Today we’d like to introduce you to Navia Nicole.
Hi Navia , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always been a creative person. Even as a little girl, I was ambitious, imaginative, and always finding ways to create with whatever I had around me. I would direct my sisters in little fashion shows, have them dance and sing, put outfits together, do my younger sister’s makeup, draw, paint, and just come up with different ideas. I loved music, art, fashion, and expressing myself. I was very outgoing, and I always felt like I wanted to do something big, even though I didn’t know exactly what that looked like yet. At one point, I wanted to be a fashion designer. I also knew I wanted to work in media somehow, but I didn’t fully understand what career that would become.
By my senior year of high school, I started thinking more seriously about my future and what I wanted my career to look like. A lot of my experiences growing up gave me an even stronger drive to build something for myself and break generational cycles. I’m not ready to share every part of my story, but I know those experiences played a major role in how ambitious I became. They pushed me to want more for myself and to create opportunities instead of waiting for them.
That same year, I got my first internship at a production company. Being around professionals, networking, seeing how creative projects came together, and being in those professional spaces sparked something in me. I started realizing that I had the personality, creativity, and mindset to be in those rooms. I knew I belonged there, and I wanted to keep learning.
Around that same time, I had this strong urge to create something of my own, which led me to create STEI Magazine. At first, STEI was very simple. I wanted to share inspiring stories because I truly believe everyone has a story. I started by interviewing my friends and people around me, giving them a space to talk about their experiences, goals, and who they were. I didn’t have the entire vision figured out. I just knew I wanted to create something, tell stories, and have a place where I could show off my skills.
Starting STEI allowed me to develop so many skills without even realizing how much I was learning. I was building my interviewing skills, editorial skills, storytelling skills, networking skills, and learning how to connect with different people. It also gave me a reason to reach out, meet people, and put myself in spaces I may not have otherwise been in.
Around that same time, I also had the opportunity to work with my volleyball coach on her fashion shows. I initially helped backstage at one of her shows, and then she trusted me to become the media coordinator for her next show. What meant the most to me was that she genuinely believed in my vision. She never made me feel like I was thinking too big or that I couldn’t do something. She believed in me, and that helped me realize, “I really have it in me.” It connected back to my love for fashion and my childhood dream of being involved in those kinds of creative spaces.
As I continued creating, STEI started growing with me. One thing I learned was that you can’t always wait until something is perfect before you start. Sometimes you just have to create the thing and allow it to evolve. Once I got to college, my perspective became bigger, and STEI started shifting beyond just interviews and inspiring stories. I became more interested in culture, style, visual storytelling, and creative direction. I started creating editorial shoots and thinking more intentionally about concepts, styling, photography, and the overall experience behind a story.
One of the moments that really showed me my creative eye was creating an editorial shoot for STEI’s one-year anniversary. I was able to take an idea and turn it into a full visual story. That experience showed me that storytelling doesn’t always have to be through words or interviews. It can happen through fashion, photography, styling, concepts, and the way everything comes together.
Then I went to college and continued building on everything I had already started. I’m studying Mass Communication with a focus in Advertising, which has allowed me to understand the business and strategy behind creativity while still exploring the parts of media that I love. I’ve continued learning about creative direction, branding, digital marketing, content creation, editorial storytelling, and how to communicate ideas to different audiences.
New York Fashion Week became another major part of that journey. In 2025, I had the opportunity to work backstage during New York Fashion Week, where I met so many people and got to see the fashion and media industry up close. That experience sparked something new in me because it showed me that the spaces I had been imagining since I was a little girl were actually spaces I could be in. The following year, I returned during New York Fashion Week in a media role, which showed me how much I had grown and how I was continuing to create my own opportunities.
Now, I’m interning with different companies as a marketing assistant and continuing to build my experience across creative and professional spaces. I’m learning how to put myself in rooms I never imagined I would be in, build relationships, tell stories, create content, and bring ideas to life. I’ve also had opportunities to travel and experience things I never thought I would be able to experience at this point in my life.
Being a first-generation college student and being the first in my family to graduate high school and pursue a four-year college education means a lot to me. Everything I’m building now feels bigger than just a career. It represents the little girl who always dreamed big, even when she didn’t know exactly what her dream would become.
