🌐 Bold Types: stories and community for women who write, travel and build.

Hiya 🤗

I'm Nika—a writer, adventurer and author with a 25+ years of experience across radio, TV, print, digital and social.

My passion is solo travel and slow adventures—not just seeing places but getting under the skin of them. Blending journalism and tourism. Walking my way to stories (my feet are wiser than my head), finding cultural connection and a deeper understanding through the people who live there: local families, creatives, journalists. And always, the taste of place.

I’ve worked with global media and brands, including the BBC, Emap, News UK, DMGT, Bauer, Wizja TV, Foxtel, Expedia, Saatchi & Saatchi, Weber Shandwick and Publicis. 12x book babies on health and wellness.

I mentor journos through the NUJ and host a Writers’ Café in Hastings & St Leonards.

Work and collaborate with me → see my offerings

What you’ll get

Your weekly hit of optimism and grit, recommended by Hotflash Inc. as “a helpful newsletter for the intersection of writing, the digital world and entrepreneurship, which can be a lonely place for many of us.”

Free subscribers - all public posts and the comments.

Paid subscribers - The Bold Types Club

A community for women who write, travel and build. A lively space to share bold ideas, honest stories and make real connections—wherever you are in the world.

Inside:

• 1:1 DMs with me

• The monthly Bold Call - office hours and guest speakers

• Members group chat - travel tips, opportunities and resources

• ‘Ask a Boldie’ Reader Mailbag — your travel questions, answered by the community

• Occasional outings - including our Writers’ Café in Hastings and journo walks

Founding members - everything above, plus you’re directly supporting my work and helping me pay it forward through gift subscriptions and fundraising. A true patron of the arts :)

Long-time founding member: Nige Cook - writer and physicist.

However you support me THANK YOU. It means the world.

I'm in

Why Bold Types?

Because the world is chaotic. Journalism is a struggling industry, and freelance rates have been stagnant for YEARS.

We’re seeing a massive shift in how media gets made and who controls it. No more gatekeepers - the audience decides. Worker-owned journo co-operatives, the rise of the Substack Motel, platform promiscuity…

It’s fast, messy, a bit Wild West and the most exciting and trusted space in journalism right now. People are paying for it. I’m here for it.

It’s not ‘Solo Vs Co’ though - it’s about better journalism infrastructure and what we build between the two. No woman is an island.

My mission: Blending journalism and tourism.

Celebrating culture, telling stories, and empowering women to explore the world.

Wall of Love

I was impressed with how much you connected to people and the place when you were here. You’ve got a gift for it. Not everybody is like that - comfortable striking up conversations with strangers. - Marianne Lehnis, Founder, The Green Techpreneur

They should frame this newsletter in the Louvre—simply a joy to read! — Eoin Whyte, Chief Revenue Officer & co-founder, Savvy.
Here to help with your content gaps! 💎

Nika is writing about the business of writing in a way no one else is and the intersection of writing and AI. — Sarah Fay, Founder, Substack Writers @ Work.

Recommended reading for Workforce Futurists! — Andy Spence, Founder, Workforce Futurist.

Gold star for reading this far! 🤩

Working in travel media? I’d love to connect. Get in touch - nika@nikatalbot.io.

Nika x

PS All genders are welcome here btw - I love men. I’m focused on helping and celebrating women as it’s still a man’s world. I donate a % of my profits to Women for Women International.