Nicole Balsam

Nicole Balsam is an accomplished associate partner and head of brand and digital practice at Eastward Search Partners, LLC, a venture-backed executive search and human capital consulting firm. She studied at Dobbs Ferry High School and earned her B.F.A at New York University. Balsam is an avid learner and has built a diverse skill set by holding various executive search consultant positions earlier in her career at Howard-Sloan Search and Stephen-Bradford Search. She was a Managing Consultant at Capstone Hill Search Limited, where she worked with a range of clients and industries, including private equity, financial advisory services, and strategy and management consulting. Balsam's expertise spans operating partners, value creation, portfolio optimization, carve-outs, merger integration, growth strategy, technology strategy, organizational strategy, innovation strategy, pricing, and analytics. Additionally, she has experience in turnaround and restructuring, transaction advisory services, accounting advisory services, and distressed and healthy M&A. Balsam is interested in strategic human capital management, which she believes leads to optimal core business functions essential to long-term value creation. She is a former teacher's assistant at Broadway Bound Studio of Dance and served as a director at Let's Get Ready. Overall, Balsam's passion and expertise lie in brand and digital, encompassing strategy and transformation, design and creative, project and account management, digital and integrated marketing, innovation, and emerging technology.