Meet Nicole Mahoney

CEO, Break the Ice Media
CEO, Travel Alliance Partners
Host, Destination on the Left podcast

The backstory

You might say being an entrepreneur is in Nicole's DNA. As a student, she worked for her dad at the family's audio and car stereo shop, eventually taking on their annual Sound Off event held in their store parking lot. The natural marketer in her took over, and the event grew to mini-festival size, attracting up to five thousand people on a Sunday. When her dad told her to "A to Z" a project, she learned to do every step of business development, marketing strategy, PR, and branding while working her way through college and her Masters.

Professional path

With a talent for creating special events, Nicole went on to work in sports marketing at Frontier Field in Rochester, and as the executive director of the internationally known Lilac Festival. Later on she headed the Canandaigua NY BID. There were projects for Visit Rochester as well.

In 2009, she founded Break the Ice Media, with more than 20 years experience in tourism marketing.

As a business owner, Nicole knows what it takes to be successful. She founded BTI to help businesses tell their brand story through public relations, digital and traditional channels. She has the ability to uncover unique marketing opportunities, and develop marketing and public relations initiatives that help clients build long-term success.

Inside the office she loves:

Working with clients to understand their marketing needs, developing plans and executing those plans. Leading and nurturing her team. (You might call her The Founding Mother.) Watching results happen for clients.

Outside the office she loves:

Her family (husband and four daughters). Traveling on family vacations. Maine. Playing euchre with her long-time girlfriends every month. Living in wine country (and drinking that wine!).

Nicole Mahoney

"We're about doing what's best for clients. We're not territorial - there are no 'egos' here."

Posts from Nicole

How Tourism Businesses Can Plan for the New Year in Collaboration With Staff

By Nicole | December 6, 2023

A 2024 Tourism Business Plan will set you up for success. I talk to a lot of business owners and…

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The Business Case for Collaboration

By Nicole | October 4, 2023

I am a huge believer in co-opetition––where perceived competitors cooperate and come together to create something bigger together than they…

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Making a Career in Travel and Tourism

By Nicole | August 23, 2023

I attended the Destinations International Annual Convention recently and talked to several members of the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry.…

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Tourism Marketing for a Milestone Event: Getting Ready for the 2024 Eclipse

By Nicole | July 12, 2023

Milestones are major events that mark significant change or a new development. Milestones are also markers along the way to…

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Are DMOs Evolving into Placemakers?

Are DMOs Evolving into Placemakers?

By Nicole | January 4, 2023

I have been exploring the changing role of destination marketing organizations (DMOs) through conversations with guests on my podcast Destination…

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Group Travel Trends

By Nicole | December 14, 2022

Is group travel dead? My answer: yes and no! Group travel in its most traditional sense – loading 50 seniors…

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