Meet Nicole Harned | Pharmacist, Model, and Mom

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicole Harned and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I have always been both left- and right-brained, meaning I gravitate towards careers and hobbies which provide me an opportunity to use my more logistical and my more creative sides equally. Basically, if I’m limited to one avenue of expression, I feel restricted and claustrophobic. So, for me, choosing a career which allows flexibility to pursue multiple interests was essential.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Besides modeling, I am a also the pharmacy manager at a large retail grocery-chain in Denver. I was just promoted to a much more high-volume store, so we’ll see how it impacts my other interests.

It was not an easy road to get where I am professionally today. I spent four years in college, four in pharmacy school, and a year of residency to get where I am now. My undergraduate degree is in Music (Flute Performance), but I was also taking all the prerequisites for pharmacy school as well as doing internships and modeling.

As a petite blonde, it has been a challenge to be taken seriously professionally, especially among older clientele. The expression on some of my patient’s faces when they ask to speak to the manager and I tell them it’s me is priceless. Honestly though, it doesn’t bother me.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Denver is such an exciting place to visit as there are so many things to do both indoors and out. Depending on the time of year, I would recommend a ski trip to Steamboat Springs followed by a visit to Strawberry Hot Springs. In the summer, start with a dinner at Abejas in Golden, then head to Red Rocks for a concert. You can also take your pups on a walk around Sloan Lake then take them with you to Joyride Brewery across the street, then grab a cookie to go at Crumbl.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Through the years I have been modeling, I’ve worked with some amazing photographers, hair/make up artists, stylists, body painting artists, magazine editors, mentors, and many others. There have been so many influential people in my life that it’s hard to narrow it down.

I do want to specifically recognize Caryn International in St. Louis Park, MN, however, for providing me the groundwork training in modeling and acting that has served me well. Tiffany Ogle, a former Miss Minnesota, was one of my early mentors and I am very grateful for her guidance.

Anderson Model and Talent Agency in Amarillo, TX, also deserves a shoutout. They helped me get modeling work while I was in graduate school, and they supported both of my careers.

I have been fortunate to work with some of the best photographers in Denver, and while it’s impossible to acknowledge them all, some of the ones that have really made a difference in my life are: Don Hales, Tony Clapp, Radek Hruby, Rachel Sorbet, Jonny Edward, Ricky Zastrow, Anderson Gonzalez, Mark Ross, Ginny Haupert, Josh Edstedt, and Hien Nguyen,

Website: iznicole.com

Instagram: @iz_nicolexoxo

Image Credits
Radek Hruby, Ricky Zastrow, Rachel Sorbet, Tony Clapp, Evan Kane, Anderson Gonzalez, Mark Ross