Six Years, Six Lessons

How CEO Nichole Rouillac achieved both personal and professional growth in the most testing of times.

In the six years since launch, level has cemented its reputation as a women-led studio with a unique perspective – a team whose designs are as effective as they are beautiful.

But getting here has been a journey. One that has challenged CEO Nichole Rouillac to examine what really matters, both in work and in life. Now, as we celebrate level’s sixth birthday, Nichole opens up about the brightest and darkest moments – and reveals six of the most powerful lessons that made her the woman and leader she is today.

Looking back, it’s like I was standing at the land’s edge, looking out onto uncharted waters. I’d reached a point in my career where I was ready for a new direction. And, while I could have found a job in a big corporate or another agency, I couldn’t shake this deep, instinctive feeling: that I was meant to lead my own studio, where new perspectives – particularly women’s – could bring a new energy and joy to design.

Looking back, it’s like I was standing at the land’s edge, looking out onto uncharted waters.

No, I wasn’t ready. Starting a new venture meant risking everything: every cent of my savings, the security I’d built for my family. But changes of this magnitude never feel sensible or safe, and we rarely feel ready for them. Having promised to live my life with no regrets, I had to take the plunge.

Since launch, level has weathered serious storms. But we’ve done so much more than stay afloat. We’ve discovered that we can produce work that enriches people’s lives. We’ve learned from inspiring mentors, colleagues and clients. And, personally, I’ve uncovered my purpose. Making my way through both the calm and the chaos, I can honestly say I’ve found myself.

I’m so grateful for this journey. And I hope some of my stories will help you on your own journey too.

lesson 01: keep an eye on the future

The early days of level were a complete whirl of adrenaline. Having never run a business before, my co-founder and I had so much to figure out: how to write pitches and proposals, how to fit into the sawdust-filled furniture workshop that had become our rented home. And we had to think fast because, just days after our launch, old colleagues were (very kindly) already sending work our way.

At that stage, we still had to establish our own creative process, our voice – which is a scary thing when you have to be your own boss and your own sounding board. But we found that people loved our ideas, our vision. We won project after project, delighted client after client, and I felt such excitement about the future that I could hardly sleep at night. All the while, the Trump presidency and ensuing women’s marches galvanized our community, reinforcing our vision of a world with more women in leadership. You could feel the energy all around – as if we were part of a movement, ready to change the world for the better.

But I didn’t realize that things could turn quite so suddenly. My focus on projects had kept me from any real, concerted business development. So, when some projects were delayed or canceled, and when some invoices weren’t paid on time – things that, I’ve learned, happen to all consultancies – we found ourselves in a much quieter studio, facing real uncertainty. Things became so stretched that, at one point, I stopped taking a salary and used some of my savings to pay our people and our rent. It was such a worrying time: after the solidity I’d felt when we first opened our doors, it seemed like the floor was falling away beneath our feet.

Things became so stretched that, at one point, I stopped taking a salary and used some of my savings to pay our people and our rent.

I learned that you must always keep an eye on the future and anticipate this kind of thing, because consultancy is feast or famine. Prepare yourself emotionally. And prepare yourself financially by being proactive about new business. Even when you’re busy, it’s vital that someone is still working the pipeline. Lean on old friends who will share advice and opportunities. Reach out and keep building your network. And, if you still find yourself struggling, turn to mentors you can trust. This is how we made it through: we gritted our teeth, held our nerve, and (after many hopeful conversations) my old boss brought us a project that kept the lights on.

lesson 02: put yourself out there

Although we’d proved in our first year that we could produce exceptional design, we’d learned the hard way how important it is to work the new business pipeline. So, as we went into our second year, we worked the pipeline extremely hard. We continued to lean on those old friends and mentors who had helped us through our first rough patch. And I personally focused my attention on expanding our network – on growing a community of creatives ready to share ideas and support.

I asked my contacts to connect me with their contacts. I met people from across our industry for coffees, breakfasts, lunches, dinners. I’d hurry home after work to take care of pickup, mealtime and bedtime for my four-year-old daughter, then I’d head straight back out to tell people about the work level had already produced and the vision we planned to make a reality.

