A Day in the Life: Tina Nikolovski

Posted on 17 March, 2020

If you’ve lived in Canberra for a while, chances are you’ve crossed paths with Tina Nikolovski’s work.

A photographer and founder of modelling and talent agency Devojka, Tina is one of the many dedicated creatives who keep Canberra’s fashion and lifestyle scene thriving.

We caught up with her to chat work/life balance, where she finds inspiration and what’s it’s like to balance multiple businesses.

How do you start your day?

I start my day with a strong coffee, breakfast and training!

I love hitting weights or walking up a mountain and getting my exercise done in the morning. It makes me feel good and more productive throughout the day.

What does an average workday look like to you?

None of my days ever look the same. Every single day is different (and I love my ‘job’ for this reason!). Days are comprised of any of the following: photoshoots, administration, client meetings, location scouting, coordination, marketing, sales, editing, planning, test shoots, etc.

It makes my job both challenging and exciting—as continual growth and progression are important values of mine.

So long as I am completing projects, learning and growing on various levels (business, personal development, etc) I feel alive, and that I am constantly achieving and pushing myself in all areas.

Tina Nikolovski. Credit: Jenny Wu.

You wear quite a few hats—how you balance them all?

This is a great question! I used to juggle a lot more than I do now—photography, agency, personal training and group fitness instructing.

It was a constant battle of energy (as much as I loved each facet). These days I have streamlined my focus to be a bit more simple—photography and Devojka Models / Talent, which go hand in hand.

I’ve also recently co-launched @models101.com.au alongside Jordan Martin—which is an intensive Models workshop in Canberra. Because each business is interrelated, I don’t feel like I am spreading my energy too thin, or not giving enough to any of my ventures.

What sets Models 101 apart from most other workshops is that it is not only a practical course (so the models don’t get talked at all day without the opportunity to actually discover and refine their skills), but we incorporate various layers of coaching which include mental, physical, emotional and spiritual.

We really celebrate individualism and whilst we teach the principles of movement and expression, we create a safe space for each participant to really explore who they are, what their signature style is and their intention behind ‘modelling’.

What is your favourite meal of the day?

Breakfast! I absolutely love starting my day with a healthy, balanced nutritious meal. I love poached eggs on sourdough with mushrooms and avocado!

Who inspires/motivates you?

My business partner Jordan Martin (Co-Founder of Models 101) also greatly inspires me. She is an actress, model, mother, magazine founder and editor, yoga instructor, and so much more. Above all she is super wise and humble—an amazing teacher and a great friend.

Apart from the ‘who’ of inspiration, I am greatly inspired by nature and light. As much as I am inspired by others, I also draw a lot of my inspiration (especially creatively) from within—and these ideas seem to arise organically mostly when I am in nature or driving and stumbling across various locations, at various times of the day. I am greatly inspired by light—how it illuminates various objects and how this changes over time.

Behind the Scenes for HerCanberra 2015.

Who is your dream mentor?

I’m not sure that I can attribute this question to any one person, and I am fortunate enough to have amazing mentors and a strong (yet small) support system in my life right now.

Jordan (as mentioned above), as well as my partner Anthony—consistently teach me so much about myself along the way which in turn flows through to so many other aspects of my life.

I do have to say as well that the most powerful book I’ve read to date is A New Earth—so, indirectly, Eckhart Tolle’s ideas really resonate with me and keep me challenged and focused on self-awareness

How close are you to mastering the ever-elusive ‘work-life balance’?

I don’t think there will ever be an end-point to this question, and I believe that “continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection”.

I believe that work-live-balance requires consistent, intrinsic motivation and a conscious effort to adhere to one’s own goals, to and refine current methods over time.

I can say that I have definitely improved in this area over time, but also that I still have so much room to improve. Productivity and time management (scheduling) definitely help, especially scheduling time off in advance, for example, after really busy periods of time.

I am also the most productive when I apply 100% energy to what I am doing with no distractions, and this flow-on effect (achieving more, having more rest time, ticking off tasks and progressing) is very fulfilling.

How do you wind down?

Any of the following practices (singly and in combination) help me wind down:

• Nature
• Beach
• Cycling/Hiking/Training/Swimming
• Spending time with the people I love
• Podcasts/ comedy
• Reading
• Library
• Meditation
• Switching my phone off and watching something
• Dancing (even if this is on my own in my living room!)

How do you hype yourself up?

Coffee, music and my own motivation! Being outdoors/being active and visualising what I want and how it will make me feel.

Tina Nikolovski. Credit: Jenny Wu.

It’s 7 pm on a Friday—where are you?

Haha—this is where I am a bit of a nanna. I’d be at home on my own or with my partner relaxing.

My weeks are usually so busy that by 7 pm on a Friday I’d love nothing more than to stay home and relax.

Tea or coffee?

Coffee! Double shot 3/4 latte, please.

Beach or mountains?

Definitely both, but, if I really had to pick I’d say the beach. Water really grounds me—whether I am just listening to it or fully immersed in it.

The ebb and flow of the waves and feeling weightless in the water is the ultimate feeling of mediation. What I gain from being at the beach on so many levels is hard to put into words—the healing takes place on so many levels!

Northside or southside?

I’ve lived on the Northside my entire life!

Having said that I definitely think there is beauty in both—I love exploring (even my home town new cafes, mountains, places to walk). I think there is magic in both.

Feature image: Jenny Wu.