Believing in Herself, a Pierce County Entrepreneur Lifts Others 

April 30, 2026

Nikki Battles is on a mission to help plus-sized, aka “fluffy” people, to embrace themselves, love themselves, and treat themselves to nice things. She knows what it’s like to be marginalized by “fat phobia” and remembers all too well going shopping and finding “nothing cute” for plus-sized people, “only mumus,” she laments. 

“I am a fat Black Woman. I needed to pursue my dreams. I wanted to create a fluffy-centric version of Spencer’s,” she said, referencing the nationally popular eclectic gift store. 

She did it, thanks to her own perseverance, mentoring from a community partner, and a credit union that loaned her some of the startup money she needed. 

Fluffy Girl Creations brings life to Nikki’s design talent, offering an array of whimsical grooming products and jewelry. Think: bath bombs shaped like a heavenly slice of pizza, drinking tumblers that say, “Feed me tacos and tell me I’m pretty,” and earrings shaped like fried chicken that look, well, good enough to eat. 

Before taking the plunge, Nikki spent months attending workshops for would-be entrepreneurs and leveraging resources provided by community organizations. That led her to the William Factory Small Business Incubator, a partner that continues to stand behind her. 

“From the outset, Nikki demonstrated strong initiative, creativity, and leadership by actively participating in community events, advocating for fellow business owners, and raising awareness around her brand’s mission of representation, confidence, and inclusion,” said Tim Strege, Executive Director. 

The incubator team told Nikki about the Small Business Resiliency Loan (SBRL) program and introduced her to Craig Shaw in the Commercial Lending Department at North Coast Credit Union.  

“It was a pleasure working with Nikki and supporting the vision behind Fluffy Girl Creations,” said Shaw. “She was engaged, asked great questions, and stayed in close communication throughout the process. I’m glad we could help her business move forward.” 

Her $4,000 loan was approved and after she paid it off, she received a matching grant. She was able to purchase design supplies, expand her inventory, and secure space at vendor events, giving Fluffy Girl Creations much more exposure to potential customers. 

“This program gave a girl with bad credit a chance to boost her credit and also learn a little money management,” Nikki said. “Don’t get me wrong I still have a long, long way to go but this program gave me insight and focus organizing my business’s fiscal help.” 

Nikki is battling a progressive autoimmune disease and knows she may not be able to continue working long term in her “day job” as an administrative assistant. What she really wants to do is to focus full-time on Fluffy Girl Creations.  

It’s about embracing and fighting back against stereotypes.  

“We can be plus size and enjoy good things,” she says. “I want items that make people feel good and pretty. I want to represent in a positive way.” 

Posted in Community Impact.