I'm Nika - a St Leonards based writer and solopreneur. Proud mama of Julieta, in her first year at uni so a free bird for now ;) and ready for more solo adventures.

I’ve been writing online since 1999, self-employed since 2005, and publishing on Substack for six years. Having a blast - the engine of my portfolio business.

My mission: Blending journalism and travel. Travel inspires empathy—tiny steps towards world peace.

Empowering women to travel solo - it’s the most transformative thing you can do.

Building something bigger than myself, and leaving a legacy for my daughter and sisters around the world.

Just listening to Anna Calvi’s new EP, “Is this all there is?,” inspired by motherhood. First of a trilogy, “exploring identity as a metamorphosis, shaped and reshaped through the experience of falling in love.”

I ask myself that question a lot. I’m also feeling restless - a sign that something new is about to be born. Not sure what it looks like yet, but having fun figuring it out…

A community for wander women exploring midlife reinvention. It starts with us listening to each other’s stories. Join me?

Club Bold

Paid subscribers get:

💬 Monthly voice notes - short, personal updates on my journey building a portfolio business - pitches, learnings, creator opps, cultural recs. A friend in your ear.

💋 I need a rendezvous! Join our Writers’ Cafe (co-working and aperitivo hour) at Barnaby’s jazz club in Hastings & St Leonards. Vitamin Sea :)

Plus, you get full access to the archive, chat, and biz trainings - LinkedIn, Muck Rack and more.

However you help me - THANK YOU. It means the world. Supporting my sisters through Women for Women International.

Why Bold Types?

Bold Types started in 2020 as a letter from freelance land during Covid, and that still matters to me. Here’s why…

Because the world is chaotic. Journalism is a struggling industry, and freelance rates have been stagnant for YEARS.

We’re seeing a massive shift in how media gets made and who controls it. No more gatekeepers - the audience decides. The rise of creator businesses, the Substack Motel, platform promiscuity…

It’s fast, messy, a bit Wild West and also the most exciting and trusted space in journalism right now. People are paying for it. I’m here for all of it.

It’s not ‘Solo Vs Org’ though, it’s what we build between the two.

In a nutshell, I love a good story.

I believe in the power of writing to connect people and create a more compassionate world.

For the scenic, more rugged route (my 30-year career) pour a glass and go here 🍷

Nika xo

Gold star for reading this far! 🤩

If any of this resonates with you, let’s have a chat about ways to work together.

I help people find their voice and build presence—through writing, publishing, and place. → see my offerings.

Wall of Love

I was impressed with how much you connected to people and the place when you were here. You’ve got a gift for it. Not everybody is comfortable striking up conversations with strangers. — Marianne Lehnis, Founder, The Green Techpreneur

A really helpful newsletter for the intersection of writing, the digital world and entrepreneurship, which can be a lonely place for many of us. — Ann-Marie McQueen, Founder, Hotflash Inc.

Nika Talbot is a hidden gem on Substack—writing about the business of writing, and writing and AI—in a way that no one else is. — Sarah Fay, Founder, Substack Writers at Work.