Fort Worth Small Business Owner Leads by Example
When I was in high school, I got involved with Habitat for Humanity, and it has held a special place in my heart ever since. You can tell it’s been a while looking at the difference in image quality of iPhone photos from the time of my first Habitat build in 2010 with San Gabriel Valley Habitat (left) and a 2023 build Charlie and I volunteered at with Trinity Habitat in Fort Worth (right).
Today, I’m a Fort Worth volunteer and ambassador for Trinity Habitat, and through it, I met Dr. Ken Nichols — fellow ambassador and founder of Nichols Leadership Institute. It brings me great joy to know that people like Dr. Ken are serving our community — he is on a mission to make Fort Worth a better place by being an example of servant leadership and coaching others to do the same. I had the honor of speaking with him about his journey, from serving in the military to deciding to plant roots and start a small business in Fort Worth. I hope you enjoy reading about him as much as I enjoyed speaking with him.
Downtown is one of the many Fort Worth neighborhoods people love to live.
Being former military, you have lived in several places. Why did you decide to settle in Fort Worth?
I was stationed in eight different places with the Navy, including Fort Worth back in 2009. It was much less populated then, but even today it still feels open with lots of room for it to grow and expand. It has more of a family atmosphere than most other large cities, and there are lots of things to do. Of all the places we lived, we enjoyed Fort Worth the most, so when it came time to settle down, it was the place we wanted to call home.
How did you get involved in Trinity Habitat for Humanity?
Originally, I started volunteering with Habitat for Humanity when I was stationed in Meridian, Mississippi. I would take my kids to serve with me, because I saw it as a great way for us all to learn how to give back to the community — to help it thrive by contributing to its growth and development. I re-engaged with Habitat when I moved back to Fort Worth, and today I serve as a Fort Worth volunteer and ambassador.
Dr. Ken (far right) at a ribbon cutting ceremony representing the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.
Are you involved in any other service organizations?
About two years ago, I got involved with the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where I also serve as an ambassador. It’s been another way for me to meet people and connect with the community, to see where I can help and assist. I attend Mount Olive Baptist Church in Arlington, which partners with grocery stores and food banks to provide food to the hungry. We host a food bank on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and can always use more volunteers.
I’d like to starting a non-profit of my own that focuses on meeting the needs of underserved veterans. Some of their needs are being met, but it’s really hard to help people without meeting them in person at a grassroots level. You might ask, “Why would someone choose to be homeless when they can fill out some paperwork?” But if that person feels worthless or less than, maybe that’s the reason why. It’s hard for people to succeed without resources to support their personal development. It seems simple, but to inspire somebody to be their best is life-changing.
Can you tell me a little bit about your business?
Dr. Kenneth Nichols is a leadership coach and Fort Worth volunteer — from Trinity Habitat for Humanity to the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.
I consider myself a servant leader and lifelong learner, so when I retired from the military, I still wanted to help people. I started Nichols Leadership in affiliation with Leadership Management International in Waco. The goal is to help individuals and organizations reach their full potential to help achieve attitude and behavior changes. We have a Biblically-based, total-person approach that is solidly rooted in principles that have stood the test of time — working on what’s important in life, doing things that matter most, using time management to buy time back, and utilizing it to get results.
All of my programs are action- and application-based. For example, if you said you wanted to buy a home in five years, what do you need to do now to get there then? What I do is hold people accountable, and I do it in a way that depends on who I’m talking to and what they need to do to achieve the results they want. It doesn’t change based on industry — it’s about human connection and understanding that we are all very valuable.
What do you see the future of your company looking like?
Right now I am working with a lot of individuals, and I hope to have the opportunity to work with more organizations in the future. I also want to expand by sharing the resources and techniques I use with more employees. I would love to hire a few veterans and train them to help people to become the best version of themselves. I may not always be the one who can help, but I can certainly point people in the right direction. Ultimately, I want to be able to reach more people and help our community grow even stronger and more vibrant than it is today.
Connect with Dr. Ken to learn how to become a servant leader.
How can people support you?
By referring us! We are a referral business, so it’s all about conversation. Working together has to be a win for both parties, so we don’t charge for an initial consultation, and we guarantee results or your money back.
Website: https://www.nicholsleadership.com