Nicole brings more than 12 years of founding experience in international development, product innovation, and operations. From 2011 to 2014, she was part of a startup team that built and launched a soy processing facility in northern Afghanistan. In 2017, she moved to the United Arab Emirates and co-founded Every Shelter, an organization working alongside refugees to design shelter solutions in Africa and the Middle East. In 2024, Nicole shifted to academia and is presently the Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at John Brown University where she coached her student team to 3rd place at the Arkansas Governor’s Cup and 1st place at the ACBSP’s International School of Thought business model pitch competitions in her first year of teaching. Nicole is a bridge-builder and activator who thrives on bringing innovative ideas to life by building effective teams, processes, and partnerships. She is well-versed in Lean Startup and enjoys helping entrepreneurs explore product/market fit.
Nicole Iman
Area(s) of Expertise
Nonprofit and social enterprise, humanitarian response
Description of Area(s) of Expertise
International business, management, Lean Canvas and Business Model Canvas, social impact, customer discovery and market validation, policies and bylaws, board relations
Consulting Preference
Building a lean canvas or BMC, product/market fit, social impact, board development and procedures
Certifications
Master of Science in Management with specialization in Value Change Management and Strategic Leadership and Management from Gies College of Business – University of Illinois