Answer extracted from the The Purpose People Podcast — listen to the full episode below.
How did Nicky transition from a 25-year career in pharmaceutical sales to launching a retail activewear business?
Nicky left a high-pressure 25-year career in pharmaceutical oncology sales when her husband funded the startup by cashing in his pension and selling their house in France. She tried juggling both jobs for only three to four months before committing fully to launching Flancy Activewear.
After two decades in pharmaceutical sales, Nicky found herself increasingly frustrated with the constant weekend and evening shifts, the relentless pressure of the role, and a personal gripe that would ultimately spark her entrepreneurial journey: the near-total absence of colorful running apparel in the market. As someone who loved color and brightness, she felt the activewear industry was trapped in black and drab neutrals.
The real catalyst came when her husband believed in her vision enough to take financial action. Rather than treating Flancy as a side project, he made a decisive bet on her future by liquidating major family assets—cashing in his pension and selling a property in France to fund the launch. This financial commitment forced a clean break: Nicky lasted only three to four months attempting to run both her pharmaceutical role and her new business simultaneously before realizing she had to choose.
As Nicky explains in the episode, the stress and exhaustion of her pharmaceutical job made maintaining both careers impossible. The turning point wasn't just the idea—it was having the financial safety net and her husband's belief that made the leap feasible.
"People can't wear them because they can't get them, so I am launching this company with skorts."
Nicky Chrascina — Founder and Owner, Flancy Activewear. Trained as a registered general nurse in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, qualifying in 1984, she worked as a midwife before spending 25 years in pharmaceutical sales, primarily in oncology hospital sales. She began running at age 23-24 and has since completed over 156 ultras, marathons, and multi-day races, launching Flancy Activewear nine years ago out of frustration with the lack of colorful running apparel available in the market.
The decision to leave pharmaceutical sales represents a broader lesson about timing and support: entrepreneurship rarely succeeds in isolation, and Nicky's story shows how family backing and clear commitment—rather than hedging your bets with a part-time side hustle—can be the difference between a failed experiment and a thriving business. Flancy launched at the National Running Show at the NEC in January 2019 and has since grown into a brand with approximately 85 different bespoke designs in their current collection.
See also
What was the unexpected market demand that proved initial skepticism about skorts wrong?
When Nicky proposed launching with skorts, a sportswear designer told her there was a good reason people did not wear them. However, skorts have since become more than 50% of Flancy's total sales, proving the initial skepticism completely wrong.
What are the key differences between Flancy Activewear and major competitors like Nike?
Flancy's primary differentiation is color and design diversity. While Nike primarily focuses on black and very plain colors, Flancy features an in-house design team that creates approximately 85 different bespoke designs in their current collection.
How did someone transition from being a non-runner to completing over 150 ultramarathons?
At age 23-24, Nicky made an offhand remark that she could run a marathon after watching her stepmother train for the Comrades Ultra Marathon in Swaziland. She entered the London Marathon in 1993 and has since completed over 156 ultras, marathons, and multi-day races.