Design the capacity your role demands

Because responsibility without alignment breaks people and systems.

About Me

I’m Shay Nicole, founder of Capacity by Design.

My work sits at the intersection of people, roles, and responsibility. Over the last twenty years, I have worked across Fortune 500 environments, advisory settings, education, and leadership development, supporting individuals and organizations as expectations shift and decisions carry more weight.

I have worked with students trying to name direction, young adults navigating early choices, professionals reassessing fit, leaders operating at scale, and individuals preparing for what comes next beyond traditional work. Different stages. The same underlying question. How do I align who I am, what I carry, and what is being asked of me.

Capacity by Design grew from both professional experience and lived reality. I have been inside systems that worked and systems that strained. I have navigated growth, transition, and moments where responsibility expanded faster than structure. That perspective shapes how I work and what I pay attention to.

This work focuses on role clarity, decision quality, and capacity alignment. It looks at how responsibilities are defined, how choices are made, and how people and organizations sustain performance over time.

Engagements include advisory sessions, retainer partnerships, organizational work, and participation in panels and leadership conversations.

Capacity by Design exists for people and organizations who want alignment before strain forces it.

Shay Nicole

Founder and Chief Capacity Officer

Smiling Black woman with curly dark hair in simple white suit, sitting behind a laptop on a cozy white sofa.

Role clarity

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Decision quality

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Capacity alignment

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Sustainable performance

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Role clarity · Decision quality · Capacity alignment · Sustainable performance ·

My services

  • Advisory Session

    Focused conversations for moments when roles, expectations, or direction feel unclear. We work through what is actually being asked of you, what no longer fits, and what needs to change so you move forward with clarity and confidence.

  • Retainer Support

    Ongoing advisory partnership for people and organizations carrying sustained responsibility. This work builds shared context over time, supports stronger decisions, and removes the need to start from zero each time a new issue or inflection point appears.

  • Capacity by Design

    Strategic work to align roles, expectations, and operating capacity. This engagement looks at how responsibility is structured and where strain is forming, then redesigns how work is carried so performance holds as demands grow.

  • Leadership Decision Support

    Targeted support for high-impact decisions. This work focuses on decision quality, tradeoffs, and downstream effects across people, systems, and outcomes. Designed for choices that shape direction, not just the moment.

  • "Byron's guidance and support have been invaluable to me. She's more than a coach; she's a mentor and a friend."

    Reese, Software Engineer

  • "Working with Byron has been a game-changer. Her personalized approach and genuine care for clients sets her apart."

    Tai, Product Manger

  • "Byron’s ability to understand my career aspirations and provide tailored guidance has been invaluable. She helped me land my dream job!"

    Dallas, Product Designer

Begin the conversation

For moments when alignment matters more than speed.

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