Media darling and ‘lawyer-preneur’ Nic Cober personifies extraordinary.
As the principal managing partner of Cober Johnson & Romney, she amplifies brands, delivers powerhouse strategy, and is the ultimate legal trailblazer. But make no mistake, this entrepreneurial influencer does not stay tied to her desk. She is also the witty on-air expert for D.C.’s Fox 5 Business Savvy Sundays, as well as a blazing community champion.
So what can we learn from the CEO Of Cober Johnson? Plenty.
The lessons began with her past ownership of the award-winning Soul Day Spa, a five-star Washington, D.C. salon and spa spotlighted for it’s upscale ambiance and luxury services.
It garnered prestigious media attention, was widely acclaimed and was expected to blossom into a lucrative business. However, the bloom of its success faded fast and Cober had to close her business.
But heroes always rise and Cober is no exception. In her latest book, CEO Of My Soul, she chronicles her failures as an entrepreneur with her relentless drive to rise, the journey of self-discovery, and the courage to try entrepreneurship again.
BlackEnterprise.com had the pleasure of catching up with this savvy lawyer to glean her wisdom and discuss her highly anticipated new book.
BlackEnterprise.com: Your new book, CEO Of My Soul, chronicles the ‘dos and don’ts’ of entrepreneurship. Why was it important to write this book?
Cober: There are a couple of reasons. First, when I closed my business, I was very reflective on the things I did well and the things I did wrong. I knew instantly that if I chronicled my experience, it could help new and existing businesses tremendously. Second, there is a lot of healing in ‘paying it forward.’ That was my sincere intention. Finally, so many people struggle with trying to live a well-balanced personal and professional life. I struggled and was miserable for a while trying unsuccessfully to balance operating two businesses, being married, and parenting two children.
I found that I was the problem. So, I did the work on me, and things dramatically improved. I wanted to show others that if you are internally out of balance, emotionally and spiritually, then that imbalance will be reflected externally as well.
What’s the primary takeaway in this book?
My own biggest revelation was that you have to truly make yourself your first and primary project. It’s all about self-love. Most entrepreneurs are very externally-driven and motivated—and exhausted.
They have the ‘I need to do it all, all the time’ blues. Having goals is wonderful, but if you are chasing goals to validate yourself, your accomplishments will always feel hollow. In short, when your goals are in alignment with your spiritual purpose, you will reach greater heights.
What’s the significance of failure in the context of business?
To me, business failures are like a doctor performing an autopsy on a deceased patient. You get to look at why someone died so that you can advise future patients on how to live better. It’s the same in business. You identify the factors that caused your business to fail so that you can avoid these factors and ensure that your future business ventures will succeed.
CEO OF MY SOUL made its official debut May 2, 2016, and you can order the book today on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Learn more about Nic Cober and get a free excerpt from her book by visiting www.NicCober.com.
Teri Nichole Harrison is the founder and CEO of Fearless & Fabulous Worldwide, personal development and business strategy firm for extraordinary business women. You can learn more about Teri by visiting her website, www.TeriNicholeHarrison.com and by following her on twitter: @TeriHarrison.