Nichole Lobban finding success through balance

In 1999, Nichole Lobban won an award at her high school graduation for being the most well-rounded student. Since then, her whole life has been dedicated to achieving excellence through balance. Rising through the ranks as assistant vice-president of wealth management and client strategy at Sygnus Capital Limited, Lobban is dedicated to imparting lessons of balance to her now eight-year-old son and pride and joy, Luca.

While many people find their passions later in life, for the St Ann native she found fitness early.

“I got into physical activity and movement in high school. I knew how to swim well from a young age of five but where I am from the prep school that I went to down there didn’t have opportunities for a swim team and going to the stadium and participating in meets.”

Challenging herself to join the swim team when she arrived at Holy Childhood High School, she soon discovered tennis.

“The tennis court was right there but I didn’t know how to play tennis before. It was a part of the [physical education] curriculum and I just had a knack for it. I made the tennis team, so I took on both.”

Throwing herself into both her extracurriculars and her studies, by the time she graduated, Lobban’s life plan began to reveal itself.

“When I graduated, I received the award for the most all-rounded student. That was a big thing because that award taught me balance. I believe life is about [balance] in every aspect. Whatever comes your way, you have to balance, it can’t just be academics so that award I followed it throughout my life.”

She continued, “Sports to me, it teaches you discipline and gives you structure. I have an eight-year-old son and I make sure I’ve introduced him and exposed him to swimming, tennis, table tennis and football.”

Luca, who is just as passionate as Lobban about tennis, plays every Sunday with his mother at the Liguanea Club.

Beaming as she spoke, she said, “He’s perfect. I couldn’t be prouder.”

“I am a single mother but I have a perfect arrangement with his dad where we do [a] week on, week off. It works for all three of us. It helps me to balance my life as well. I believe he’s in a good place. He’s a confident child like me and his father. He’s a social butterfly sometimes, sometimes he’s super miserable but you know, he’s a kid. He’s the apple of my eye.”

While Lobban’s life, which includes working out with a trainer three days a week, playing tennis and running two days a week, periodic hikes and a laundry list of work commitments, is in its simplest form hectic, she believes she has found a perfect balance between her needs and Luca’s.

“I am doing a great job, as all mothers should feel. I do as best [as] I can for him. I encourage him, I make him feel confident in himself and regardless of where a child is, I believe that is the responsibility of a parent to push their kid and encourage them to be a better person.”

Not taking all the credit, she says much of this balance is because of her understanding work life.

“To be honest with you, that is attributed to work as well. You can work somewhere and they don’t understand family life challenges or they might not appreciate the unique challenges of their team members and I find that Sygnus pushes that. We are a family there, we are a small organisation and I find that all of the execs [and] the managers all understand their team and allow for that flexibility to each [person’s] unique circumstance.”

While supporting her company and her family, Lobban says there is simply no her without fitness.

“I love it. It makes me feel good about myself. It helps clear my mind and helps me to get away from the grind of work, reality, everything.”

shanel.lemmie@gleanerjm.com