

How Sports Agent Nicole Lynn Is Making Major League Money Moves In A Male-Dominated Industry
There's something truly admirable about black women who aren't afraid to break barriers, get their hands dirty, or march towards success to the beautiful rhythm of their goals and ambitions. When a black woman wins, it feels like we all win. And as a black woman whose no stranger to the heart and hustle it takes to be successful, Agent Nicole Lynn is a living testament of that truth.
The sports agent/practicing attorney has recently had booming notoriety due to what she's been able to accomplish in the realm of sports, specifically the NFL. Most notably, Lynn earned the title of first female agent to ever represent a top NFL agency, PlayersRep, which would eventually become acquired by Lil Wayne's Young Money APAA Sports. Since then, Lynn has continued to set trails ablaze. Her clientele varies from coaches of both NCAA and NFL teams, to public figures in the entertainment world with an extensive list boasting names that include players from the Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos, and even a prima ballerina. More recently, she's gained significant recognition as the first black woman to represent a Top 3 draft pick in the NFL with NY Jets Defensive Tackle, Quinnen Williams.
Agent Nicole Lynn pictured with Quinnen WilliamsCourtesy of Nicole Lynn
One thing's for sure, Agent Lynn doesn't believe in playing small. And if her track record isn't any indication, she didn't just come to play, she came to win.
In this xoExclusive, Lynn chats with us about her career journey, her history-making wins, and how she stays on top of her game on and off the football field:
xoNecole: When you were in college at OU [The University of Oklahoma], sports were obviously monumental to you. After that, you went from law school to Wall Street. At what point did you decide this was the career path you wanted to pursue, or did you always know this was something you wanted to do at some point?
Nicole Lynn: I didn't always know the exact title of the role I wanted, but I knew I wanted to help athletes to be successful both on and off the field. Because of this, every single move I made was to reach this goal. Every educational and career decision I made has been extremely calculated with the same endgame in mind. I realize it can be rare for someone to almost always have known what they wanted to do in life, but that was the case for me.
Credit: Farran Manuel with Farran Manuel Photography
"Every educational and career decision I made has been extremely calculated with the same endgame in mind. I realize it can be rare for someone to almost always have known what they wanted to do in life, but that was the case for me."
xoNecole: Speaking of keeping your education and career in alignment with what you ultimately came to do, I had no clue law school was a prerequisite to becoming a sports agent prior to learning about you. Can you explain what your educational path was in pursuit of becoming a sports agent?
NL: I didn't just attend the University of Oklahoma because it was in my home state. OU is a football powerhouse where many of the athletes go on to play in the NFL. After completing a business management degree, I went to law school knowing that it would prepare me for the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) agent exam. I interned with the NFLPA before starting as an agent so I could learn everything I could about life after football. I pursued a career in finance knowing that my purpose there was to soak in everything I could to help athletes retain wealth.
xoNecole: As the first black woman to walk this lane and take on this role in your career, did you know going into this field that you would be the first? And does it add any pressure to your day-to-day?
NL: Simply being a woman in this industry, it puts an enormous amount of pressure on me every day. Now, add the fact that I am black and only 30. All of that together is a recipe for immediate doubt and underestimation from both potential clients and fellow sports agents. It's very important to me that I don't allow that to put me in a place where I begin to doubt my own abilities. I know that I have worked extremely hard to get here and that I am just as capable as my male counterparts. For this reason, I went into this industry knowing that I didn't want to just exist. I made it a goal of mine to break stereotypes and make history. When my client's name was called at the 2019 NFL Draft, two people's dreams came true. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be recognized as the first and I look forward to continuing to shift the perception of women in this industry.
Credit: Farran Manuel with Farran Manuel Photography
"Simply being a woman in this industry, it puts an enormous amount of pressure on me every day. Now, add the fact that I am black and only 30. All of that together is a recipe for immediate doubt and underestimation from both potential clients and fellow sports agents. It's very important to me that I don't allow that to put me in a place where I begin to doubt my own abilities."
xoNecole: Oftentimes when navigating predominantly male spaces, we feel the need to blend instead of embracing the things that make us women. What are some ways you own your identity and what are some ways that being a woman in your field might’ve posed a challenge in your career?
NL: People are always shocked when I say that one of my biggest challenges in the sports business is choosing how to style myself for meetings and events. You'll likely catch me in a 5-inch heel and red lipstick on any given day, but I am always very conscious of the way I look because it is what people will see and judge me on first. It's a struggle to say the least, but I am very lucky to have a team that helps me balance my look and stand out as a respected woman in this industry. I am very adamant about not being "one of the boys". I want to be a woman that receives the same level of opportunity and respect as my male counterparts. The goal is not simply to be accepted. The goal will always be to break stereotypes and shift attitudes towards the presence of women in male-dominated spaces. We are just as knowledgeable, hard-working, and deserving as men with similar qualities.
xoNecole: How are you able to balance keeping up with a busy schedule as a wife without one role superseding the other?
