We were lucky to catch up with Nichelle Lyster recently and have shared our conversation below.
Nichelle , thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
As cheesy as it may sound, my resilience has so often come from an unwavering commitment to Love. I’m so fortunate to have an abundance of love in my life, from my parents, siblings, and deep friendships, to the mountain home I was born into and the ocean side homes I’ve been able to choose since. This love continuously reminds me how precious life is and helps to guide me through my hardest and most confusing moments. Another source of my resiliency comes through a vision that I’ve always had growing up. I know that we as a collective culture have the capacity to be in better relationship to each other and this planet, and I am relentlessly inspired by what that could look like.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am the founder of a company called Change The Lights, an event and cultural development consultancy. Before I expand on what that entails, I’ll share a moment in my life where the lights really changed for me. In my early 20’s, living in West Oakland CA, I joined the West Oakland Mini Grant Committee. An organization creating meaningful change in the lives and environments of the West Oakland community.
I received a grant, and with it I chose to produce a neighborhood block party and earthquake preparedness event. It was the first event I ever produced. With an amazing spread of food, face painting, and a local New Orleans Brass Band, it turned into a very vibrant day. We provided each household with an emergency hand crank powered radio, and ensured the neighbors had each other’s contact information, so they could look after each other in the event of an earthquake. To be sure that I don’t discount the accompanying chaos of planning this production, I’ll share that I did hurl my phone at my pillow the morning of the event.
At the end of the night as everyone was returning to their homes, I heard one neighbor say to another, “So what are we doing for Labor day?” It’s hard to describe how big this simple comment felt to me, but in that moment I learned something about the momentum of connection, and its ability to foster community and ultimately build culture.
I was sparked that night, and since then have gone on to produce various purpose driven events throughout different parts of the world. Change The Lights now works with teams and organizations to enhance their employee experience and improve internal company systems. We host ecologically focused events that blend amazing experiences with educational and actionable solutions. Events inspired by witnessing the ripple effect of what happens when we empower each other and the intelligence in our environment. What can happen when we combine our genius toward common goals? I continue to be amazed by watching people come together to cultivate greatness.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I’d say… continue to show up. If there are ideas or interests that stay with you over weeks, months or years, they are probably with you for a reason. Keep tending to them. Call on your community for guidance and support, because nothing happens in a vacuum, and we all have wisdom to share. Each project needs a steward and each sailor needs wind for the sails. If you hit a wall, reach out, and then do your best to receive the help that can be offered to you. Continue to seek out that which inspires you, be it person, place, region or artistic expression, and let it feed the part of yourself that creates game changing greatness.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
One of the main things I look for when working with an organization, is that the leadership team recognizes the power in investing in their culture. They see how issues bleed out in many directions and instead of limiting themselves by only reacting, they choose to respond proactively by improving the foundational systems. These organizations know what an asset it is to build healthy cultural habits that support the whole human inside the employee, and the whole company beyond just what is being produced.
Event wise, I orient around causes that are committed to the betterment of people and planet, which can look many different ways. I strive to be creative and joyful in the artistic visioning, and remain dedicated to the beneficial outcomes that outlast just the events themselves.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.changethelights.org/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nichelle-lyster-b0b57b49/
