Nicheology

Nicheology is where seasoned leaders build the systems that turn their deep expertise into a high-value practice.

We provide the strategic framework and high-touch partnership for accomplished professionals transitioning from successful corporate careers to profitable independent businesses.

What we do:

• Deconstruct decades of corporate experience to engineer a potent, defensible market position (your Niche of One).
• Architect that expertise into a premium offer. Whether it's a signature program, a fractional role, or a consulting package.
• Build a simple, effective go-to-market plan and client acquisition system to attract and enroll your first high-ticket clients.
• Establish your personal brand as a trusted authority in your new space.

Our new high-touch program, The Nicheology Accelerator, is launching soon. The best way to receive exclusive details and weekly strategies for seasoned leaders is by subscribing to the newsletter.

► Subscribe for program updates and weekly strategy here: nicheology.co/newsletter

Founder

Popup

Ever felt trapped by rigid e-commerce platforms? So did we. That's why we built Popup. We raised $3.5 million from top-tier investors to reinvent how online stores are built. Our mission was to give power back to the entrepreneurs.

Popup isn't just another e-commerce platform. It's a no-code revolution. We created a system where anyone could build powerful sales funnels and unique shopping experiences without writing a single line of code.

As COO, I built our team and systems from the ground up. We grew to 35 people across multiple countries, all working remotely. I learned more about hiring, culture-building, global operations, customer development, software sales, corporate finance, and international law in three years than most people learn in a decade.

Our product lets you visually control the customer journey. Think of it as Lego for e-commerce - flexible, modular, and limited only by your imagination. We made it possible to build and launch a Popup Store to sell anything, anywhere in the world, in minutes. No coding required.

The future of e-commerce isn't about technology. It's about empowering entrepreneurs to bring their unique visions to life, without barriers.

COO & Co-Founder

Viceroy Group

Business Advisor

We started Viceroy with a laptop and a vision. No funding, no office, just pure hustle. In less than two years, we scaled to mid 8-figures in revenue. Here's the real story:

I built our operations from scratch. We're talking OKRs, SOPs, workflows - the whole nine yards. Turned a chaotic startup into a well-oiled machine. All while fully remote.

Our customer success team? Grew it from 1 to 15 multi-lingual agents in 6 months. Established a Product Success Network that bridged the gap between marketing, product, and customer needs. Result? 5/5 star feedback across the board.

Managed an international supply chain spanning 5 fulfillment centers. Learned more about logistics than I ever thought I'd need to know.

But here's the thing. We did all this while building a culture that attracted top talent and kept them engaged. No ping pong tables or free lunches - just a shared mission and the freedom to do great work.

What I learned: Building a successful remote company isn't about fancy tools or perks. It's about creating systems that empower people to excel, no matter where they are. That's how you turn a startup into a multi-million dollar operation.

Co-Founder & COO

The Fragile Club

Before mental health became a buzzword, we built The Fragile Club. Our mission was to turn mental health awareness into a movement through socially conscious apparel.

We didn't just sell t-shirts. We created a brand that spoke to people's struggles and hopes. Our Ambassador program turned customers into advocates overnight. Why? Because they believed in what we stood for. We leveraged influencers not for their reach, but for their stories. Each collaboration supported our message: it's okay not to be okay.

Partnerships with Mental Health Organizations weren't just for show. We funneled profits into real support systems, creating tangible impact. 

And our social media wasn't about likes. It was a community hub where people felt heard and supported. Sure, we ran targeted FB ads and retargeting campaigns. But our growth came from something deeper - a shared purpose.

Here's what I learned: A compelling mission isn't just good karma, it's good business. We proved you can drive profit while driving change. That's the power of purpose-driven entrepreneurship.

In the end, The Fragile Club wasn't just a brand. It was a movement. And it showed me that when you align business with purpose, magic happens.

Co-Founder

Leave Comfort

Ever wonder how luxury brands tell their stories? That's where Leave Comfort came in.

My husband and I started this content creation agency on a wild idea: quit our jobs, travel the world, and create stunning content for high-end brands. Sounds crazy, right? It was.

