Nicky Wake
Entrepreneur and community-builder
For 20 years, Nicky Wake has been building communities and leading award-winning events. After facing profound loss, she turned that experience into purpose. Now, Nicky creates spaces where people can connect during life’s hardest moments. As a speaker, she brings strength and empathy to every stage. Her story shows that sometimes life’s most extraordinary chapter begins when we think the story is over.
Biography
Nicky Wake is an entrepreneur, community-builder and resilience expert who thrives on turning personal adversity into meaningful and valuable connections. With over 20 years of experience in events, tech and wellbeing, she has built a career helping people navigate life’s toughest transitions. Nicky is the founder of several niche dating and support apps, including Chapter 2, which now connects over 15,000 widows and widowers globally.
Her journey began in Manchester’s vibrant 1990s party scene, where she was a regular at iconic venues such as the Haçienda and The Paradise Factory. Her energy and passion for events soon led her to create Don’t Panic Events, a global operation that produced 22 prestigious awards shows and employed 20 people. In 2020, tragedy struck with the sudden loss of her husband, Andy. This loss became a catalyst for change, and Nicky channelled her grief into purpose, launching Chapter 2 to help others who have lost their partners.
Nicky’s entrepreneurial spirit also led her to create WidowsFire, a platform for rediscovering intimacy after bereavement, and Sober Love, a dating app for those in recovery. These projects, all born from her own lived experience, have helped tens of thousands of people find connection and hope.
As a speaker, Nicky brings authenticity to the stage. She shares her personal story with humour and insight, making difficult topics like grief, entrepreneurship and sobriety relatable to audiences. Her mission? To create a million happy endings, no matter how challenging life’s chapters may be.
When she’s not speaking or building communities, Nicky is a proud Liverpudlian-turned-Mancunian, passionate about mental health and community. She is a firm believer in the power of storytelling to inspire change and bring people together.
Speaking
Broadcast
Writing
Example Videos
What do you get when you book Nicky to speak?
Nicky will promote any speaking appearances in my company blogs, newsletters and social channels with over 100k contacts globally. She will also provide a one week free trial to any audience member on her dating platforms.
