In business, timing is everything. But for twin sisters Nicole and Nichelle Nichols, timing has never been something they waited for; it’s something they create.
Known in their industry simply as “The Twins,” the Chicago-born entrepreneurs have built a reputation for turning vision into reality, pressure into precision, and obstacles into strategy. Their journey hasn’t followed a straight line; it’s zigged through career pivots, bold relocations, industry barriers, and reinvention. But every chapter has sharpened the same core skill: they know how to build. As an agency, The Twins approach every project with a creative strategy built on the belief that “Because Ordinary Is Off-Brand.”
From Chicago to Charlotte to a Bigger Vision
Born on the South Side of Chicago, Nicole and Nichelle grew up with a natural rhythm only twins understand, a shared intuition, an unspoken communication style, and a quiet competitiveness that pushed them both to excel.
They attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where their original degree paths evolved as their interests deepened. Nichelle earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Sociology, while Nicole completed a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Criminal Justice.
At the time, traditional careers seemed like their destination. But entrepreneurship was already taking root, not as a plan, but as a mindset. They were drawn to understanding people, systems, behavior, and experience. They just didn’t know yet how those pieces would eventually come together.
A Leap Before the World Paused
In December 2019, just weeks before the world shut down, the sisters made a bold move from Chicago to Dallas. “I came to Dallas for a family reunion and knew that Dallas was the place for us,” says Nicole. They landed in Texas right before COVID changed everything, including their housing plans. What was meant to be temporary turned into two years living in an Airbnb, a surreal and uncertain period that would quietly become the foundation for everything they built next.
Instead of retreating during the pandemic, they leaned in.
By August 2020, they had launched a wine brand with no prior wine industry background, just a love for hosting, a deep curiosity, and the belief that wine culture should feel more inclusive and less intimidating. “Wine was already a part of our everyday lives. It was how we hosted friends, connected with our community, and created experiences at home, yet the industry itself felt inaccessible and disconnected from how we actually live, especially for women of color”, states Nichelle.
She continued, “At the time, we were both working in demanding corporate environments, and we reached a point where we wanted to build something that felt aligned with who we are not just professionally, but personally. We wanted ownership over something meaningful.”
To read the full story, click on the cover of the February 2026 issue