We traded our comfortable Vancouver apartment for Bali beaches and Asian metropolises. Our office was anywhere with WiFi. 

Our mission was to transform how luxury brands connect with their audience. We didn't just take pretty pictures. We crafted narratives that made people want experiences they didn't even know existed. 

But why did it work? We provided real value that resorts wanted. We didn't have a social media following at the time, but because our offer was 10x the value any influencer provided, we got the gigs. 

We helped forward-thinking, innovative brands stand out in a saturated market by offering them reports on how to improve and key insights into the experiences their competitors were providing. 

Key takeaway: In the world of content creation, providing more value than your competitors wins every time.

Shopify

Worked with workforce planning software including Teleopti, Salesforce, and Workday. My role emphasized data analysis, capacity planning, and forecasting. My role also included planning and creating schedule plans for Shopify Retail LA, and other programs and teams across Shopify - mainly focused on the support department.

Workforce Analyst

In this role, I educated entrepreneurs about the world of e-commerce and how to use the platform, including and not limited to product sourcing & supply chain, shipping, fulfillment, inventory, theme customization, domains, social media integration, social media marketing, payment processors, branding, SEO, and company growth.

Merchant Success Manager

ShopClass Calgary: August 19th-20th, 2017
ShopClass Vancouver:  August 1st-3rd, 2017
Gateway '17 Alibaba Detroit:  June 21st-22nd, 2017

Shopify Events IRL, Merchant Success

Graft Sport | Pro Slacklines

My first real business. Imagine two twenty-somethings in a tiny apartment. That was me and my husband when we started our first online business selling on Amazon. 

We created a top-tier slackline kit and started learning e-commerce from the ground up. Product design, Chinese manufacturing, international logistics - you name it, we figured it out.
Hustled for a few weeks until we hit Amazon's first page. Started seeing daily sales roll in and felt invincible!

Then one negative review from a competitor ruined the party. Amazon couldn’t do anything about it and our listing tanked. So we pivoted to direct sales and learned the hard way that heavy products and shipping don't mix.

Ultimately sold to a California buyer. Not a huge exit, but the lessons were invaluable.
Graft Sport was my crash course in entrepreneurship. It taught me resilience, problem-solving, and laid the foundation for every business venture that followed.

Key takeaway: Your first business probably won't make you rich, but the experience is priceless. It's all about the long game.

Co-Founder (Acquired)

kate spade new york

Retail Merchandiser

Retail Specialist

lululemon

Fit Model

Retail Merchandiser & Educator

ROXANNE NIKKI

Ever wonder what it's like behind the scenes of a fashion brand? I got a front-row seat interning for Roxanne Nikki, a Vancouver designer with 30 years in the game. This wasn't your typical coffee-fetching internship. I was in the trenches, scissors in hand, cutting everything from faux fur to leather. 

Learned real quick that different fabrics demand different techniques. Prepped fabric bundles for sample sewing. Sounds simple, right? Well, It's an art form. Got my hands on industrial sewing machines and picked up hand-stitching techniques. Basting seams became my new party trick.

But the real gold was sitting in on design and strategy meetings. Watching a seasoned pro navigate the business side of fashion was eye-opening and I ate it up.

Key lesson: Fashion isn't just about beautiful clothes. It's a business, and a tough one at that. This internship taught me the grit required to build something real — a lesson I've carried into every venture since.

Fashion Design Internship

After a successful corporate career, you’ve reached the point where you’re ready to build something of your own. 

You have the deep expertise, the reputation, and the drive. 

But you've likely discovered the skills that made you a brilliant executive aren't the same skills required to launch a profitable independent business from scratch.

I understand this transition because I've lived it from every angle—from the inside of a major corporation, from the trenches of a bootstrapped startup, and from the boardroom of a VC-backed company. 

I’ve co-founded and scaled businesses to 7 and 8-figures, generating over $20M in revenue. 

As Co-Founder and COO of a portfolio of e-commerce brands, I built the operational engine that allowed us to scale. This included growing our customer success team from 1 to 15 agents in just 6 months and managing a global supply chain shipping to over 120 countries—all while maintaining a 4.8/5 Trustpilot score.

