Looking good is feeling good. Sometimes all it takes is a little touch-up to make us feel like a million dollars again. A simple haircut, beard trim, or waxing can make a world of difference. The magic wands that barbers and hairstylists possess with scissors and hands is nothing short of healing. They allow us to look in the mirror and be excited about what we’re seeing, and in that very moment, we’re partaking in self-love which can give us the boost we need.
Today, more than ever, wellness is at the forefront of societal discussions. From mental health to physical well-being, women are making significant strides in bringing about change, introducing innovative solutions, and setting new standards. Despite facing unique challenges, they break barriers, inspire communities, and are reshaping the very definition of health and wellness. In this series called women in wellness we are talking to women doctors, nurses, nutritionists, therapists, fitness trainers, researchers, health experts, coaches, and other wellness professionals to share their stories and insights. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Nicole Rodrigues.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
Idon’t have a traditional background in wellness, but it was always a vision of mine to create a self-care sanctuary for men. I grew up very family-oriented and all of my male role models heavily emphasized grooming, self-care, and overall wellness, which laid the foundational values for my current journey into the health and wellness space. However, I had two simultaneous dreams. Coming out of college, I knew one day I’d want to have my PR firm, and most of my career journey was committed to making that a reality.
I was an NFL cheerleader for the Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders and to this day, I wear my passion for the Raiderette community on my sleeve. Those early days of being on the cheer team and actively doing the team’s PR sparked my two-decade journey in this industry I love so much. I’ve worked as a public relations expert and a digital and social media marketing professional for 22+ years, representing some of the largest players in the business world from Yahoo!, Dolby, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony PlayStation, Hulu, M-GO, Toon Hero, Demand Media, Heal, and MobiTV.
In 2014, I founded my very own PR firm, NRPR Group, and we’re still going strong 10 years later. After numerous awards, accomplishments, and accolades, I still wake up with a burning passion for my work. However, that early dream of creating a men’s self-care sanctuary was still on my mind, but I needed to gain the tools and knowledge to implement it correctly. I recently went back to school to get my MBA at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, where I served as an Admissions Rep on the class council and eventually graduated in the top 15% of my class.
With a renewed passion for mental health and wellness, particularly during these times when people seem more stressed about life than ever before, I launched The Kingdom, a cutting-edge men’s lounge and sanctuary that aims to redefine the timeless concept of male grooming in the modern era.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?
There’s no one particular story that comes to mind. I’d say the most interesting thing about my career is how everything has come full circle in my life — how some of my earliest memories from my childhood manifested into the business I’ve created and the values of self-care we’re bringing to our community.
Growing up, I remember a specific room in my grandparent’s house we called “Papa’s Room,” which no one but my grandfather was allowed to go in. My papa would come home from a hard day’s work as a welder, and in his special sanctuary, he’d cater to his grooming needs. He’d go from winding down while watching TV, cleaning and clipping his nails, and combing and styling his hair. It allowed him to step out of that room a better, more relaxed family man — rejuvenated and recharged as a more energized Papa. It’d allow him the mental space to be more in tune and involved with the family.
Fast forward to when I was in college, this memory stuck with me because I noticed how it was not the norm for most men to value self-care and grooming habits in such high regard. I observed how society itself supported and encouraged women to have their dedicated sanctuaries of self-care, from spas, salons, and women’s gyms, but it was thought of as taboo for a man to get a pedicure.
I had a dream to open up a men’s grooming lounge, but I also had a dream to one day start my PR firm. After working so hard in the industry for years to earn my stripes and make an impact on how PR is practiced in the quickly evolving digital era, I chose in 2014 to start NRPR Group. I’m proud of how my business is still able to thrive today, but The Kingdom still reigned over my imagination — until one day I realized that it no longer had to stay there.
