Don’t let the fashionable, free-spirited, relaxed attitude of Nicole Newkirk fool you. Beneath that fun-loving, dreamer exterior, Nicole is a shrewd creator and businesswoman. Many people have undoubtedly seen, and fawned over, her designs.
Nicole is co-owner of Oasis Pools. Being a leader in a male-dominated industry of pool design and construction, Nicole says she finds that one of the most formidable challenges she has overcome is learning to stand up for herself and be heard, while walking the fine line of not burning bridges and maintaining interpersonal connections that help her business thrive. For her, she adds that maintaining her reputation as a talented creative professional is best achieved by nurturing personal connections with clients, designers and construction professionals.
To some degree, Nicole’s story began with when she attended Webster University. Her sights were set on being an attorney; she even worked as a legal assistant for some years. As much as she appreciates the business and legal savvy she gained from her planned career path, Nicole says she found it didn't fulfill her in the ways she hoped. "I didn't want to work in an office; I wanted to use my creative side in how I worked, dressed and lived."
Why pools? Nicole says she found inspiration in the landscape architecture business. Once she learned that, her focus widened to outdoor living, and then swimming pools.
“Thinking about the best times of my life,” she recalls, “most of them involve being outdoors having fun. Whether it’s at home or on vacation, there’s always a pool there. It’s hard to have a bad memory about a pool!”
Pools often are the focal points of parties and events; even if the pool isn't the purposeful feature of a get-together, it’s one of the first details people notice.
Soon, Nicole became certified in AutoCAD, began in the pool business on a part-time basis, then finally went all-in.
She says she ran her own business before a kismetic professional collaboration led to a partnership in business and life; enter Chip Unnerstall. The two combined forces, and from that fusion of creative energy, Oasis Pools was born. Nicole began as the sole designer, but as Oasis Pools grew, it became necessary to hire more designers, however, Nicole still oversees the overall process. “You can spend $1 million, and depending on the precision and execution of design, it can look like you spent $5 million, or it can look cheap. You want your money to be well-invested,” she asserts.
Nicole and Chip say they continuously learn new things and stay on the cutting edge of the design space. Nicole states so many corners can be cut, resulting in clients spending considerably more money on the back-end of a pool project, which is why it's vital that Oasis Pools' teams stay ahead of the curve in pool design.
Swimming pools can be a work of art unto themselves; one pool designed and installed by Oasis is a full glass mosaic, handset piece by piece. Nicole says Oasis Pools are designed to maintain their beauty for a lifetime, never looking dated. Elements change quickly in the pool design and construction area; maintaining relevance and a social media presence is important for Oasis Pools, and it's why they operate at the top of their industry.
“We want Oasis to be a luxury brand, like the Chanel of pools,” Nicole says. True to that goal, she says luxury craftsmanship and design are at the heart of their Oasis mission.
In fact, Oasis Pools received the Pinnacle Award from Luxury Pools + Outdoor Living magazine. They also were named a top pool builder by Pool Nation.
Nicole says she's enthused about what the future holds for her business. She wants to tour the world and gain design inspiration from various cultures, using those designs to inform her own portfolio of luxury outdoor creations. “I would love to bring global influence into the St. Louis area,” she adds.
It seems that Nicole’s creativity isn't restricted to only her pool business. She also founded NotYourAverage.Life, a lifestyle space “where luxury living meets unparalleled elegance.” Nicole appears to be a force, and a brand, of her own making. She believes wholeheartedly that anyone can live a luxurious life, defining “luxury” in their own ways. "I love life and am continually inspired by all things beautiful," Nicole says of her fusion of art, design, fashion and luxury.
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