Where It All Began: A Booth Connection
Nicole and Michael met during orientation at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. As Booth alumni would later reflect, the school served as a rich “matchmaking” ground—connecting driven minds with shared worldviews. The couple bonded over mutual ambition and complementary skills. Nicole joined Michael in his startup’s early venture, helping to shape CaptainU from their living room. They married in 2011.
Building Ventures Together
After graduating, Nicole joined Goldman Sachs as a VP in the Emerging Private Companies group. But crafty frustration after her 2011 wedding spurred her to pivot: she founded Darby Smart in 2013—a DIY video and craft kit platform aimed at bridging creative designers and everyday makers.
She raised $1M in seed funding and followed with $6.3M Series A led by Maveron. Partnerships with Urban Outfitters and Michaels expanded Darby Smart's reach, and by 2018, Bezos-aligned Grove Collaborative had acquired it, with Nicole joining their beauty division.
Meanwhile, Michael continued building CaptainU, a sports-recruiting software startup that began in their home. It earned acclaim, a $25K New Venture Challenge prize, and was eventually acquired in 2016 by Blue Star Sports.
Crafting Community, Supporting Each Other