Once I earned my MBA, I realized I had all the tools and knowledge to take this idea and turn it into a reality. The timing was right, I just had to believe I could do it. We’ve now opened up our lounge in the heart of the East Bay and I couldn’t be happier about turning this dream into a reality.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about a mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
One mistake that I’ve learned from was the mistake of assuming the business couldn’t get off the ground if it wasn’t grandiose from the beginning. I found myself constantly frustrated while pitching investors on the big picture of The Kingdom because since the concept had never been done like this before, it was difficult to get through to many. However, after drilling down and saying and making the decision to not waste any more time attempting to show people that this can be done, I made it happen with the means I had.
I learned about the power of just having a proof of concept in the beginning, even if it doesn’t encompass your entire original vision. I think it’s an important lesson for other entrepreneurs out there, especially those looking for venture capital or angel investors, that a small investment within a friends and family round to create an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) version is a great way to get started. If I had come to that conclusion earlier, we couldn’t open up much sooner, but everything happens for a reason and despite opening up on a smaller scale than expected, The Kingdom is up and running. It’s a real place that people can go to, which says more than any pitch I could give about what it ought to be.
When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing with The Kingdom helping to make a bigger impact in the world?
I think as a society, we’re finally taking self-care seriously. It’s like we hit a crashing point and self-care is akin to putting your own oxygen mask on before trying to help others. Unfortunately, this value of self-care hasn’t overridden the taboos we have around men who partake in self-care grooming habits like pedicures, manicures, facial care, eyebrow threading, etc. We’ve spent decades convincing men that it is feminine or unmanly to take pride in their grooming habits and appearance. Once you convince half the population that these forms of self-care and winding down are not meant for them, they’ll find other ways to cope with the stresses of everyday life. Indulgences and vices like alcohol, cigars, gambling, pills, and other addictive and destructive habits. These things then have a ripple effect on families and communities.
What we’re doing with The Kingdom is showing men that it is okay to take care of your skin, hair, nails, and body because it is a fundamental human need and there’s no shame in that. Whether you’re a man or a woman, we all possess this same temple that needs to be maintained. Our hair, skin, and nails grow the same regardless. While barbershops have historically been great places for beard care and haircuts, there has yet to be a one-stop shop for all a man’s self-care needs. When a man comes to The Kingdom, he can get his haircut, and nails cleaned up, receive a facial, and walk out of the door feeling like a brand-new sports car that just got detailed. We’re empowering men’s mental health and wellness by allowing them to feel good about taking care of themselves.
We’re truly activating this change and don’t just take my word for it. 80% of our customers who received a facial told us that this was the first facial they ever received. That says something. The Kingdom provides that safe, non-judgmental space to help men feel rejuvenated again when they walk out into the world. We’re truly the first establishment to put their needs on a pedestal.
Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better well-being? Please give an example or story for each.
- Indulge in Self-Care Without Guilt.
From personal experience, I know how hard it is to keep your energy high after a rough day. It’s so easy to take our stress home and stay stuck in our heads because we just want to be in our personal space. These days, I tend to book myself an appointment ahead of time, even if it’s for something as simple as getting my hair blown out or getting my nails manicured. It allows me to put my phone away and embrace the fact that someone else can provide a service that is not only helping me relax, but feel better as well. It’s a complete mindset changer.
2. Stay Hydrated All Day
Get a hydro flask and keep refilling that thing throughout the day! Most of us don’t realize how much our moods can change based on how hydrated our body is. We fatigue, get headaches, and overall look unwell when we are dehydrated. Don’t let that be you! Having a hydro flask with you all day is a constant reminder to drink water, which is maybe the most foundational self-care thing you can do. It allows you to do all the other practices you do for yourself from yoga, massage, working out, etc. If you’re not hydrated, you’re not functioning at your maximum.
3. Call Someone You Love Everyday
Make it a habit to pick up the phone and call an emotionally intelligent friend or family member, daily. Even if you only have one person you can trust, that’s still someone who can always set you on the right path when you’re having a bad day. But whether it’s a good day or an average day, maintaining that communication with someone keeps the relationship strong and allows you to be there for their hard days, which can also help you feel better about yourself.
