Once written off as a school dropout, Nicky Wallis is now at the forefront of a major shift in UK business leadership. As the Founder and Director of TEAL Learning Solutions, she’s pioneering a bold, human-focused approach to developing leaders—one built on lived experience and resilience rather than corporate theory.
In an era where burnout, absenteeism and high staff turnover are draining British businesses of billions annually, Wallis’s emotionally intelligent leadership strategies offer a powerful alternative. Her tailored training initiatives have helped organisations halve attrition rates and nurture talent all the way to the boardroom, earning her reputation as a change-maker in the corporate sphere.
But Wallis’s rise didn’t begin in a boardroom—it started in the chaos of an unsettled childhood.
At the age of 12, her formal education was abruptly interrupted when she was removed from school and relocated first to India, then Canada. These formative years, marked by instability and disconnection, forced her to rely on books and self-study. “I was desperate to understand people,” Wallis recalls. “What drives their choices? Why do they behave the way they do?” Her curiosity for human psychology became the foundation of her future calling.
Although she adapted well to her new environment in Canada, the gaps in her education ultimately prevented her from graduating. At 19, she returned to the UK on her own, without a support system or clear direction. By 23, she was a mother. But soon, the desire for more than family life reignited her ambition. A casual suggestion from a friend to work part-time in hospitality would set her on a new trajectory.
Within six months, Wallis had climbed the ranks to Assistant Manager. By 30, she was running three restaurants as General Manager, turning around failing locations and gaining a reputation as “The Manager-Making Machine” for her ability to build high-performing teams. One of her biggest triumphs saw her lead a struggling restaurant from a 26% decline to a 32% uplift in performance.
Her fascination with human dynamics soon opened doors beyond hospitality. At The Restaurant Group, she oversaw training for 27 brands at UK airports, crafting development programmes under intense operational pressure. Later, at Gaucho, she designed a company-wide academy that turned kitchen porters into head chefs and area managers into company leaders—proving her core belief that anyone can learn to lead.
Yet her ascent wasn’t without personal setbacks. “The personal hurdles I’ve faced have actually been my greatest teachers,” Wallis shares. “They gave me perspective, empathy, and creativity; qualities that shape my work every day.”
In June 2023, Wallis founded TEAL Learning Solutions with a mission to give back to the industry that once empowered her. TEAL delivers bespoke, emotionally intelligent leadership training that addresses today’s toughest workplace challenges—whether generational divides, mental health, or team retention. Top-tier hospitality brands like Sushi Samba and Coya are already among its growing client base.
Unlike many leadership providers still relying on theory-heavy models, Wallis champions action-driven transformation. Whether she’s hosting European bootcamps or consulting leadership teams on recruitment strategy, her approach is grounded in the principle that people—not profit margins—are the most powerful asset a business can cultivate.
“We’re not just creating better leaders,” says Wallis. “We’re helping individuals understand themselves, build empathy, and drive meaningful change.”
Nicky Wallis’s story proves that the most unconventional beginnings can still produce remarkable success. From leaving school early to leading a national leadership revolution, her journey is a rallying cry for businesses to embrace empathy, purpose, and potential.
