A Profile of Nikki Dagostino

Nikki Dagostino has a laugh that could shake the drywall off a job site—bold, contagious, and completely unedited. She never tries to say the “right thing,” just the real thing – loose, alive and unexpected.

She’s been in the facility management field for about six years, but the road to get there has been wild and winding. She bartended, flagged traffic on construction sites, and hustled as a day laborer. The kind of jobs where you learn quick, move fast, and keep your cool. “I’m used to multitasking and chaos,” she said, with a laugh that said she actually loved it. “Talking to people, moving all day, it works for me.”

Her company, BlueWater Facility Services, isn’t just a gig. She’s a partner, running national jobs and organizations, juggling new accounts, and handling the daily dance of technicians, emails, and client calls. The inbox? Brutal. “I come in with 132 emails—takes me 30 to 60 minutes just to catch up,” she said. That’s before the real work starts.

They run lean—four on staff, with subs and techs across the country. Nikki likes it that way. “We operate smoother with fewer hands in the pot,” she said. Every day is fast, full, and unpredictable—lighting and plumbing problems, all kinds of painting and patching. “It’s nonstop from brain to heart to hands,” she said. “I love having my hands in the pot.”

Her approach to facility management is like bartending. “Customer service is customer service,” she said. “People calling, texting, emailing—and you’ve still got to hold a good conversation.” And she is great at that. Clients remember her, trust her, like her.

Nikki lives in rainy Washington State with her two dogs, Harlow and Mochi— both Corgi/Aussie shepherd mixes who probably run the house. She hikes, boats, and goes outdoors any time she can.

“I’m a country girl. I feel safer in a truck,” she said. And not just any truck—a big, lifted Silverado she brought to job sites. Let’s just say no one questioned who was in charge.

She’d learned hands-on skills from her dad—changing oil, fixing plumbing, snaking drains. “Hands-on work is a lot of fun,” she said. When her house needed remodeling, she did it herself, using YouTube, Google, and some grit. That DIY spirit runs deep.

At BlueWater, Nikki is the heartbeat. She trained account managers to be sharp and responsive—work orders, ETA updates, and fast calls.

“You’ll hear from us quick,”. Even the CEO pitches. Everyone does. They built strong vendor relationships, stayed human in a world of AI auto-responders. “With us, you talk to a real person,”.

She isn’t afraid to step in and solve problems, even in disaster mode. Like the time a tornado hit a healthcare facility in St. Louis. “Tore the roof off,” she said. “We were scrambling—tarps, water everywhere. Weather is sending us through a frenzy this year.” Nikki also worked at a big airport job recently. “It was fun to get out of the office,” she said. She’s also dealt with plenty of guys who’ve underestimated her. “I put them in their place,” she said.

In her down time, she listens to mindset and facility podcasts, scrolls LinkedIn, and looks for new ways to grow, learn, and make things run better. She loved the Connex show—partly to find new clients and vendors, but mostly to connect, laugh, and be herself.

South Carolina or Arizona might be on the horizon. She misses the sun. But no matter where she lands, Nikki will keep doing what she does best—running the show, finding solutions, and keeping it real. “There is so much opportunity to grow and be the best in this industry. Work hard, put your whole heart into each job and don’t forget to show a little sparkle of yourself to your clients to build long-lasting relationships. If you can handle the grit and investigation in learning more about every trade, you will accomplish so much and build a great career!”

“For women, there is so much opportunity to grow and be the best in this industry. Work hard, put your whole heart into each job and don’t forget to show a little sparkle of yourself to your clients to build long-lasting relationships. If you can handle the grit and investigation in learning more about every trade, you will accomplish so much and build a great career!”