Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Lee.
Hi Nicole, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in Panama City Florida, so I guess you could say that I am a true native Floridian. As a child I was fascinated with nature and was a bit of a tomboy. I would spend much of my time outdoors and would bring home any little creatures that I could call my pets. Needless to say, I still love animals and have two adorable kitties named Axel and Lexa.
As with many creative people, I found inspiration from nature and would draw, paint, and create things out of what I would find outdoors. I also loved fashion and design. I always knew I wanted to do something creative when I grew up and saw myself going to design school, but life took me in a different direction.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I got married right out of high school and soon after had my two children. This kept me pretty busy, to say the least, so my aspirations to go to design school were put on the back burner. This is when my first experience as an entrepreneur started while living in Alaska. My husband at the time was in the military and we lived on the military base.
When my son was nine months old we discovered he was born deaf. His care obviously became my focus and in order to make ends meet, I worked a night job so that my husband could be there with the kids in the evening when he got home, and I could be there for them during the day. This became extremely difficult and I eventually had to stop working.
I knew I had to contribute monetarily, so I took a ceramics class and made things such as coffee mugs, plates, vases, and figurines, I also designed sweatshirts with crystals and painted motifs. Once I had a good inventory, I approached the commissary to see if I could set up a table to sell my ceramics and shirts to the other military families. I actually did well with this, and it fed my need to be creative.
I eventually divorced, moved to South Florida, and remarried my wonderful husband of 22 years. I have lived in many places, and have had different careers along the way, such as a National Account Manager for an international telecommunications company, and a Realtor until the market crashed in 2008.
While these careers served their purpose at the time, I always yearned to do something creative and once my kids were grown and out on their own, I finally had the opportunity to go to design school where I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Interior design. I worked in high-end residential design for a while before jumping into the rep world, which led me to start Material Matters in 2020. Although I have had my share of struggles along the way, I feel they have been the building blocks to get me to where I am today.
We’ve been impressed with Material Matters, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
From the inception of Material Matters, our sole mission has been to serve as a valuable resource to the South Florida design community. Our aim is to empower our clients with an effortless specification process, saving them valuable time and energy when sourcing the materials for their projects.
What sets us apart from others is that we are experts when it comes to our materials and how they perform. We educate our clients on the highest and best use of the materials so they know how and where to specify them. This allows them to convey their design vision with confidence to their clients, knowing that they have specified the appropriate materials for the intended use.
We are also extremely proud of the partnerships we have built over the years. Our brand is about quality, uniqueness, and sustainability. We partner with manufacturers who are focused on the future of design and are taking the necessary steps to produce products that meet the highest standards of sustainable practices.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
My family makes me happy. They are my foundation and where I am my most authentic self. I can be vulnerable, strong, sad, and silly with them, and they still love me as I am. It also makes me happy to be able to do what I love. I am passionate about life, and design, and feel lucky to be able to work in a creative field that combines my love of both.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.materialmatters.guru
- Instagram: @nicolelee_materialmatters
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-lee-02a2717a/
