Nikki Butler | About

Break free from living life on other peoples terms. Create a fulfilling, happy & successful life for yourself.

Let's embark on this journey together.

Meet Nikki Butler, an ex-Management team leader in the legal world, turned award-winning entrepreneur, on a mission to enable other autistic & ADHD females & entrepreneurs to create a life, without apology – one that empowers, rather than disempowers and energises rather than destroys them.

Nikki, who has been driven by her life experiences, and her reflections after a late diagnosis, is determined to eradicate outdated stereotypes of what autism & ADHD ‘look’ like for females, to stop others from feeling as alone and desperate as she did.

She is on a mission to inspire and enable other autistic & ADHD women to redefine success on their terms, where they can proudly and boldly stand out, and let go of the desire to fit into a world that wasn’t designed for them. Nikki believes that your extraordinary talents and skills, as a neurodiverse woman, deserve to be shared with the world! You are different, not less.

Early Life and Personal Journey

Nikki’s early life was marked by a sense of not quite fitting in, a narrative that persisted in her adulthood. A successful medical tattoo artist and skin and scar specialist, she served her clients with exceptional dedication, earning her multiple customer service and industry awards and an outwardly successful business by societal definitions of success.

However, beneath her professional accomplishments hid a constant battle with anxiety and feelings of inadequacy, isolation, and loneliness. She was crippled with the belief that she wasn’t good enough and that she was “rubbish at adulting”. She lived in constant fear that others would see her failings and became a prolific people pleaser and perfectionist, to try and fit in and to protect herself from her perceived shortcomings being discovered. She spent her life feeling ashamed, exhausted, and overwhelmed.

Her life took a dramatic turn with the onset of the pandemic. Isolation, business closure, and financial uncertainty plunged Nikki into despair. It was a period of introspection, struggle, and eventually, growth. The book “The Obstacle is The Way” by Ryan Holiday, appearing almost serendipitously, became a beacon of hope, inspiring Nikki to use the pandemic as a catalyst for change. She creatively reinvented her business, making scars and skin her primary focus, and stepping into the world of high-end anti-ageing treatments. It was incredible what she accomplished when she didn’t have access to business coaches and mentors, telling her what she ‘should’ be doing. For the first time, Nikki was able to tap into her intuition and incredible creative brain.

Reinventing herself wasn’t the only major shift in her life; Nikki also faced a significant health challenge. She underwent a major spinal surgery, which, while successful, resulted in permanent nerve damage. It required her to cut down her long clinic hours, further pushing her to reassess her priorities. With her newfound knowledge from the pandemic, she knew that she could pivot and adapt again.

The Diagnosis and Transformation

In the midst of these personal and professional upheavals, Nikki was diagnosed autistic and ADHD. This revelation was initially daunting, but it also provided an explanation for her life-long struggles.

Over a decade of being immersed in the corporate hierarchy, rules, politics, and judgement led to insomnia, immense anxiety, health issues and panic attacks. Her whole world was consumed by being able to function at work; she had no social or personal life to speak of.

At her lowest point, suicidal thoughts, desperate for the struggles to end. This was the catalyst for the resignation from corporate life in what she now recognises as a catastrophic autistic and ADHD burnout, lasting a year.36.

I could barely function. I felt low, lost and broken. Everyone kept telling me to get back to work and find another job, but I could barely make it through a day without crying.

Nikki embarked on her entrepreneurial journey after a year-long recovery from burnout over a decade ago.

Being self-employed suited her much better, but as her business and success grew, so did the challenges she faced. She was constantly overwhelmed and felt as though her business was running her, and not the other way around.

Nikki’s AuDHD diagnosis gave her an opportunity for self-understanding and acceptance. She embarked on a path of personal transformation. She recognised the impact of her work on her well-being and learned the importance of self-care and setting boundaries. She turned once more to the wisdom in “The Firestarter Sessions” by Danielle La Porte, and “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert, which she had explored after leaving corporate, but with a fresh approach. This helped her to deeply connect with her values and dreams, and during this time, she had what she describes as an epiphany!

The Autistic Joyologist

Today, Nikki is The Autistic Joyologist, a mentor and advocate who uses her life experiences and wisdom to guide neurodivergent and neuro-curious (or those who have always felt a bit ‘different’) women on their journey to create lives where they can thrive in all areas, and redefine success on their terms. Drawing on her experience of living on the edge of society, Nikki is determined to break stereotypes and dispel the notion of conformity. She helps her clients shine as they are, encouraging them to live authentically and unapologetically.

Through her RADIATE model, Nikki inspires and enables radical self-discovery and transformation. She is passionate about enabling her clients to connect to their core values and dreams, teaching them to advocate for themselves and express their true selves. She inspires them to start standing out and stop trying to fit in. To showcase their extraordinary talents and skills. to redefine the narrative around what autism and ADHD ‘look’ like, and to become inspiring role models for this, and future generations of autistic and ADHD females.

Nikki's Future Plans

Nikki is fuelled by a desire to redefine the future for autistic and ADHD females and eradicate outdated stereotypes. Nikki is on a mission to inspire and empower, not just the women of this generation, but also to pave the way for the younger ones. She has plans to invest in services directly benefiting autistic and ADHD females and to support educational organisations and schools to ensure a better future for younger generations.

Awards and Qualifications

Nikki holds a Law Degree LLB 2:1, a Certification in Leadership & People Management from the Chartered Management Institute, a Certificate in Listening Skills from Farnborough College, and CUBS Expert Witness qualifications from Cardiff University + Bond Solon.

She is a certified Business Strategist via That Strategy Co (Lisa Johnson) and she is a certified NLP Business Practitioner (via Sue Knight).

Nikki has also accumulated many other qualifications during her time as a medical tattooist and skin & scar specialist. She has some other fun ones too – like silversmithing and how to run a children’s ceramic painting business! She is a curious learner and has a passion for creative pursuits too. Nikki commented:

“I have been ridiculed and berated for always being on a course of some kind, and I used to hide the fact I was studying from partners and friends, who would laugh and tell me I was taking another pointless course. But now I proudly embrace my need and desire for continuous learning! Curiosity is one of my core values, and I love that I have a thirst for knowledge and personal development. It’s a strength, not a failing on my part”.

Sometimes, the thing that others have criticised, ignored, or made fun of, can be one of our most valued attributes!

Personal Side

Despite her professional achievements, Nikki remains grounded. She values authenticity, compassion, curiosity, and courage – qualities she’s committed to living by. An avid reader, she often turns to books for comfort and wisdom. Nikki’s journey has taught her the importance of grace, recognition, and self-appreciation. She firmly believes in the lessons learned from life experiences and views them as stepping stones towards growth and self-improvement.

In her free time, Nikki enjoys quiet moments of solitude and reflection, which she believes are essential for her mental well-being. As someone who has walked the challenging path of self-discovery, she is now committed to guiding others on their journeys, hoping to light their paths with her insights and experiences.

In all aspects of her life, Nikki is a testament to resilience, authenticity, and transformation. As “The Autistic Joyologist”, she continues her mission of inspiring neurodivergent women to boldly and unapologetically stand out and not fit in, shaping a more accepting and understanding world for all.