Female Founders: Nia Brown of PrincessMe Parties On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
You’ve Got to Be Tough. Not everyone in the business world wants to support you, you need a tough skin to ensure you don’t take things personally or distract you from your business goals. You will get rejected, and when that happens, you need the strength to keep moving forward.
As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Nia Brown.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and now living in North Carolina, Nia Brown became a teen mom at the early age of sixteen. Being a young mother was incredibly challenging, but it helped shaped Nia into the resilient and hardworking woman she is today.
In 2016 Nia launched PrincessMe’s Mobile Spa for kids. While she knew what she wanted to offer to the public, Nia decided to lay it all out in a detailed business plan, creating a list of services to provide to children, such as pedicures, makeovers, dress-up sessions, games, painting, dance time, and so much more. The idea behind these services was to offer an unforgettable experience that children typically don’t get to enjoy because they are not always welcome in a traditional spa environment. Nia’s service list would eventually expand even further, allowing her to provide an assortment of spa packages that work with budgets of all sizes, big and small. Nia’s consistent effort and genuine passion for the business helped her scale PrincessMe Parties and led to the opening of a brick-and-mortar location within two years of being in business. In only six years, the fun and exciting vision that Nia brought to life has become a franchise, providing entrepreneurial hopefuls with the opportunity to do what they love and put smiles on the faces of young children.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?
The inspiration behind PrincessMe Parties came from my first daughter. She is such a girly girl, and I noticed from an early age a huge positive shift in her attitude and confidence when she had pretty painted nails and a cute hairstyle, so I hired a spa team for her first birthday party. While the party was fun, the spa services didn’t give the excitement and quality that I had hoped for, which sparked my idea to create an upscale, luxury spa experience tailored towards young girls. As a young mom of seven kids, I took a leap of faith with my passion for event planning and launched the first PrincessMe Parties girl’s luxury mobile spa bus in 2015.
PrincessMe Parties has since expanded, and now we host events in our brick-and-mortar store in Charlotte, NC, in addition to our luxury mobile spa busses and a decked-out pink limo experience. And as a way to give back to the community, we also host a monthly donation event called PrincessMe Closet, where, on the first Saturday of each month, PrincessMe opens its closet full of new and gently-used clothes to families in need. As the Head of Fairy Godmothers, I’m honored to be a part of the experience that makes girls feel special and boosts their confidence.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?
One of my favorite stories comes from my first few months after launching PrincessMe Parties that showed me how quickly I need to think on my feet to run a successful business. A mom arrived for a party she had booked, but when she arrived, I didn’t see the birthday girl or other kids anywhere. The customer didn’t realize that PrincessMe Parties was geared towards kids and had actually booked PrincessMe Parties for her and eight of her adult girlfriends. I quickly improvised and revised the activities for the party and created a fun, relaxing spa day with facials, make-up, and wine and canvas painting. The women had a great day full of laughs and self-care, and while it was nerve-wracking having to improvise, I was proud to have been able to provide a memorable party.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
We all make mistakes early on in our careers, but I’m glad to have learned from this particular mistake on my second day in business. When customers want to book a spa day at another venue, it is required that they have permission for PrincessMe to be onsite. For my second party ever, a mom booked a pop-up party at a mall, but when we arrived, security informed us that the mom never received permission. The mom and her little birthday girl were very upset that the party had to be cancelled, and because my heart is in my company, I tried everything I could to avoid disappointing this young girl on her birthday. The customer asked for a refund, which I gave her in cash on site, unfortunately, the next day, she requested a refund with her credit card company as well. I was burnt by my willingness to fix the situation instantly and was hurt that the customer got refunded twice due to this mistake, but it taught me an invaluable lesson, to always stay professional. Now, in the rare case that a refund is requested, I always refund in the same manner that the order was placed.
This situation taught me so much, and I learned that while there are benefits to putting your whole heart into your company, staying professional and not taking anything personally is key to success. For this, I still appreciate that mom to this day.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I am forever grateful for my husband, without him, PrincessMe Parties wouldn’t be where it is today. He is my biggest cheerleader and always encourages me to keep going when I feel the pressure. He always says, “before a rainbow comes, it has to storm,” which keeps me motivated to keep working towards my dreams. I like to joke that he is my diary, we are always bouncing ideas off each other that elevates my company, in fact, it was his idea to put spa sinks on the PrincessMe Parties bus, which transformed the business completely.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this EY report, only about 20 percent of funded companies have women founders. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women to create companies. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from founding companies?
I believe that the number one thing that is holding women back from starting their own businesses is the lack of confidence. Many women feel like they can’t balance being a mother, wife and/or business owner, but they can juggle it all if they just believe in themselves! Even in male-dominated fields, women need to have the confidence to walk into the business meeting and rock the room.
More women would also believe they can start their own company if they had support from other women. Successful female founders should pour back into the community and uplift the women around them. I make an active effort to “walk the walk” when it comes to this practice. When a woman comes to me, I always give her advice and tips for getting started because I know that if I could be that one person that gives her the confidence and tools to be successful, I have succeeded in my goal.
At PrincessMe Parties, our mission is to instill confidence and leadership in women at a young age. For example, during our crowning ceremonies, girls have a chance to be in the spotlight, giving them the confidence to take up space and take in positive feedback from others. It also shows young girls the importance of supporting each other, you can see it in their smiles when they strut down the catwalk with their best friends cheering them on. By instilling confidence at a young age and encouraging other women to pass the baton to others, women founders will be more successful.
Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?
There are many resources that would help women overcome the obstacles they will face when starting a business. We need more funding and grant options geared towards women and working mothers. Networking groups for female founders are a great way for women to ask questions from their peers and offer support. For a lot of women, we don’t have the extra resources needed to build a business because they may be focused more on the home and family, but having support systems in the local community can help women achieve all of their dreams.
This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?
The best benefit that comes from being a woman founder is the impact that it has on my daughters. They have been with me on this journey their whole lives, watched me start from the ground floor and how I kept working through any hardship I came across, which is worth everything to me.
Additionally, being the founder of my own company gave me a sense of confidence that I couldn’t have found working at any other job, which is invaluable to me. I’m able to change the narrative around the stereotype of women in business, that they miss dinners, important events and aren’t home to tuck their kids in at night. That’s not how I run my business. I’m able to craft my own schedule and prioritize being a mom during those important events, while running a successful business. I’ve found a way to balance work-life and mom-life, while still keeping myself healthy as well.
What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?
I found that the hustle culture mentality was the biggest myth I was told to follow to be successful. In fact, the opposite mindset has been the most successful for me. I started 2022 with the goal of giving myself peace of mind. I realized that I couldn’t be successful in any sector of my life without taking care of myself too. Every business owner needs time to take a step back, relax and take care of themselves. It keeps your creative mind sharp and your sparkle bright.
I’ve noticed a positive change in my business and home life when I allowed myself to unplug instead of focusing on work 24/7. It was so difficult to implement but has made all the difference in my company. I’m more engaged, a better boss and more creative at work when I allow myself peace.
Is everyone cut out to be a founder? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful founder and what type of person should perhaps seek a “regular job” as an employee? Can you explain what you mean?
The first thing I think is needed in order to be a successful founder is knowing that your company or product is not for everyone. There will be people out there who don’t like your product, but you can’t take it as a personal fault of yours. Just accept that you’re not everyone’s cup of tea and move forward.
Second, you need to be able to say “no” often. As a new founder, I felt the pressure to make accommodations or take on opportunities simply because they were available, but I learned that in order to be successful, I had to say no if it didn’t align with my goals and mission.
Additionally, the mantra that has helped make me a successful founder is “Clear, Excited and Organized.” Do I have a clear path that leads to where I want to go? When things don’t go as planned, do I have clarity on how to pivot toward success? Having a clear vision for your goals will ensure you are taking the right steps toward being successful.
As a business owner, you have to keep the excitement alive. Become your own cheerleader. Did you close a new deal? Celebrate and then get excited about the next move that will propel you even further.
The final trait that is key to success is organization. This may seem like a given to keep your business organized, but I encourage you to take it a step further and organize all areas of your life. For example, a clean, organized home helps me focus on my business more because I’m not worrying about the “mom/house” stuff during work hours and can focus on PrincessMe Parties.
Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)
- You’ve Got to Be Tough. Not everyone in the business world wants to support you, you need a tough skin to ensure you don’t take things personally or distract you from your business goals. You will get rejected, and when that happens, you need the strength to keep moving forward.
- Utilize Available Resources. Research resources that are available to help your company thrive. Whether it’s local business groups, funding and grant opportunities, or networking events, you’d be surprised how many organizations there are in the community that can help you be successful.
- It’s Okay to Hire Experts. You can’t run a company on your own, sometimes, you need help or an expert’s advice. Hire people that are just as passionate about your business as you are; by hiring experts, you can transform your small business into a large company.
- Ignore the Nay-Sayers. Knowing that not everyone has your best intentions in mind or believes in your ideas can feel very defeating. In the past people have said to me, “Nia, you’ve only had your bus for two years, you shouldn’t be opening a brick-and-mortar store already!” But if I had listened to those nay-sayers, PrincessMe Parties wouldn’t have the success we have today. Ignore the nonbelievers, trust yourself and do what’s best for your company.
- Find a Mentor. Find a mentor who is knowledgeable in your field or business in general and learn from them. Mentors can help you avoid making the same mistakes they have made in the past, lean on them for support and advice.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
I use my success to encourage other moms and show them that achieving their dreams is possible. I use my success as a platform to highlight amazing women and give them the motivation to balance it all. Additionally, PrincessMe Parties makes the world a better place by boosting young girls’ self-esteem. We help them discover their identity and self-confidence at an early age so that they can carry it with them throughout their whole lives. I’m so proud to have started a company that, yes, is about pampering, but also leaves a lasting impact on the next generation of women.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
In order to start a movement, I would expand the PrincessMe Parties’ closet. I host a monthly event where, on the first Saturday of each month, PrincessMe opens our closet full of new and gently-used clothes to families in need free of charge. Confidence can come from what you wear, how you feel in it and how you present yourself to the world, so being able to partner with organizations that want to make a difference would inspire a huge movement in communities all across the country.
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
I would love to have breakfast with Alli Webb, founder of DryBar, because she is a woman founder that has inspired me throughout my career. Seeing someone as successful as her talk about bad days and past failures motivates me to get up and try to do better when I have a bad day. Not only has she founded and built her own company into something amazing, but she embodies the idea of ‘passing the baton’ to motivate women around her.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Female Founders: Nia Brown of PrincessMe Parties On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.