Mike Nickoli is the Founder and President of Spero Partners, Mike is a thought leader, influencer, visionary, and successful entrepreneur. Mike provides the leadership and energy that has inspired the creation of Spero Partners.
Mike Nickoli joins other leading Bestselling Authors, International Speakers & Entrepreneur, CEOs and Founders taking part in our Leader Roundtable Interview Series. The DotCom Magazine editorial team is delighted to have Mike join us for our Leader Roundtable Interview.
The Founder and President of Spero Partners, Inc., Mike Nickoli has always performed under pressure and is used to being evaluated based on performance. He not only thrives during a challenge, but he seeks out challenges for the thrill of solving them. Mike gained entrance to attend Birmingham Southern College on both an academic and athletic scholarship. Mike goes on to prove how he earned those scholarships by his incredible performance inside of the classroom and especially on the baseball field where he racks up accolades including All-Conference, All-Region, All-Academic, and Male Athlete of the Year honors, all culminating in being named an All-American in 2001 and pitching in and winning the National Championship Game. Less than a week later, Mike was drafted in the 4th round to play professionally for the Los Angeles Angels who were then known as the Anaheim Angels. In most of the games Mike plays, he knows that dozens of scouts are watching and scrutinizing his every move, with money in their pockets and big decisions about his future looming overhead, but he never lets any of that affect his razor-sharp focus. Mike founded Spero Partners, Inc. to work closely with high earning business owners that have excessive demands on both their earnings and their time. These business owners are often a lot like Mike himself, very driven to succeed. Spero Partners, Inc. aims to answer two questions these business owners have: what can they do to lower tax liability and who can they trust to bring them sound strategy and navigate the process? Mike and his team of highly vetted and credentialed experts are ready to do exactly that for their clients while building trusting and long-lasting relationships. Even when pressure mounts and millions hang in the balance, Mike will always make the right call for his clients. Spero Partners and Michael Nickoli are based out of Birmingham, Alabama.
Let’s start by telling us about your business.
I work exclusively with high-earning closely-held business owners. They have unique challenges and high demands on their earnings and their time. They highly value solid advice from vetted, credentialed professionals but often do not know who to turn to coordinated comprehensive and complex financial decisions. Much like myself, I work with clients who are high drive and have worked their asses off to be in the position they are in, they want someone they trust to partner with them in navigating through tough decisions with large financial ramifications. When clients get to a certain level of income and are paying excessive amounts in tax they have 2 questions: What can I do to lower my tax liability and who can I trust to bring me sound strategy and navigate the process? Spero Partners was built to answer those questions.
Q: Please tell us how you make sure your customers will become raving fans of your company?
I deliver. The success of my business is based on how well I perform, and I will always deliver. The success and whether clients are “fans” is contingent on and directly related to my performance and whether or not I deliver on my promises, so I make sure that I always do.
Q: Please tell us the one thing that separates your business from the competition?
We have a unique and innovative approach to the way we do business that sets us apart. We have already saved our clients millions since we launched which shows that our approach is highly effective too.
Q: And to finish this section, please tell us what is the one major key to your company’s success?
I harshly critique my interactions with my clients, I am constantly evaluating my conversations with clients: Was I clear? Did I truly listen? Does my client feel understood? Did I simplify a complex discussion well enough? Do I really understand what a client wants? I want to be fully self-aware so I can be keenly in tune with what my clients want and need from me. I would challenge entrepreneurs to regardless of industry or sector to be hyper-aware and attentive of their clients or customers.
Q: For our readers just starting to build a company, what advice can you give entrepreneurs just starting out with a new venture?
Make sure that you can handle rejection. There are going to be times that you pitch an idea or are asking for funding and you may be told no. You need to be able to keep going through that rejection or you will never see the yes’s.
Q: For entrepreneurs seeking to build a business as successful as yours, what one big piece of advice can you give them when times get a little challenging?
I think immediate follow through is very helpful habit. Handling an action item for a client immediately not only builds trust but getting tasks off my plate quickly frees me up to be the most productive with my time.
Q: In today’s fast changing business environment, how do you stay abreast of things?
I check the news frequently and have a few alerts set up that notify me of certain key words that may pop up in news articles.
Q: What is your “Why”? In one sentence, why do you get up in the morning?
I am truly passionate about my Business and those I work with and of course the reason I am doing it all which would be my incredible wife and my family.
Q: In one sentence, what is the most important thing one has to do to be a great leader?
In order to be a great leader, one must be compassionate, innovative, and willing to make the tough decisions when others either cannot or will not.
Q: In one sentence, describe how important your customers are to your business?
My customers will always be the core and driving force of my business.
Q: In one sentence, describe a positive way that technology can make the world a better place?
Technology has incredible power to connect and bring knowledge to a vast audience, we could make the world a better place by bringing technology to places where it was previously inaccessible.
Q: In one sentence, tell us something positive to motivate our readers?
Being the Founder of a business may be scary but remember this, no one can fire you and the fate of your business in entirely in your hands!
Q: In one sentence, tell us how you start your day to get ready?
I have to live on efficiency – be it at home with the family, attending multiple sporting events in an evening, or in the office working through complex planning for my clients.
Q: In one sentence, describe how you handle rejection and setback?
You must have endurance, it’s a marathon not a sprint.
Q: In one sentence, describe what your hiring philosophy is?
When hiring, I am looking for individuals that can work well on a team but also know how to think for themselves and above all, they need to be passionate about what they do.
Q: In one sentence, describe how you keep your sanity in a competitive business environment?
I make sure to separate work time from home time because if you don’t you will have a harder time keeping your sanity.
Linkedin
www.linkedin.com/in/mike-nickoli-spero-partners/
Mike Nickoli, thank you so much for participating in the DotCom Magazine Leader Roundtable Interview Series. We appreciate you participating in this important roundtable interview series, and helping our readers learn more about what it takes to build a great company and become a great leader. We wish you, your family, and of course Spero Partners, nothing but the best.
