Real Mom Delphine Nicholls Says Her #Momtruth Is Simply The Art Of Letting Go

Delphine Nicholls is a founding partner of ROI Relations whose impressive client list includes Club Monaco, Maybelline New York and The Body Shop. Launched over five years ago after her tenure at MAC Cosmetics, she has since had two littles, Laurier, 3 and Aleph, 14 months. She’s juggling a burgeoning business in a shifting industry (like advertising and media, PR is evolving to the world’s digital heartbeat) all while raising two toddlers. That’s a lot to manage, but this mom has also learned that the art of letting go quickly makes her days that much easier and enjoyable. Bravo.  

“My dad was a Colonel in the military so he was a problem solver, a leader and a ‘doer’.  My mother is more of a free spirit and the most positive person I know. They’re an amazing combination and because they are polar opposites, I’m able to understand where differences lie and how these differences can help me succeed in my work and my professional life.

For example, differences between my husband and I are what brought us together. When we first started dating, he told me he wanted to raise Jewish children and I’m a French-Catholic girl from Ottawa. I didn’t think about it much until we started getting serious and then when it came to commit, I was comfortable with it. However, we struck a compromise. He respects the fact that the French language is very important to me. Together we’ve committed to sending our children to French language schools and we speak French at home and he practices Hebrew with them as well. (I personally think it’s so important for growing minds to learn different languages). 

“I find letting go is a big internal equalizer that helps me see the bigger picture, and most of all, be happier.”

At the end of the day, I’m not bothered by much. I let others lead on a lot of the decision-making, whether it’s my husband or my business partner, because I know and trust we’re generally on the same page and share similar values. And you have to remember, I’m also easy-going because it’s my job to put out fires often, so when I’m not doing that, I try to remain positive, figure out what’s worth fighting for and most importantly, figure out when to let go. I find letting go is a big internal equalizer that helps me see the bigger picture, and most of all, be happier.

I’m also never afraid to ask for help and I have an amazing support system around me. Neither of our families live close by, so we have a full-time nanny but I also made changes at work to help me keep up my career momentum. After we each had our second child, my business partner and I realized it was becoming too much, so we checked our egos at the door and stopped being involved in every business decision. We divvied up responsibilities that play to each of our strengths and hired senior account executives who can share the lead with us. They’re moms too and I find that together we’re all stronger.

I’ve always dreamed of being an entrepreneur and finally the timing was right in my career to take the leap a few years ago. I felt like I had experienced the dream corporate job and the only thing that could top it would be to own my own business. Although it comes with a bigger to-do list, especially with my growing family, I’ve welcomed the challenge of work-mom life. No one told me it was going to be easy and now that I’m in it, I think every mom deserves a medal for making it work.”

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