58. From NICU Nurse to Viral Photographer: How Nicole Chino Built a Business Around Motherhood

Okay, this one is extra special to me — because I've known today's guest since we were five years old.

Nicole Chino is a NICU nurse of 10+ years, a mom, a wife, and the founder of Nicole Chino Photography — a booming newborn, maternity, and family photography business she built from scratch while balancing 12-hour hospital shifts and raising her babies. In just the last year, she went from 500 to 14K followers and had a reel cross 500K likes. Yeah. We're talking about all of it.

In this episode, we get into the real, messy truth of building something while you're still figuring out who you are. We talk charging your worth, the loneliness of being your own boss, going viral, pushing through the cringe of showing up online, and why motherhood became the engine behind everything she's built.

If you're a creative trying to turn your passion into something real — or you're just in a season of becoming — this episode is for you.

In This Episode We Cover:

The "becoming" season — what it actually feels like to be figuring out who you are as a mom, wife, business owner, and creative all at the same time
Why motherhood was the catalyst for starting Nicole Chino Photography — and how it stayed the motivation throughout
The first scary financial decision: charging real money and what that moment meant for how she saw herself as a professional
When and how to raise your prices — and why a packed schedule was the signal she needed
Going from 500 to 14K followers and a viral reel with 500K+ likes — what she thinks actually made it take off
Overcoming the cringe of posting yourself online and why human connection beats a perfect feed every time
Entrepreneurship as a mindset game — why talent alone won't cut it and how "fake it till you make it" is actually legit
The loneliness of being your own boss — even when you have support, the buck always stops with you
Virtual photography sessions — how Nicole is now working with clients across the country without leaving her home state
The fear she hasn't faced yet: learning to say no and cap her bookings to protect her family time
What she's most excited about as her kids and her business grow up together

✨Connect with Nicole✨

Instagram: @nicolechino_photography
Website: nicolechinophotography.com
Book a session or send an inquiry through the link in her bio!

✨Connect with Maddie✨

Explore Maddie’s Website | @messywithmaddie

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