I’m Nicholas
I coach high performers who’ve started to suspect that the system that built their careers is the same system extracting the life out of them. This was my story. It’s the one I used to hide, and the one my work is built on.
I didn’t arrive at this work by following an obvious path.
I built it from the inside out.
I grew up in a blue-collar family in rural Pennsylvania. Instability and a turbulent home life taught me early on how to survive by overworking, staying vigilant, and running myself into the ground. It didn’t teach me how to feel safe or thrive.
By my late teens, I was unhoused, living out of my car, deep in the late-90s East Coast rave scene, self-medicating with whatever numbed the hurt. Then came a few close calls. Some hard conversations. A few close friends dying by suicide. Witnessing 9/11 from across the river.
Moments that cracked through the chaos and gave me a wake-up call.
Those experiences made me choose. Keep disappearing and self-sabotaging, or start building something new.
I chose the slow, painful road back to myself.
Over time, I earned degrees. Launched my first business in my 20s. Taught at top universities and colleges in New York. Then I spent thirteen years in big tech, leading global initiatives, mentoring top global talent, running mindfulness programs, and eventually breaking down under the weight of it all.
On paper, I had everything. The title, the house, the savings, the 401k, the healthcare, the reputation. Underneath, I was anxious. Afraid. Unraveling. Sleep disorders. Chronic gut issues. Self-medicating just to get by. All signs of a misaligned life.
I had optimized for success, for safety, and income, but lost connection with what actually mattered. I was stuck on autopilot in the brightest golden handcuffs that only I had the key to, if I could just find the courage to use it.
That’s when I realized I needed to finally stop performing “I’m fine”, stop accepting the status quo and start my rebellion.
Get Clear On Your Options
Another Wake-Up Call
I know how easy it is to stay stuck in something that looks good from the outside. Especially when the perks are just good enough to numb the pain. The illusion of stability. The pressure to perform. The slow erosion of your inner life.
I chased the next milestone, convinced it would eventually feel different.
It never did. And it never does.
Then a 3am email ended thirteen years at Google, five years before I thought I’d be ready. The coaching I’d been doing on the side became the work.
My real turning point came when I stopped looking outward for validation and turned inward to ask: What the hell am I really doing here? What matters to me? What version of myself do I need to let go of?
Those questions changed everything.
I got honest about what mattered. Asked for help. Got support. Made a plan. And started reclaiming my life one rebellious choice at a time.
I made rebellion my practice, and now I help others do the same.
The C.H.E.A.T. Code and the 5 Habits of Rebellion (the 5 C’s) came out of that lived experience.
They’re the frameworks I use with every client, and they’re how I help people map where their capacity is actually going, so we can reclaim it for what really matters.
Why I Coach Other High Performers
The practices I explore today, those of curiosity, compassion, courage, connection, and commitment, once felt out of reach.
Back then, I believed success meant sacrifice. Being useful. That rest was a reward. That fulfillment didn’t matter. Now I know better.
Most of the people I work with lead long before anyone gives them permission, and few of them feel ready. They’re usually the ones worth following.
Today I live in Colorado with my wife and co-founder, Bex, and two cats, surrounded by the raw beauty of the Rockies. Out there, you learn to work with what you’ve got. It’s a lot of what I teach. My days are spent in service, in nature, and in the daily act of choosing alignment over achievement for its own sake. I’ve built a life where well-being is the foundation, and success comes along for the ride.
If the life you long for feels distant, I’m here to help you find your way back to it. It’s a lot closer than you might think. And you don’t have to do it alone anymore.
Training, Experience & Affiliations
ICF ACC coach with 850+ coaching hours.
Thirteen years at Google, across marketing, business operations, and learning and development.
Trained journalists in 53 countries.
Over a decade of experience as a successful entrepreneur and business owner.
25+ years of teaching, mentoring, and leadership development.
Trauma-Informed Practitioner.
Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher.
MA, New York University.
Co-author and publisher of three Amazon bestsellers: Leading with Self-Awareness, Leading with Compassion, and Are We Friends or Coworkers?
How We Can Work Together
If something here is landing, the next step is a conversation. If you’re not ready to jump in the deep end with me just yet, join over 20,000 rebellious professionals on my Dispatches mailing list, on LinkedIn, and in Field Notes From The Rebellion on Substack.
Get in Touch