Sometimes I feel completely drained after work, but I’m fortunate to have great friends in my life who can help me see things objectively. But it doesn’t even have to be about my life. Sometimes hearing them talk can be an immediate mood booster and reset. When I’m drained and overwhelmed from building this company, I’d always call my best friend, Tim — someone who has been by my side since I was 12 years old. All I had to tell him was, “I’m tired, I’m drained and depleted. I need help.” He’d immediately start making me laugh about the things we did when we were kids. A little thing like that can completely change your mood and bring you back to feeling human again. Having Tim is like having the brother I need to recharge my batteries at any time.
4. Practice Gratitude:
Regularly acknowledging and appreciating the positive aspects of your life can completely shift your mindset. A small gratitude practice has the power to turn a bad day into a great day. It can be a reset for your brain to start seeing the good things happening around you, even in moments of crisis and despair. Whether it’s a daily mantra, a gratitude journal, or a meditation practice, there are many ways to bring gratitude into your life, and through those practices, you can manifest positive energy to come your way.
5. Take Care of Your Hair
Looking good is feeling good. Sometimes all it takes is a little touch-up to make us feel like a million dollars again. A simple haircut, beard trim, or waxing can make a world of difference. The magic wands that barbers and hairstylists possess with scissors and hands is nothing short of healing. They allow us to look in the mirror and be excited about what we’re seeing, and in that very moment, we’re partaking in self-love which can give us the boost we need.
Of course, we can’t get our hair done every day. For men, the average time to get a haircut is every four weeks. For women, it’s every eight weeks. In between that time, invest in yourself a little bit every day to keep yourself looking and feeling your best. After a while, you’re going to find it a little more difficult to keep everything intact, so stay on that regular haircut/hairstyle cycle. Just like how trees need trimming and flowers need pruning, your hair needs grooming.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
The men’s grooming movement. Considering our society will always be 50% men, it’s unsustainable for half our society to think it’s weird or unmanly to take that quality time for themselves like ladies do. Everyone deserves the time to take care of themselves and restore. A good percentage of men are facing a confidence crisis in society today, for many reasons that cross the bounds of economics and culture. But if we get men to feel good about themselves, their confidence rises and with confidence comes competence. It benefits both women and men to empower each other. We need women in this movement to support our men and help them see the value in self-care by opening the door and pointing them in the right direction.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
For the most part, after being an entrepreneur for 10+ years, I’m very aware of the challenges I’m up against. But two things that come to mind:
- Barbers are very individualistic people. They’re self-starters with an entrepreneurial mindset. That means they need to feel like they are their own business even if they are working at an establishment.
- A large majority of nail techs and manicurists aren’t well taken care of, financially, by traditional nail salons. This deters people from becoming traditional nail techs, outside of those who do art and acrylic. But the appreciation for simple nail care has gone down and if this profession dies out, the beauty of sculpting a clean manicure is becoming a lost art.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health, and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
Mental health. So many of the modern issues that people face, from high stress, trauma, anxiety, etc. all stem from mental health in some regard. We all suffer. Even if we solve all the direst issues in our society, we will all face tough times in our personal lives that test our mental strength and many of these issues become chronic. Just like how we need to actively exercise, eat good food, and sleep well to keep our physical bodies healthy, we also need strong practices to keep our mental health strong. That’s why we need a modern approach to how we deal with and treat mental illness and diseases.
Thank you for these fantastic insights! We wish you continued success and good health.
About the Interviewer: Wanda Malhotra is a wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle journalist, and the CEO of Crunchy Mama Box, a mission-driven platform promoting conscious living. CMB empowers individuals with educational resources and vetted products to help them make informed choices. Passionate about social causes like environmental preservation and animal welfare, Wanda writes about clean beauty, wellness, nutrition, social impact and sustainability, simplifying wellness with curated resources. Join Wanda and the Crunchy Mama Box community in embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle at CrunchyMamaBox.com.