Alongside all this, I also became Chair of Women in Design (WID) San Francisco, a community for industrial designers in the Bay area. Working with an incredible team, I regularly organized inspiring talks for upwards of two hundred people – which meant that many of my weekends were taken up with booking speakers, coordinating catering, and all the other admin that comes with large scale events. Yes, it was exhausting. But it was also invigorating. There was so much energy and momentum behind this unique women’s movement, and I knew it was important for me to be a part of it.

The more I reached out, the more level’s profile grew – to the extent that I was invited to speak on the main stage at the Industrial Design Society of America: one of the biggest platforms in our industry. There, I talked about the perspectives of women in design. And because I was willing to be honest and vulnerable, people listened. After my talk, women came to me to share their own experiences, and in the weeks and months afterwards I received more invitations to appear at talks, award shows and panel discussions.

Maybe it’s no surprise that this year, when level’s name was well and truly ‘out there’, we started winning clients beyond those we’d worked with before. Clients came to us with groundbreaking projects, and we found we could do design that excited us while paying the bills. I don’t think any of it would have happened if I hadn’t made such an effort to throw myself into our community.

The hard work was paying off. Every day, the whole studio felt alive.

The hard work was paying off. Every day, the whole studio felt alive. One client said we were like a secret Michelin star restaurant that they wanted to keep all to themselves. As we worked on increasingly exciting projects that combined passion and purpose, we realized: level could do more than design. We could work on projects that improved the way people lived their lives.

lesson 03: trust the team you’ve built around you

After only a couple of years, level was thriving. The team had found its cadence and was producing fantastic, award-winning work. I was being asked to give keynote addresses at industry events. Alongside working on projects with truly trailblazing startups, we had just won the biggest pitch of our lives with one of the best-known tech companies in the world.

But, behind the scenes, things felt as if they were falling apart. My co-founder and I were starting to realize that we had different goals, and we could no longer see a future as business partners. This situation would have been difficult and emotional enough – but then, in the midst of it all, my mom became seriously ill. She needed multiple open heart surgeries, and by the end of the year would end up in ICU, in a critical condition.

In the weeks and months my mom was sick, I was completely frantic. Although I was at her bedside, I was still trying to establish how my co-founder and I would go our separate ways, still directing projects remotely. This was when the realization came: I had to focus my attention on my mom. Work had always blurred into my personal life – especially once I’d become a business owner. But now, I had to leave my team to themselves for days at a time. It was a shock to my system.

Work had always blurred into my personal life – especially once I’d become a business owner. But now, I had to leave my team to themselves for days at a time.

But, when I stepped back, the team rose to the occasion. They took charge of projects, made great decisions. They used all they’d learned at level to deliver work that I’m enormously proud of to this day. It was a reminder: as a business leader, you hire people for a reason. Give them the space to shine, and they will come into their own. At this point, I should also thank our clients for being so understanding – when I explained to our world-renowned tech client that I was in no position to work on their project as planned, they immediately pushed our deadlines so that I could be by my mom’s side. I will always be so, so grateful to them for that.

Team members are like the family you choose. I’m so thankful for the colleagues who put their heart into level when my own heart had to be elsewhere.

lesson 04: listen to your intuition - and ask for what you need

Having been through an extraordinarily tough year – a year when my co-founder and I parted ways, when my mom became seriously ill – I realized I needed some extra support. This is when I hired Vicci. And I had no idea how much impact she would have, not just on the company but on me too.

We’d met at a few lunches and events, and I knew Vicci was looking for a new challenge. And it seemed we could work well together: we were at similar stages in our careers, and we were both working moms. Above all, I had a good feeling. My intuition told me that she was someone I’d be able to lean on for advice and support. And my intuition was right: having Vicci join us was like being thrown a life raft, and I began to feel more positive about the future.

