My Story: From Fundraising to Building What’s Next
Before entrepreneurship, I spent my career in higher education fundraising, managing a $50M portfolio during a $3B campaign at the University of Florida. The work was strategic, relationship-driven, and high-stakes — and on paper, it looked like success.
But I was paying attention to a different question: what kind of life and leadership did I want to build over time?
Rather than continue climbing a traditional ladder, I chose to apply my skill set — strategy, influence, and experience design — in a way that aligned with how I wanted to work and live.
That shift became clear through my own destination wedding, where I saw firsthand how thoughtfully designed experiences create trust, ease, and meaningful impact. I recognized the opportunity not just in travel, but in how people value clarity, expertise, and well-executed experiences.
In 2017, I launched my first business with a one-year plan: build something intentional, scalable, and rooted in real value — or return to fundraising. Within a year, that business had outgrown my corporate career.
Since then, I’ve built and scaled multiple brands focused on experience, leadership, and community, including:
Being featured in Travel + Leisure, The Washington Post, and Travel Weekly
Publishing Passport to Paradise: Destination Wedding Guide, an Amazon bestseller
Designing experiences across 50+ countries
Building three brands from the ground up — each reflecting a different stage of growth and leadership
What began as a career pivot has evolved into a broader body of work centered on thought leadership, strategic clarity, and creating rooms where meaningful decisions are made.
Today, I focus on elevating people and platforms — helping leaders move with intention, design what’s next, and build something that lasts.
The Work I’m Known For
My work has evolved across three interconnected pillars, each shaping how I approach leadership, strategy, and experience design today.
Experience Design (TravelBash)
TravelBash, the destination wedding concierge brand I built and scaled, represents a foundational chapter in my work. It sharpened my expertise in client advocacy, operational excellence, and designing high-touch experiences around life’s most meaningful moments. This brand is now positioned for sale.
Luxury Travel Advisory (TRvLB)
As the Creative Director of TRvLB, I set the vision and experience standards for a luxury travel advisory that operates on an annual retainer model. TRvLB serves private clients who value trust, continuity, and thoughtful execution, supported by a senior advisory team.
High-Impact Rooms & Industry Leadership (The Biz Huddle)
The Biz Huddle is a high-impact business experience for established travel professionals and industry leaders. It’s designed for deep conversations, strategic clarity, and real-time decision-making — not surface-level networking or theory.
Across all three, my role has shifted from execution to elevation.
I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all paths. I believe in designing work, leadership, and experiences that align with your ambitions and creating rooms where clarity, connection, and momentum follow.
Hi, I’m Courtnie Nichols
Strategic Advisor, Speaker and Experience Architect
I believe life and work should be designed with intention — not built around expectations that no longer fit.
That belief has shaped my career from leading a $50M portfolio in higher education fundraising to building, scaling, and evolving experience-driven brands at the intersection of leadership, strategy, and community.
I’m the founder of The Biz Huddle, a high-impact business experience for established travel professionals and industry leaders, and the Creative Director of TRvLB, a luxury travel advisory operating through an annual retainer model.
TravelBash, the destination wedding concierge brand I built and scaled over several years, is now positioned for sale — a foundational chapter that sharpened my expertise in experience design, client advocacy, and building scalable service-based businesses.
Today, my work centers on thought leadership, leading high-impact rooms, and providing selective strategic access to leaders navigating growth, transition, and what comes next.
Beyond the Work
Outside of work, I’m energized by experiences that spark curiosity and connection.
You’ll often find me exploring a great meal or cocktail, prioritizing rest and wellness, catching a live concert or cultural event, or planning my next adventure, whether across the world or close to home.
I believe life is meant to be lived with intention, presence, and joy — the same principles that guide how I lead, build, and create.
