Testimonials

Denika Coakley

Denika Coakely has been an artist her entire life. She is a professional carpenter, self taught YouTuber, DIY expert, and isn’t afraid to not fit ‘inside the box'. Denika’s favourite medium is painting but she’s got a handle on every tool in the box and her skills and creativity shine.  

If you follow Denika’s instagram stories you know she shines on camera. In the last year, she has produced two seasons of her own house flipping show on YouTube called ‘Too Tacky Taranaki’ and ‘Poplar Drive Dive’. 

With a steady growth of social media followers, Denika was selected to be the face of Bailly, a fragrance company that represents the power for women. She has also been a spokesperson for Rust-Oleum, a worldwide leader in the paint industry. 

 As a skilled tradesperson, Denika has built over 50 pieces for the QEII Dream Home Lottery homes in Nova Scotia. She has designed furnishings for several local businesses and has formed partnerships with key building brands like Dewalt, Kent Building Supplies, Craftsman and Sico paints. 

Denika has been curious about her ancestry her entire life. She has been researching her native heritage for the last few years to understand more and to teach her two young daughters more about the culture of where they come from. 

Denika graduated from the carpentry program at Nova Scotia Community College in 2014 and since graduation was selected to be featured in the college’s recruitment marketing campaign. 

She is passionate about lending her skills and donates time and materials to Blxckhouse Community Centre for youth in North Preston, Nova Scotia. With a growing platform on social media and in the business world, her sites are set high for opportunities to give back and help others get ‘outside the box’. Denika Coakley, She just did. 

SPEAKING TOPICS

Stilettos to Steeltoes

You know that old saying, ‘Fake it till you make it’? Denika will take you on her journey of how she broke the mold in every possible way. Armed with pink nail polish, pregnant at community college, trash hunting and flipping houses, she has learned how to imitate confidence, develop an optimistic mindset and ‘make it’ in a male dominated industry. Prioritizing the things you love, learning by failing and having a determined attitude is how Denika has achieved the results she’s been looking for and continues to seek.

My future is not determined, I am. 

Determination is the process of establishing something exactly by calculation or research. While Denika Coakley’s journey hasn’t necessarily been a google map for her life, she is finding the buried treasure in her own way. Learning about her native heritage, a single mom and a woman in trades, she pushes against the stigmas and embraces her life. Finding the source of what sets your soul on fire is one of her guiding principles. Denika shares how life is too short to waste time to worry about fitting inside a box. Happiness and success can be achieved when you build your own.

Building Women UP

Denika Coakley is breaking barriers. Like in many other male dominated industries, women like Denika are creating space to make their voices heard. Whether women are breaking the proverbial glass ceilings, climbing the corporate ladder, or proving their skills and techniques on a job site, they are challenging the status quo and making room for positive change. She helps her audiences understand how to move past the daily challenges of life and understand they will always be there. Knowing this is a driving force to move them forward. Denika started a business before she even realized she was doing it!

Drawing on the story of her own accomplishments, hear about Denika's journey in becoming a successful tradesperson, social media personality, and role model. She believes that representation is key in order to build people up!