And then, COVID hit. Being cautious, we pivoted to work from home as soon as early flags were raised. Our studio immediately had to develop a new creative process, based on working remotely – which was deeply unnatural for a design team whose job involves exploring and developing physical objects. As businesses around the world struggled, we too worried constantly about how we’d stay afloat.

And then, COVID hit. Being cautious, we pivoted to work from home as soon as early flags were raised. Our studio immediately had to develop a new creative process

My worries about the business were compounded by worries about my daughter’s education. We had just learned that she is neurodivergent, and learning to understand and meet her needs was proving hard enough – but encouraging her to learn during lockdowns, over an iPad, was hopelessly unrealistic. Over those months, Vicci and I would be making new business pitch after new business pitch, bringing in the work that would protect our business, but all the while I’d be near to tears, having to mute myself when situations at home became emotional. It regularly took three adults to support my daughter with her learning. Somehow, throughout this, we kept the work coming in, including another major project with yet another of the top five tech companies in the world.

Since much of my day was spent supporting my daughter, I found myself working late nights, regularly until one or two in the morning. Even weekends. But, of course, this routine – on top of everything else – took a huge toll. Just when I felt I was at breaking point, my grandpa contracted COVID. And, after several difficult months, he passed away. I felt as if I was drowning. I honestly didn’t know how I’d get through the days.

At that point, I had to listen carefully to myself, to what my mind and body were telling me, to understand what I needed to survive. And I realized that I needed some structure around me that ­­­­­­­would hold me up. I spoke to therapists, and to a doctor who helps families support neurodiverse children. I leaned on my au pair, who did so much to support my daughter. I bit the bullet and hired a trainer to help with my physical and mental health – we even got a dog, Coco, a wholly positive presence who made sure we as a family spent time together in the great outdoors.

I realized: foresight is a superpower. Being able to step back, look at a situation, and see the puzzle pieces that need to fit together in order to make things happen – it’s a skill I use all the time with clients, when I think about how to get their product from a sketch and out into the world. It’s also a superpower to be able to ask for help. As women, we often feel like we should ‘do it all’. But the reality is, many of the puzzle pieces I needed were people, and it’s only by relying on them that I was able to get through this period. Finally, with the right support structures around me, I had the strength to throw myself back into the design work – which in turn brought me joy and made me stronger still.

In some ways, I’m amazed at the quality of work we put out during this period. Clients were thrilled. And, in a year when millions lost their jobs, we hired three fantastic women. But it was only possible thanks to those around me, who gave me their support when I needed it most.

lesson 05: do things that feel impossible

COVID followed us into our fifth year of business, with worrying case numbers and regular shutdowns. But, with new support structures in place, I felt stronger than I’d felt for months. We moved to a new studio that was fresh and full of light, and it felt like coming up for air.

Early in the year, a longstanding client asked us to design a new product. But this was not a normal project – what would typically take upwards of a year needed to be done in five months. People told me it was not only insane but impossible. Even if it were possible, it would mean asking our people to work late nights and weekends – something that we don’t believe should be part of our culture.

However, this was also a real opportunity. The product itself was genuinely inspiring: it was all about improving people’s health, in an affordable way. And perhaps even more compelling was the fact that the project would vastly reduce the client’s overall environmental impact. The whole team was excited at the thought that, in a matter of months, we would see our work launched and out in the world. All of which is why we collectively agreed to say yes to this seemingly impossible challenge.

There wasn’t time to formalize a new creative process. We simply had to dive in and evolve as we went from stage to stage, working with grit, determination, and a lot of trust between us and the client. The team pushed hard over those months, and we designed something incredible, in budget and on time. It’s one of the most extraordinary things we’ve ever achieved together.

Throughout all the long days, all the late-night calls to China, I was pregnant with my second child. And while I was thrilled about this on a personal level, I was also deeply anxious about what clients might think. The fact is that, even when women have proved themselves – as designers, as business leaders – there are still those who question how they can juggle work and motherhood. Thankfully, Vicci and I agreed: if a client has concerns about working with pregnant women, they’re not the kind of client we want to work with.

