Meet Nicole Sellars | Actor & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicole Sellars and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I was always a very independent person. Working for others just never felt right to me. I had my own ideas, creative energy and I couldn’t wrap my head around putting my financial future in somebody else’s hands. Especially after feeling disposable in the entertainment industry. I have a very strong work ethic, so it’s not unusual that I poured myself into every job I had. Sometimes, no matter how hard you work for someone else you run the risk of being replaced. That has happened to me in the past, and I’m sure to many others as well. It doesn’t make you feel any better though when it happens to you.

I wanted to be in charge of my own career and happiness, and not at the mercy of a hiring manager or casting director so I decided to go full force and follow my dreams. I launched TV Hosting Academy in 2012 with a vision of building a creative community that supported on camera talent from the beginning stages of their career to finding their true passion, voice and message. One they could share with the world. Too many times, on air talent can feel helpless when their life revolves around auditions and training. I wanted to show them that it’s possible to build a monetizable brand while also working toward achieving their dream.

As an actor, you always look for ways to weave your own personal experiences into a character. I truly believe you need to live life to the fullest and truly love yourself and others before creating a strong character choice. Starting my own business gave me so much autonomy and purpose that any audition or role I came across was treated as a gift in my life. I stopped treating auditions and on camera work as if my life depended on it. That type of desperation just pours out in an audition room. Making that mind shift changed everything for me.

I took my brand a step further during the pandemic and created a new business to help professionals look and feel their best on camera. Camera Ready Collection is a cruelty-free and vegan makeup line made from ethically sourced ingredients. Since I was a child actor at the age of 8, I practically grew up in a makeup chair. I was always fascinated by how the right skincare and cosmetics could make you feel like the most beautiful person in the room. I wanted to bottle that confidence and slap my logo on it!

What should our readers know about your business?
TV Hosting Academy has gone from 0 to 100 this year. Once I started to really focus on helping other creatives uncover and monetize their brand my life changed. I think many entrepreneurs go through a reinvention and refining process year after year, and I was no different.

TV Hosting Academy is the premiere online academy for hosts and experts. We bring the industry’s top experts together to train and support the next generation of authentic stars. We work primarily with industry experts who are at the top of their game and help them transfer their talents to TV.

I have met some incredible professionals along the way, namely a Certified Master Baker, A Mezcal Expert and Mixologist, Money Mindset Coaches and more. I love to help these gurus share their gifts with the world and make a great living doing it. We live in a time where we can create valuable content across an array of platforms, it’s my job to educate them on how to do that in the most efficient and profitable way possible.

I guide these experts on what key decision makers in the entertainment industry look for when they cast for certain hosting roles. Being able to articulate your value and authentic style through a press kit, demo reel and email is a learned skill, one that most professionals don’t have. It’s my job to bring their brand and value to light.

I think other hosting coaches or bootcamps that have been around a while focus primarily on presentational skills like teleprompter, interviewing, cohosting etc. We offer those trainings as well through our Hosting Skills Series, but my approach is more holistic. I look at the whole person, their career and lifestyle goals, and what makes them unique. Sometimes they don’t even know what that is, but through a series of self discovery sessions under my CLARITY container, they truly uncover their special sauce.

As a Certified Professional Coach I’m trained to ask the right questions to help peel back the layers on what’s holding experts back from becoming who they want to be. Fear and lack of industry knowledge are the two most common roadblocks I see.

The road to success has not been easy to say the least. I’ve fallen on some really tough times as most Americans have. During the pandemic I almost lost my house, I was on unemployment because productions were shut down and I had to stay home to take care of my kids who were home learning. I had to act fast and get creative with what I had a home. A computer and my in depth knowledge of the industry. I learned from business coaches how to package my offers in a way that could translate to steady income, and I am so grateful that God put those people in my path.

The best lesson I learned throughout that very difficult and scary time is to pivot. When a challenge is thrown your way figure out how to overcome it with the resources and networks you have available. Listen and learn from those who are where you want to be, and surround yourself with successful people who want to truly help you do the same.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m more of a Netflix and chill kind of girl, but I will say if I had to go out I would most likely choose a great restaurant with a cool vibe and music. I’m a bit of an old soul so I really enjoyed going to the speakeasy lounge Roaring Social in Alpharetta.

I’m a huge classic rock fan, so you would probably catch me singing along with a cover band to some Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones or Beatles classics at 37 Main. But I will say, since I’m a 90’s chick I do love a good nostalgic stroll down memory lane with Biggie, Tupac and Dave Matthews. Yes, I have eclectic taste in music!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Absolutely! I certainly could not have made it to where I am today without the help of my business mentors and empowerment groups of like minded women. Cara Alwill is a worldwide bestselling author, host and creator of the top-rated podcast, Style Your Mind. Her popular blog The Champagne Diet put her on the map years ago, plus she worked at MTV in New York City around the same time I did so we had that in common. Working for MTV was an incredible experience. One that only a few of us were fortunate to enjoy. I found comfort in knowing that she understood me and my creative process.

I have been a part of her business coaching and accountability group for the past couple years and the support I received gave me that extra push to keep going. I wanted to throw in the towel a couple times on my business, but Cara reminds us all that although it might not be easy, it is so worth it when it comes together. And she was right!

Website: TVHostingAcademy.com

Instagram: @tvhostingacademy

Other: https://camerareadycollection.com/ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/author/nicole-sellars/ https://www.nicolesellars.com/