nicole grew up in los angeles in a family of entrepreneurs, giving her an early understanding of what it means to build a business around relationships, service, and trust.
after earning degrees in political science and business management from uc irvine, she began her career in tech at houzz, working across commerce, design, sales, and partnerships, before an interest in wine brought her to napa.
ten years ago, nicole traded southern california for the napa valley, beginning at restoration hardware’s winery in yountville, where she met justin. she went on to consult for several prestigious boutique wineries throughout napa and sonoma, while also building and brokering an international wine portfolio.
justin grew up in florida, building his career in hospitality through restaurant management, where he developed the belief that service itself is an art form and that the most memorable experiences are created with intention and care.
in 2016, justin brought his hospitality experience to the napa valley, where he furthered his wine education through the court of master sommeliers and led the opening of ellman. as general manager for nearly a decade, he played an integral role in the brand’s evolution, building the operational and structural foundation of the business, creating the hospitality program from the ground up, and guiding it through the opening of its estate winery.
noted. studio comes from years spent inside hospitality, seeing firsthand how much of the work happens around the experience rather than within it. it was built on the belief that friction should not be an accepted part of the industry. the goal is not to reinvent hospitality, but to give it better support, creating more thoughtful systems that leave greater room for judgment, creativity, care, and the human connection at the heart of the work.