As the COO of a VC-backed tech company that raised $3.5M from top-tier investors like Accel and Seedcamp, I built the operational systems—recruiting, HR, culture, finance, customer experience, and business operations—from the ground up. 

And at Shopify, I guided over 900 founders through the complexities of building a profitable online business.

Through these experiences, I discovered a fundamental truth: successful ventures aren't built on passion alone. They are built on a strategically engineered market position. 

The most successful founders don't just pick a niche. They deconstruct their deepest experience and build a potent Niche of One that is impossible to copy.

That's why I created Nicheology. It’s the strategic framework I developed over a decade of building companies and the methodology I've used to guide hundreds of others. 

It’s designed to help you translate your decades of hard-won corporate experience into a premium signature program and a go-to-market plan that gives you the clarity and financial return you deserve.

Ready to turn your expertise into a high-value business?

My new high-touch program, The Nicheology Accelerator, is launching soon.

The best way to receive exclusive details and be the first to know when applications open is by subscribing to my weekly newsletter for seasoned leaders.

► Subscribe for strategies and program updates here: nicheology.co/newsletter

Cait Holmes

Tom Schaeffer

Thomas Schaeffer & Co.

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿 & 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 is a boutique agency providing ghostwriting and content strategy for executives who want to amplify their voice, sharpen their positioning, and expand their influence.

We work with leaders at pivotal moments—whether building thought leadership, leading a transition, or shaping a second act beyond corporate. Our services combine high-level ghostwriting, content systems, and selective coaching to help executives turn experience into leverage and build a presence that creates real opportunities.

Executive to Entrepreneur

𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿 is a coaching and content platform for midlife professionals ready to leave the corporate grind, clarify their next move, and build a business that fits their life. We offer 1:1 coaching, frameworks, and practical guidance for reinvention.

Float Left

Float Left Interactive was a pioneer in TV app development and the first company to build Roku apps for media brands.  For over 12 years, Float Left has enabled media brands to deliver and manage the next generation of TV experiences on every screen.

🏆 2022 Streaming Media 50
🏆 2021 Streaming Media 50
🏆 2017 Streaming Media 100
🏆 2016 CableFax -> Most Innovative People in Multiscreen
🏆 2015 Streaming Media 100

Co-Founder, CEO (acquired)

The Weiss Group, Inc.

Developed internal and external web applications in direct support of company’s marketing initiatives.

Senior Software Engineer

Teledata Inc.

Developed EPA compliance software, specifically targeted to address fuel tank leak detection.

Software Engineer

Bridgeway Benefit Technologies

Provided programmatic and logical fixes for technical problems on ISSI’s Benefit Fund Administration System.

Account Representative /  Programmer

Ghostwriter for Influential Executives and Entrepreneurs || Transforming Ideas into Influence Through High-Impact Writing || Former CEO, 2x Founder, 1x Exit

I’m a former CEO turned writer and coach. I help midlife professionals turn experience into leverage—through writing, clarity, and reinvention.

After scaling and selling a 7-figure software agency, I walked away from the startup grind to build a simpler, more intentional life.

Along the way, I discovered something powerful:
Most executives don’t need another job.
They need clarity—and a path that’s finally theirs.

Today, I work with high-achieving professionals in transition—those ready to move from corporate to consulting, from founder to writer, or from executive to entrepreneur.

Here’s how I help:

1. Executive Ghostwriting
For founders and CEOs who want thought leadership that drives inbound demand—without spending hours writing content. You bring the insight. I bring the structure, clarity, and voice that earns authority and attracts opportunity.

2. Executive to Entrepreneur Coaching
A 12-week 1:1 experience to help you reinvent your career, clarify your offer, build a simple content system, and land your first client.
It’s for professionals who are ready to turn experience into independence—building something of their own, on their own terms.

At the core of both is a simple idea:
Use your expertise to build leverage and freedom—because your next chapter should serve your life, not the other way around.

[Coaching: exectoentrepreneur.com]
[Substack: exectoentrepreneur.substack.com]
[About Me: thomasschaeffer.me]

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The Battle

Cait Holmes

Tom Schaeffer

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