Other Women's Jobs - A Day in The Life and Career of Nicki Bedford

NAME: Nicki Bedford

INSTAGRAM HANDLE: nicki_bedford and dxbfemalefounders

JOB TITLE: CEO & Founder, Female Founders Network Founder, Lenzz

MOVED TO THE UAE IN: January 2022

Nicki Bedford is an executive business leader and entrepreneur known for her bold ideas, impactful execution, and an unshakable zest for life! As the CEO and Founder of DXB Female Founders, she leads a business network dedicated to supporting female entrepreneurs, backed by Google as a key partner. Built on the belief that success comes from surrounding yourself with other ambitious women who also want to see you win!, DXB Female Founders is shaping the future of leadership, investment, and innovation for women in business.

Nicki is also the creator of Seizen, a sales software platform that enhances business sales processes. She also hosts She Leads the Way, a podcast spotlighting ambitious women who are shaping the future of business, leadership and personal growth.

With over 17 years of experience in tech, media, and advertising, She previously served as Head of Asia Pacific at BuzzFeed, where she made a significant impact, spearheading major projects and driving growth across the region.

A fiercely passionate speaker, Nicki frequently hosts events and delivers keynotes on topics including CEO driven mindset, tech and AI, sales and influence, and self development. She also served as Chairperson of the Women Leaders Summit and the CEO Forum, bringing together top industry leaders to drive an impact in this world.

Now, she is preparing for the launch of her latest venture, Lenzz, a tech company set to debut in the Dubai market this October, more details to be released soon!

 Let's discover a day in the life and career of Nicki:

6:30 AM – I wake up (usually by my body clock), and before I even reach for my phone, I take a moment to IMMEDIATELY do my morning affirmations. I’m a huge believer in morning affirmations, so I spend the first few minutes of my day setting my intentions and reminding myself of the bigger picture, what I’m working toward, the impact I want to make, and the mindset I need to have to make it all happen.  After my affirmations, I have my smoothie (the exact same one I’ve had for the past 7 years, maybe it’s time I mixed things up?). Then it's straight to the gym, I either do strength training or Pilates, which I’ve only just started but am really enjoying. After that, I go for a walk around the marina. This is my time to be fully present, I don’t check my phone at all during this time.

8:00 AM – The workday has begun! I know exactly what I'm doing today as I pre plan my days the night before. This is when I review my schedule, go through my priorities, and respond to urgent emails and messages. With DXB Female Founders and Lenzz constantly evolving, I like to start with a solid game plan to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible (not always the case eek!). I also like to tackle my most complex tasks first thing, as this is when I feel the sharpest and this focused time helps me set the tone for a productive day.

10:00 AM – The real action starts here! I check in with my team to make sure everyone is aligned and on track. Then, it’s onto developer or strategy meetings for Lenzz, partnership discussions for DXB Female Founders, and strategy calls with founders and business leaders.

With back to back meetings, I often work from cafés and hotel lobbies which I don’t mind at all as I find it allows my creative juices to flow by being in different environments.

12:30 PM – I’m at a DXB Female Founders event. These are a core part of the community and provide an incredible space for networking, learning, and collaboration. I love seeing women come together to support each other’s growth. The energy in the room is always electric, and it reminds me why I started this community in the first place.

2:30 PM – Lunchtime is often spent strengthening my network, meeting with industry leaders, investors, partners, to explore opportunities that drive both my businesses and theirs forward. And if it happens to be at a new trendy restaurant, even better, I love food, and beautiful places to explore!

4:00 PM – I’m back at my desk, focusing on deep work and preparing for the next day. I try to minimize distractions during this time so I can really get into the flow and make progress on anything high priortiy. I also find this a great time to build out presentations, refine proposals, and map out big picture strategies while my mind is still in problem-solving mode.

6:30 PM – Dinner depends on my schedule. If I’m home, I eat at around 6:30 PM and use that time to relax and reset, I even try and fit in a sauna or steam room session to FULLY relax. If I’m out networking, I’ll have dinner usually catching up with founders, investors, or collaborators.

9:00 PM – Time to unwind, although I do find myself checking and responding to messages, emails, especially if I have an event coming up or project looming. I do try to minimise being online at night but I can’t always help it!Otherwise, I love watching a series, and right now, I’m obsessed with The Walking Dead, Come Dine With Me, or any true crime documentary. It’s my way of switching off from work and immersing myself in something completely different.

10:00 PM – Good night! And I’m out like a light, ready to do it all again tomorrow! Sometimes I’ll even meditate before sleep, or as I go to sleep to ensure I’m as peaceful as possible.