, when you need a hand in one, another, and another outside-the-box creative or research process... "What is THAT, smart pants??" is quite a common scenario until I bump into some underdog during my own benchmarking. It just does the exact job I need. Basically, my point is that I was starting from Copilot, and I am grateful to it, and I will use it anytime when I feel like it for whichever task without a second thought.
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On Karishma Christopher’s post
Karishma Christopher I haven't used it for a long time, but my point is exactly that let's look at all these tools as, I don't know, vehicles. If one has roads to ride their sport car or such, it would be nonsensical suggesting that you also need a sport car where you actually need a bus, or truck, or bicycle, or maybe even simple walk. I just wanted to encourage you to be proud of your decision and your own benchmarking you've done to do the job the way you need it to be done 💜
Experience
Publications
How to Grow a Mobile App
In this article, I explore the key components and essential questions you should consider to ensure the successful growth of your mobile app.
Languages
Italian
English
Spanish
Recommendations received
Nicole is among the best communication specialists I had the pleasure to work with. Very proactive, she figured out and applied with success some advanced tactics, allowing her to succeed where others would not. After years of work in a difficult market getting close to exhaustion with common tactics, she was still able to find new opportunities to get results and kept growing our visibility in a specific location. Always keen on sharing with others her experiences, she was an active and valuable team member. I'm very sorry about her departure for reasons that had nothing to do with her. Let's hope for peaceful times to maybe see you again ! Thanks Nicole !
2 comments
hold tight as the journey is wild! but your spark, professionalism and creative mind will pull you through! wishing all the best of suerte, luck, bon chance!
You always know how to make me blush ☺️ Thank you, Kate! Like really, really thank you! 🩷 A wild gal is ready for a wild journey 🐾