Every experience continues to show me that the little girl who always dreamed big really did have a vision for herself, even before she knew exactly what that vision looked like. What started as a little girl directing her sisters in fashion shows has grown into me directing creative projects, telling stories, building brands, creating opportunities, and building a career around the things I’ve always loved.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I love this question because the journey definitely hasn’t been easy, and honestly, there’s still a lot of work to be done. One of the biggest challenges for me has been learning how to navigate support, especially when it comes to people genuinely believing in what I’m building.
I’ve learned that sometimes people don’t support you until they can see the results. Because I started so young, there were also moments where I felt like people underestimated me or assumed that because I was young, I didn’t know what I was doing. I’ve always been someone who is open to learning. I don’t walk into a room thinking I know everything. I value mentors, guidance, and being around people who have more experience because I genuinely want to learn from them and grow.
At the same time, I’ve learned that there’s a difference between someone genuinely guiding you and someone taking advantage of the fact that you’re young and looking for experience. Sometimes people can make you feel like you need them or that you have to keep them close in order to move forward. I’ve had to learn that I can appreciate someone’s guidance without allowing them to make me feel small or control my vision.
That has really taught me to stay grounded and be intentional about who I keep around me. I believe in having a strong support system, but I also believe in having a strong sense of self. You have to be willing to remove yourself from situations where people are taking advantage of you or no longer have your best interests at heart.
I’ve also learned not to let a lack of support determine how seriously I take my own dreams. Sometimes you have to keep going even when nobody is watching, because you’re not creating just for other people. You’re creating for yourself and for the younger version of you who dreamed about doing these things before anyone else could see the vision.
So I would say one of the biggest lessons has been to stay grounded, keep my circle intentional, remain open to learning, and never let someone else’s lack of belief make me question what I’m capable of. At the end of the day, you have to be able to stand behind what you’re building, even before everyone else sees the value in it.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Right now, I work in digital marketing, with a focus on social media management, content creation, creative direction, and creative strategy. I’ve had the opportunity to work with different companies and organizations where I help develop content, bring ideas to life, and think about how brands can connect with their audiences in a meaningful way. I also have my own digital platform, STEI Magazine, where I’ve been able to combine my interests in editorial storytelling, culture, style, and creative direction.
I would say I’m known most for my creativity. I’m always thinking about how I can take an idea and turn it into something people can actually see, experience, or connect with. I love being able to put my creative mind to the test and see how far I can take an idea.
What I’m most proud of is the work I’ve created so far and how much I’ve grown through every project. I don’t want to create the same thing over and over. I’m always challenging myself to try something new, think differently, and see what else I’m capable of. Every project gives me another opportunity to learn something about my creative process and push myself further.
What sets me apart is my ambition and determination. When I set a goal for myself, I’m extremely intentional about making it happen. Whether it’s my career, school, or a personal goal, I’m someone who follows through. I don’t wait for the perfect opportunity or for someone else to give me permission to start. I’m willing to take risks, put myself in unfamiliar spaces, and do things even when I’m nervous.
I’ve learned that sometimes you have to do it scared. You have to be willing to take that first step before you know exactly how everything is going to work out. I think that mindset has allowed me to create opportunities for myself, build relationships, and continue putting myself in rooms that challenge me. I’m not motivated by attention. I’m motivated by the desire to build something meaningful, keep growing, and see how far I can take my vision.
How do you define success?
I define success as loving what you do. To me, success is waking up every day genuinely excited to pursue something you’ve dreamed about for a long time. It’s being able to work on the same project, go to the same job, or continue building toward the same goal without constantly feeling drained because you’re doing something you’re passionate about.
I think true success is when the passion behind what you’re doing doesn’t disappear. Even when things get difficult or you have to do something over and over again, your perspective on why you started remains the same. You still find purpose in it. You still enjoy the process.
For me, success isn’t just about a title, money, or how something looks from the outside. It’s about waking up every day and knowing that what you’re doing makes you happy and gives you a sense of purpose. If I can build a life where I genuinely love what I’m doing, continue growing, and still feel excited about the work I’m pursuing, that’s success to me.
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