Dr. Venus Nicolino, M.A., M.A., Ph.D., is a doctor of clinical psychology as well as a no-holds-barred reality TV host, No. 1 bestselling author, and podcast host. Affectionately known as Dr. V, Nicolino is sharp-tongued, with a mind to match, and she’s made a name for herself in the self-help space.
Dr. Venus Nicolino is best known for her irreverent philosophy and TV appearances. She’s appeared in over 100 episodes of reality TV. Nicolino has also been featured on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, The Millionaire Matchmaker, The Dr. Oz Show, Rachael Ray, and The Real. She hosts a star-studded podcast, “The Tea With Dr. V.” Dr. V also wrote Bad Advice: How to Survive and Thrive in an Age of Bulls–t, which was No. 1 in the Los Angeles Times, a USA Today National Bestseller, and a featured book in the New York Post.
What is your business all about?
As a doctor of clinical psychology, I help people see through the illusion of so-called “gurus.” Experts are overrated and can feel out of touch. That makes change seem out of reach for normal people just trying to manage their minds and lives.
- My book, Bad Advice: How to Survive and Thrive in an Age of Bulls–t, isn’t page after page of feel-good nonsense that makes no impact on the reader’s life. Bad Advice exposes conventional wisdom that can often be terrible advice, and instead offers genuine guidance that compels readers to take action.
- Also, I host a weekly podcast, The Tea With Dr. V, where I sit down with celebrities to chat about their struggles. I dish out science-based solutions to their real-world problems and urge them to face fears they may not realize are keeping them stuck. Many guests reach out long after the show ends because they feel heard and comfortable talking with me.
- I’ve also been blessed to star in TV shows like LA Shrinks and Marriage Boot Camp. Television is a great vehicle to carry my message but my main mission is to provide down-to-earth advice. To be of help to people let down by book after book on self-help because without each other, that human connection, real help will remain just out of reach.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your company
I grew up in a working-class family in West Philly. Our small home was tight quarters with seven people living there and plenty of problems in our neighborhood. An area filled with gritty people who didn’t have any quit in them despite these problems. As a child, I’d hear about various issues when neighbors gathered and chatted, and I had a sense that more could be done to solve these problems.
Later I would see an opportunity to be of help in that arena so I earned my master’s in counseling psychology, and a master’s and Ph.D. in clinical psychology. I’ve worked in both academic and clinical settings. Through hard work and good fortune, I have enjoyed a successful career in television, radio, and print.
What are your plans for the future, and how do you plan to grow this company?
I’m focused on providing mental health and mind management tools to those who have no real access to mental health services. We are doing that via podcasting, books, apps, radio, and tv. There has never been a greater need when it comes to mental health in our age of distraction, loss of connection and technological overwhelm that we have barely begun to understand. My goal is to use the science and art of psychology to offer relief from constant anxiety and give my audience mind management tools that empower and provide hope.
How do you separate yourself from your competitors?
From my vantage, there are so many people hurting out there and struggling with mental well-being that competition is not an issue. We need as many capable professionals as possible trying to help a stressed-out population overdosing on anxiety and lacking hope.
What people find unique about my approach is my directness. I don’t believe in avoiding conflict because avoiding it solves nothing and actually makes things worse. We need to care enough to have the conflict. My belief in one another is also a differentiator, as I have no faith in solo self-help. Without human-to-human engagement, we cannot survive, much less thrive.
What were the top three mistakes you made starting your business, and what did you learn from them?
Every entrepreneur has lots of mistakes to choose from so it would take a while to rank my top three. I prefer to spend my time learning from mistakes or so-called failures instead of dwelling on them. Failure is nothing more than learning as long as you’re paying attention. My parents taught me to get up after getting knocked down, but it is also wise to pause to see what keeps knocking you down so you can correct course.
Tell us a little bit about your marketing process. What has been the most successful form of marketing for you?
Instead of having a giant marketing team, we try to do as much good as possible and the word will keep spreading. That is my belief, so I plan to keep doing things organically. If one person feels they received a gift in one of my messages each day, then I feel like I did my best.
People tell me my schedule seems overwhelming — I’m everywhere all the time. But it doesn’t feel that way to me because I am doing what I was put here to do, being of service. So I’m not exhausted by it, rather, I’m energized by it.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
Challenges have been part of my life just like everyone else. Growing up in a tough neighborhood wasn’t easy but the experience helped me develop a thick skin and the motivation to escape some of those inherent issues. My family wasn’t perfect and neither was I so learning to navigate home life, even as a teenager, was both a challenge and a learning opportunity.
The challenge of being an outspoken professional woman in a male-dominated industry is an endless one it seems. Two steps forward and one step back can be frustrating to women as a whole. But just like all the other challenges, backing down from them is not an option.
If you started your business again, what things would you do differently?
Go back and get more sleep and say “no” to more, but that ship has sailed. Honestly, if we had do-overs there would still be outcomes we didn’t like. Perfection is not written into any part of the life code. That includes business, especially business. It is a process with tons of ups and downs. No need to get off the roller coaster and start over when things don’t go as planned. You just ride it out, making adjustments while moving forward.
What’s a productivity tip you swear by?
Protect your schedule at all costs. I’ve found I can be super-efficient with my time if I don’t waste it on activities that don’t line up with my mission. I say “no” much more these days. I also leave technology-heavy tasks to others. A sharp tech expert is worth their weight in gold setting up and fixing technical systems which could otherwise waste hours of valuable time.
What is your favorite quote?
“Assumptions are the termites of relationships.”
– Henry Winkler
“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”
– Ayn Rand
“The human mind is a channel through which things-to-be are coming into the realm of things-that-are.”
– Henry Ford
What valuable advice would you give new entrepreneurs starting out?
Pick one thing you are good at but also possess natural skills that make that thing a fit. Then follow that path with a passion. Stay focused because you cannot do everything nor chase endless shiny objects if you hope to be successful.
Who should we interview next and why?
Alex Honnold or Chel Hamilton since both offer hope and courage in a time of worry and fear. Alex does it through breathtaking free-solo mountain climbing. Chel does it through her Meditation Minis Podcast that guides people toward more peace with short doable meditations.
How do you personally overcome fear?
Facing fears is the way to handle fear because eliminating it is impossible. The more we face fears the more comfortable we become in doing so. I know I’ll never be fearless or completely at ease taking on fears. Yet, knowing I’ve stepped up to the plate, again and again, is a big help for future meet and greets with fear.
How can readers get in touch with you?
You can find me on all your favorite social media platforms and check out my podcast, The Tea With Dr. V, to hear deeper conversations with your favorite celebrity guests.