NL: I can't lie, it is very difficult to manage my career and personal life. I often share how crazy it is to have two full-time careers on my social media. I'm at the law office most of the week, working sports when I get home at night, and traveling all over the place for my clients on the weekends. I'm sure you can imagine that it is easy for me to be exhausted a lot of the time. However, I am extremely lucky to have an amazing support system surrounding me. I don't know what I would do without my husband. I am so blessed to share this journey with someone that is so genuinely supportive and makes sure that I keep my head on straight. We are really each other's biggest cheerleaders. Also, my friend circle is unmatched! My girls always make sure I'm straight and hold me accountable for dedicating time to self-care. They literally call or Facetime me on my off-day to make sure I'm actually relaxing. God has truly blessed me with family and friends that have my back just as much as I have theirs.
Credit: Farran Manuel with Farran Manuel Photography
"I am very adamant about not being 'one of the boys'. I want to be a woman that receives the same level of opportunity and respect as my male counterparts. The goal is not simply to be accepted. The goal will always be to break stereotypes and shift attitudes towards the presence of women in male-dominated spaces. We are just as knowledgeable, hard-working, and deserving as men with similar qualities."
xoNecole: It’s been such an honor conversing with you, but before I let you go, I just want to mention that being a woman who is also slowly working her own way into the sports industry and finally having someone to look up to well into my adult life, you really do inspire me. What would be your advice to young women who are looking to get into the sports industry as well?
NL: Be dedicated to gaining as much knowledge as you possibly can, even if there is very little financial gain in the beginning. Sometimes the best payment you can get is not monetary. I would also encourage seeking both a mentor and a sponsor. Someone that can guide you and help you learn how to make the best professional decisions, and then someone who is in a decision-making position and has the influence to actually move your career forward. Lastly, I strongly encourage knowing your worth and being unapologetically confident in your abilities. If you have put in the work and you possess the knowledge and skills necessary to get the job done, then you deserve that seat at the table. Don't allow anyone to tell you differently.
For more on Nicole Lynn, follow her on Instagram and visit her website.
Featured image by Farran Manuel with Farran Manuel Photography
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Exclusive: Kelly Rowland Dishes On The Key To A Healthy Marriage And Her Skincare "Game-Changers"
Kelly Rowland is like a bottle of the Earth’s finest wine; she only gets better with time. Even in her early forties, the Destiny’s Child member and singer has somehow found a way to age backwards, with a level of grace and class that we could only dream of. And she does so while juggling multiple hats and roles at once. In addition to giving us hits like “Motivation,” the multi-hyphenate is also a wife, actress, executive producer, and, her greatest role of all, a mother.
Always proudly doting on her two sons, Titan and Noah, Rowland shares how teaming up with WaterWipes for their Hallowclean campaign and kickoff event in New York City on October 21 was an easy choice for her—as the brand is one that she keeps stocked regularly.
“WaterWipes has been in my household for I don’t know how long. We don’t just use them for Noah; I keep them in the car and my makeup bag, too,” Rowland shares in an exclusive interview with xoNecole. “I also like the fact that they are natural. I’ll definitely have them in my fanny pack for trick-or-treating. This is Noah’s second Halloween, and I know he’s going to be excited and digging in his pail to try the different candy, and his little fingers will be messy. He’s going to want to get dirty. So, I love that WaterWipes is putting up ten Hallowclean stations across the country for parents to use; it’s such a great idea. I just love Halloween, and I really love Halloween with my kids, so I thought this campaign was a really great idea.”
Kelly Rowland and son Noah at the WaterWipes Hallowclean Machine in Brooklyn, NY.
Photo courtesy of WaterWipes.
She and her youngest son, Noah, attended the event, where the two enjoyed a day of family-friendly activities while he sported the most adorable astronaut costume. But the Spooky Szn fun doesn’t stop there for the Merry Liddle Christmas actress and executive producer.
We recently caught up with Kelly Rowland over Zoom to learn more about her Halloween (and holiday) plans, her keys to a healthy marriage, and she even dropped her go-to cold-weather skin routine—finally.
xoNecole: What are your family’s upcoming trick-or-treat plans? Will you do a fun group costume, or is everyone going to do their own thing this year?