This in turn prompted us to think more broadly about our studio’s vision. And, as I prepared for maternity leave, we as a team decided to put the brakes on client work to embark on a research project. In this project, we would educate ourselves about how to adapt our processes and thinking – how to use ideas such as circularity, carbon reduction, smarter materials – to create products that would have a positive impact on our collective futures. We also discussed and agreed that we wouldn’t work with clients unless we are morally aligned. This idea of saying ‘no’ to projects felt like another impossible thing: but we realized that we have to do it, to become the studio we want to be.

This idea of saying ‘no’ to projects felt like another impossible thing: but we realized that we have to do it, to become the studio we want to be.

This year brought us so much. Our ‘impossible’ project became an incredible portfolio piece, leading to recognition and awards – including an honor from Fast Company, who named us 3rd in their list of most innovative companies. We gained confidence in our identity as a tight-knit, ethically-led studio, and in our belief that industrial design could help build a better future. And my second daughter arrived in November. From this point, anything felt possible.

lesson 06: stay true to your purpose

The pandemic, the wildfires, and the broader climate crisis reminded us all of humanity’s impact on the planet. And, for me, having a new baby reminded me once again of the fragility of our future. So, having spent some time as a studio thinking about these things, and exploring what really matters to us, our team began 2022 with a new clarity of purpose: from now on, we would only work on projects that had a positive impact on society and our global futures.

The more we thought and spoke about these issues, the more businesses came to us with projects that aligned with our values. Now, we find ourselves working with clients who want to reduce single use plastics and localize their manufacturing, clients who want to reduce energy and water consumption. We’ve also taken on projects supporting family and female health, and we’re delighted to have more and more inspiring female founders approach us.

It isn’t always easy to turn down work that doesn’t support our purpose. Projects based on creating high volumes of cheap products (much of which will end up in landfill) can often pay very well! But this is a long game. Staying focused now will help to position us as leaders in this space in future 

This was also the year I made the transition back to work after having my second child. I’d always had a secret fear that, after having another baby, I’d no longer have the headspace to lead and execute work to the high standards we’ve always held ourselves to – that, as I took on new parenting responsibilities, a part of me would be lost. But, if anything, the opposite has happened. I love using the design part of my brain more than ever. And I know that clients value having a team whose shared experience includes motherhood. I’m so proud that my children will see me using my skills to contribute to the world.

Being a mom also reminds me every day about the need to nurture – and, after spending some time in survival mode, we are now constantly thinking about how to nurture the team. Recently, we’ve established new ways for individuals to share their views with one another, shaping our internal processes and systems, all of which is making us stronger as a business. Meanwhile, enabling our people to do more client-facing work has shown just how much talent is in our small-but-mighty studio.

For a long time, most of the responsibility for level fell on my shoulders. For clients, I was the face of the brand. But, over the years, we’ve shown that level is not just me. It’s all of us.

For a long time, most of the responsibility for level fell on my shoulders. For clients, I was the face of the brand. But, over the years, we’ve shown that level is not just me. It’s all of us. We may be a diverse collection of voices, but we’re bound by a shared purpose – and these two truths are our biggest strengths.

one final thought from Nichole…

Industrial design is a rollercoaster. Like any service industry, from hospitality to retail, there will be a huge, overwhelming rush of work – then a silence while you await the next storm. What I want business owners and their teams to know is: you can get through it. And, if you can, embrace the difficult times. They may be the prompt you need to reassess and regroup.

One thing that will help you through is being part of a strong, genuine network of allies who can support one another when times are tough. And the more diverse your network, the better. Even when level was nothing more than a dream, it was based on my belief that the best design includes many perspectives: it acknowledges different genders, ethnicities, backgrounds and cognitive abilities. And, over the most turbulent years, we’ve proved it.

I’m so grateful to everyone who has supported us along the way. Special thanks must go to my husband Julien and my two wonderful daughters, who are – and who always will be – my North star on this incredible journey. Now, I’m looking forward to the future: a future in which level can make a positive impact on the world, all through beautiful, clever, compassionate design.