Team

The family behind Birch.

Birch Equity is owned and managed by Weston and Shanna Nichols. Between them, they bring experience in real estate, healthcare, operations, investor relations and nonprofit leadership.

Weston Nichols

Founder

Weston has spent his career building profitable businesses and nonprofit ministries. He is Co-founder and President of Rivergate Capital Partners, a Texas commercial real estate investment firm focused on industrial properties, where he oversees investment strategy and operations. He is also a partner in several growing companies, including Rivergate Construction, Rivergate Lawn and Landscape, and Tenora Laser Studios. He serves on the boards of the Rivergate Foundation and the Tenora Foundation.

Before Rivergate, Weston founded and led Aspen Eye Technologies from 2011 to 2023, helping ophthalmic and genetic testing companies launch products and expand nationally. From 2017 to 2023, he served as Lead Pastor of Adult Ministries at Antioch Community Church in Waco.

He writes Capital & Character, a bi-weekly newsletter on money, business, integrity and faith.

Weston on LinkedIn

Shanna Nichols

Founder

Shanna brings an incredible balance of operational leadership, strategy, vision and people management to everything she builds. She is a Partner in Tenora Laser Studios, a physician-led laser aesthetics company, and Director of Operations at Rivergate Capital Partners, where she leads the operational strategy and systems behind capital placement and investor relations for a commercial real estate fund manager focused on industrial business parks across Texas.

Before Rivergate, Shanna spent six years in leadership at Antioch Community Church in Waco, first as Director of Volunteer Engagement and then as Adult Ministries Executive Pastor, where she set the department’s strategy and budget and led and developed a team of eleven. Earlier, she launched the bus rental department at Carpenter Bus Sales and grew it into a profitable operation, founded REACH Academic Coaching, where she provided literacy coaching for students with dyslexia, and taught elementary school.

Shanna and Weston raised two wonderful daughters, both exceptionally accomplished in the medical profession.

Shanna on LinkedIn