Kelly Rowland: I’m preparing for tour, so I’ve been in rehearsals and pre-production. And my husband's schedule has picked up, too. But the kids are going trick-or-treating; we usually go with people we know, so mommy and daddy will definitely be home to take them. We’re actually letting the kids dress us up this year, which means my costume will be a complete surprise to me. I told Noah he could paint my face or even go to the costume store and pick something out—it’s literally up to them. So, I don’t know what that will be. And, right after, I’ll be back to rehearsals.
xoN: Speaking of holidays, what do you look forward to most during the season?
KR: We love having people over, especially during the holidays. It looks like we will be home this year—thank God— just enjoying each other and spending quality time together. I like to decorate the house and go completely ham; it always looks like Christmas threw up in my house. From the stairwells to the exterior of the house and the lights—everything. We go so crazy. I also love the smells, it’s one of my greatest memories with my mom, God rest her soul. So I love to play all of that up.
I like to bake something every day, I like to make sure there is something for the kids to do or make each day, we watch Christmas movies, and we even do a wine tasting sometimes. It’s just all really sweet and cozy.
Kelly Rowland and son Noah at the WaterWipes Hallowclean Machine in Brooklyn, NY.
Photo courtesy of WaterWipes.
xoN: We love that family is so important to you, and it always shows in your posts, especially those with your husband. What would you say has been that “key” to a healthy marriage as partners and spouses for you two?
KR: I would say, each of us doing the self-work. I have not seen marriages last long in my lifetime. I haven’t been given the tools to “make it last forever.” We just try to do the work on ourselves and not sweat the small stuff.
Communication is key for us, too. We communicate everything. Whether I’m upset or I’m not sure about something, I communicate it. I also just like being around him, he’s fun. He’s a really great person and makes me laugh. We can literally sit together and watch a game and not say anything. We understand what true intimacy is, and now we’re almost ten years into our marriage.
xoN: Now, Kelly, we have to ask. Skincare. What is your cold-weather routine and the products you’re reaching for as temperatures drop?
KR: Right now, I’m all about moisture. I will wash my face morning and night, I do not skip. I’m obsessed with this 111SKIN toner. It smells good, but it also feels good on my skin. There’s also this product from Vanessa Lee of The Things We Do. They are these coconut eye patches with these little beads. I place them under my eyes and around the corners of my mouth—talk about a game changer. I like to put them on at night and then rub in the extra serum all over my face. Between that and this lactic acid by Shani Darden, they are both game-changers for me this season.
xoN: So, since you’ve found the key to aging backwards, should we be on the lookout for the Kelly Rowland skincare line anytime soon?
KR: Honestly, that market is so saturated. I wanted to do it a while back, but I have to really think about what I want to bring to the marketplace to really impact culture. It’s not just about a product for me. I love the way Selena Gomez has created a community. I want to be able to create a community as well. When it’s not just about skincare, it turns into a space for people to be their most authentic selves. And that’s what I love.
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Feature image by Natasha Campos/Getty Images for Tres Generaciones
Jay-Z Talks Blue Ivy Reclaiming Her Power On Stage Following Years Of Public Scrutiny Over Her Hair
Blue Ivy Carter has had the public's attention since before she was born due to her parents being power couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z. While the Carters are super private compared to many other celebrities and make very few family appearances, people are glued to their every move, especially their firstborn, Blue, and her siblings, Rumi and Sir. The 11-year-old joined her famous mother on her RENAISSANCE World Tour this year and blew audiences away with her dance moves to "My Power," and fans are hoping to see more from the preteen as she continues to grow up. Her father, Jay-Z, gushed about his daughter during an interview with CBS Mornings.
“What makes me super proud — and I still get goosebumps seeing her walk onstage — is because Blue’s been ... born into a life she didn’t ask for,” the Brooklyn rapper said. “Since she was born, she’s been in scrutiny and public eye, and everyone having an opinion — even a little girl, how she keeps her hair. So for her to be on that stage and reclaim her power, and the song is called ‘My Power’ ... you can’t write a better script.”
When Blue was younger, she was subjected to many negative comments about her hair and hair texture as it was often worn natural. However, there were others who defended her and called out those who were hair-shaming. The Grammy award-winner continues to wear her hair in natural styles, including braids, which she wore throughout the RENAISSANCE World Tour. Jay-Z continued to praise his daughter and shared how she became a part of the tour. "I know how nervous she was. I know how frightened she was, and she wanted to do it," he said.
"She wanted to do it the first night, and we was like, okay, if this something you want to do, you can't just go out there. You gotta go work with the dancers and go work, and she worked every day and watched her work hard, and she had a little icy pack thing on her back some days."
Fans will get to see more insight into Blue's performance and the RENAISSANCE tour in Beyoncé's upcoming film RENAISSANCE: A Film By Beyoncé, which hits theaters on December 1, 2023.
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Feature image by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation