We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nia Rose a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Nia, appreciate you joining us today. Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?

Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to be in front of a camera. I knew I wanted to make an impact, especially for other young girls around the world. Growing up with older sisters was a huge influence for me, and I realized early on that not everyone has that kind of support. I wanted to be a big sister figure to others, sharing the lessons I’ve learned along the way.

This journey really began last year, sparked by a conversation on a bus with my friend, GeGe. We were both determined to build better lives for ourselves and passionate about creating content. That bus ride quickly led to us hopping on Zoom, where we brainstormed and mapped out every idea, vision, and goal we wanted to bring to life. After lots of hard work, GIRLSGIRLSNYC was born.

Getting started was probably the easiest part. As we dove deeper into building our brand, things got more serious. The next few months were intense—we met nearly every day, pushing ourselves and learning constantly. Social media can make it look so easy, but we quickly realized how much research and planning was required. We knew nothing about setting up a podcast studio, and we were doing it all on our own. Our ideas were big, but our budget was small. Yet we found ways to make it work, seeking out mentors in the fields we wanted to grow in and learning everything we could.

We poured so much into it that burnout crept up faster than we expected. In that moment, we turned to our faith. We knew God had brought us together for a reason, and we leaned into that belief. We prayed, fasted, and refocused, letting God lead us forward. And sure enough, He provided a new path, one that felt even bigger and better.

Through GIRLSGIRLSNYC, I was inspired to branch out and share my personal passions beyond the podcast—especially my love for skincare. While I’m still growing both platforms, I’m incredibly proud of how we’ve brought this business from just an idea to something real and thriving. This journey has been challenging but deeply rewarding, and I’m excited to see where it leads.

Nia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

From the start, I always knew I wanted to be a big sister to other girls, but I was just too shy to fully show my personality on social media (which, by the way, everyone told me I should do!). My journey into the industry began when GeGe and I started GIRLSGIRLSNYC. Suddenly, I had someone to dive deep into all the tough conversations with—someone who shared the same vision and values. That partnership gave me the courage to branch out on my own and start building my personal brand as a skincare and lifestyle influencer.

At some point, we realized we wanted to turn our passion into something more sustainable, so we officially turned GIRLSGIRLSNYC into a legitimate business. We wanted to set ourselves up for the future and make sure we were creating something that could grow, not just for us, but for the women we serve.

What sets us apart? It’s the authenticity. We’re two young women from Brooklyn—where there’s no place like it—building a platform that gives women real, raw, unfiltered advice. It’s a space where women can just be themselves without fear of judgment. In a world where women so often feel like they don’t have a safe space, GIRLSGIRLSNYC is here to change that.

I’m most proud of how far GeGe and I have come—both as individuals and as business partners. From simply posting whatever to actually turning this into a thriving business, we’ve definitely come a long way. It wasn’t always easy, especially reaching out to strangers for help (because, let’s be real, we’re from New York—asking for help isn’t exactly our first instinct!). But we’ve grown in more ways than one, and our faith in ourselves and our mission has never been stronger.

GIRLSGIRLSNYC is here to bring awareness to the struggles many women face. If you’re going through something, I want you to know that you’re never alone. We’re here to support you, listen to you, and give you the space to be your true self. So, wherever you are, whatever you’re going through—we’ve got your back.

How’d you meet your business partner?

Looking back, the story of how GeGe and I met still blows our minds because it feels like nothing short of divine intervention. I had just started a new job, and, coincidentally, so had GeGe. One evening, the entire staff went out for the principal’s birthday celebration, and as we were heading out, we noticed we were walking in the same direction. I happened to run into a friend of mine who offered me a ride home, and although I didn’t know GeGe at the time, being a Girls Girl through and through, I insisted he drop her off too. There was no way I was leaving her to find the bus stop alone.

After that, we started traveling home together regularly, and before long, our conversations turned into brainstorming sessions about how fun it would be to start a podcast. The more we talked, the more we realized we had to create this podcast asap. Once we officially had things moving we started to realize how much we were both began to dread our jobs. It wasn’t long before it became clear that the only reason we were both in that building was to meet each other. It was like God knew what we needed before we did. We went from dreading every day at work to being totally inspired by the idea of creating something that was 100% ours.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Currently, GIRLSGIRLSNYC is solely funded by GeGe and me, using our personal income to support the business. We have applied for various grants, but as the business is still in its early stages, we have not yet established business credit. That said, we are focused on developing and launching merchandise that will generate revenue, with the goal of creating a sustainable income stream by April 2025. We are committed to working diligently to build the foundation for long-term success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tiktok.com/@therealnia.rose?_t=8r9EEhOmvPC&_r=1
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealnia.rose/profilecard/?igsh=cmxjdWdrbTBsNjM0
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@therealniarose?si=Hi8SZyii0zhSZBMX
• Other: GIRLSGIRLSNYC socials

  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlsgirlsnyc/profilecard/?igsh=bHJ3dGMwZDV5b2Jk

  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlsgirlsnyc?_t=8r9EFRYdR1j&_r=1

  YouTube: https://youtube.com/@girlsgirlsnyc?si=uPZECmxu4qHVSJDP

Image Credits

@Gege_ofc
@ag.visions_