Nicole Waters, Founder of Amplify Women Tampa Bay.

What’s a risk you took that paid off? (Or didn’t, and what did you learn?)

One of the biggest risks I took was stepping away from corporate life in the summer of 2024. While I had a coaching and tech business to fall back on, leaving the stability of a corporate environment was still a leap of faith. What I could not have fully predicted at the time was that this decision would create the space for me to found Amplify Women. That has been the true payoff. Building this community has brought so much love, connection, purpose, and opportunity into my life. It has stretched me in the best ways, allowing me to develop new skills, deepen my confidence, and build relationships that likely would not have happened otherwise. Founding Amplify Women has been one of the most meaningful gifts of my life, and it all began with being willing to trust myself enough to take the risk.

Who championed you early in your career, and how did they change your trajectory?

I am forever grateful to my mentor, Matt Filipowski. When I was just 20 years old, he encouraged me to apply for a role I was not yet fully prepared for, in a state more than 1,400 miles away from home. More importantly, he did not just encourage me from a distance, he assured me that he would support my development along the way.
I trusted him, took the leap, and followed that opportunity to Florida. That decision changed the entire trajectory of my life. Matt championed my growth, invested in my development, and opened the door to future promotions and professional opportunities that shaped the leader I am today. Quite simply, he is one of the reasons I became a Floridian and one of the reasons I am where I am now.
That said, I would be remiss if I did not also acknowledge the people who taught me through contrast. Not every influence in our careers shows up as a mentor. Some people teach us by showing us exactly what leadership should not look like. I am grateful for those lessons, too, because they helped me define the kind of leader I want to be and the pitfalls I want to avoid.

Who is a woman who inspires you?

Mothers inspire me deeply. I have never felt personally called to motherhood, so I know there is a part of womanhood I will never experience firsthand. Because of that, I find myself in even greater awe of the women who do.
I am inspired by the way moms give so freely of their bodies, their energy, their love, and themselves. There is something extraordinary in the way they move through the world carrying so much, often literally and figuratively, while continuing to show up for their families. Watching mothers navigate everyday moments, even something as simple and chaotic as an airport, feels almost magical to me. The patience, resourcefulness, strength, and tenderness they bring to those moments is incredible.
Moms inspire me to be more generous, more compassionate, and more patient with others. They remind me daily of the depth of women’s capacity to care, lead, and endure.

What did you have to unlearn in order to grow?

One of the most important things I had to unlearn was a scarcity mindset. I grew up in a modest middle-class home, and there were times when resources were tight enough that government cheese was simply part of life. My mother did an incredible job of making sure we always had what we needed, and I never doubted her love or resourcefulness. But somewhere along the way, I internalized the belief that certain experiences, levels of success, or finer things in life were meant for other people, not for me.

As I grew, I realized that my mindset was limiting me. I had to unlearn the idea that wanting more meant being ungrateful, or that success was something to feel uneasy about. I had to teach myself that I am worthy of abundance, worthy of success, and worthy of enjoying what I have worked hard to build.
Growth required me to trust my own success. It required me to believe that achievement does not have to be apologized for, and that a beautiful life can be both earned and embraced. That shift has been deeply personal, and it continues to shape the way I move through the world.