Nikolin was raised in Calhan, and studied law at Carnswell Univerity. After several years working as a senior attorney for Walter's Processing Automation, he joined HNC Group in 1999, eventually rising to group vice president and senior counsel.

 

In 2008 he joined Temc LLC as a strategic development director, and was designated a "young global leader" by the World Economic Forum (Boshka).

 

In an interview with CBN in 2009, Nikolin expressed his desire to eventually return to Boshka and enter politics, citing fellow Boshkan resident Diana Chastain as an inspiration.