Nicki Perchik

Nicki Perchik is an author, entrepreneur, and proud mom of two amazing young men. She is the founder and CEO of The NLP Group, a boutique executive search firm she launched in 2008 that has helped hundreds of companies hire exceptional leaders and assisted thousands of professionals in advancing their careers.

For nearly two decades, Nicki has worked at the intersection of ambition and opportunity. Through her recruiting work, she saw firsthand how often talented professionals unknowingly sabotaged themselves during job searches and interviews. Determined to help people avoid unnecessary setbacks, she wrote A Recruiter’s Truly Simple Guide to Stop Fcking Up When Job Searching & Interviewing* — a candid, practical, humor-filled guide designed to help professionals shorten their job searches, improve outcomes, and approach interviews with confidence.

But long before she was building companies or writing career advice, Nicki was writing stories.

As a child, she would mail handwritten tales to her grandmother, who kept them in a special box and read them aloud at the kitchen table during visits. Storytelling has always been part of who she is.

Years later, as a parent, Nicki became increasingly aware of the challenges today’s children face — especially declining literacy rates and the growing difficulty of pulling kids away from screens and into books. With over half of U.S. adults reading below a sixth-grade level and only about a third of fourth graders considered proficient readers, she felt compelled to act. Reading is foundational to everything: learning, critical thinking, confidence, and opportunity.

At home, however, motivating her own boys to read was no easy feat. They loved action, humor, and real-world adventure — but weren’t drawn to sci-fi or fantasy. Finding books that held their attention felt like striking gold.

The only thing they loved more than sports or electronics? Their grandmother — Nicki’s mom — and her wildly entertaining, sometimes unbelievable, real-life stories.

Those “Nana stories” became the spark.

Blending her passion for literacy, her love of family storytelling, and her desire to create more engaging books for reluctant readers, Nicki created The Adventures of Nana Z. series. Told through the eyes of her grandson Max, the series follows Nana Z — a fearless, lovable, slightly chaotic grandmother with colorful hair, tattoos, a Harley, and a knack for turning ordinary days into extraordinary adventures. The books deliver humor, heart, action, and meaningful life lessons in ways tweens can connect with.

But Nicki didn’t stop at storytelling.

Each book in The Adventures of Nana Z. supports a charitable cause. A portion of proceeds from the first installment, The Adventures of Nana Z. — It’s RIGHTEOUS!, benefits Tails Together, a nonprofit animal rescue and shelter dedicated to bridging the gap between rescues, shelters, families, and communities. Through book sales and community events, Nicki works to raise awareness, funds, and hands-on support for animals in need.

Whether she’s helping executives land life-changing roles, encouraging professionals to bet on themselves, or inspiring tweens to unplug and discover the joy of reading, Nicki’s mission is consistent: empower people, strengthen communities, and create impact that lasts.