Meet Nova, a young entrepreneur whose journey takes her from her hometown of Haiti to the bustling streets of New York City.
At just 15, she started her first business in Haiti, an influential talent marketing agency, during a time when schools were shut down and opportunities were scarce due to political conflict.
Her creativity and drive turned a difficult situation into a thriving venture.
Nova faced new challenges when she moved to the US, including imposter syndrome and adapting to the entrepreneurial world.
Despite these hurdles, she never lost sight of her entrepreneurial spirit.
Now, she’s on a mission to humanize the business world with her latest venture, Humanova, aiming to create joyful and meaningful experiences for Gen Z creators, entrepreneurs, and professionals.
Nova’s journey is about breaking norms, embracing risks, and turning challenges into opportunities.
Her story is a testament to the power of persistence and the impact of staying true to oneself.
Dive into the rest of the article to learn more about Nova’s inspiring path and her vision for a more humanized business world.
Nova’s Background and Upbringing
TL;DR Version
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Nova was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and moved to the US in 2021. She grew up in a family of hustlers and is a first-generation college student.
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Her parents’ entrepreneurial spirit taught her independence and leadership.
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Nova’s upbringing shaped her passion for understanding people.
Q: Where are you from?
I was proudly born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Q: When did you immigrate to the US?
Not too long ago. I moved to the US in 2021.
Q: What was it like growing up in Haiti?
Growing up in Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, meant I was part of a family of hustlers.
My parents were “entrepreneurs,” but I like to call them hustlers because they were small business owners.
They fought daily to make ends meet, never worked for anyone else, and didn’t have the chance to complete their degrees due to financial and political situations in Haiti, making me a first-generation student.
Everyone in my family tried to make a name for themselves and earn money to support our family. That’s how I grew up.
From a young age, I remember my mom telling me she knew I’d go down the entrepreneurial path.
My parents noticed my leadership traits from a young age, and I say I get them from watching my parents work hard to provide for us.
Because my parents were busy hustling, I taught myself how to read and do many things independently.
I remember learning to read around the age of two out of boredom while in the backseat of the car as my mom drove to work. I’d read billboard signs, and my mom would correct me, helping me learn.
I remember my mom telling me I’d never have a normal childhood because of their strictness (you know, because they’re Haitians) and their desire for me to achieve what they couldn’t.
Because of their protectiveness, my upbringing was sheltered in some ways, but they also encouraged me to be well-rounded through extracurricular activities.
They wanted me to be safe and not exposed to certain things. Looking back, I now appreciate their strictness and understand their decisions.
Their efforts to “control” certain aspects of my upbringing were to ensure I had a better future.
Q: What lessons did you learn from your parents growing up that you’ve kept with you? Which did you let go of?
This is a really good question.
One of the biggest lessons my parents taught me was to avoid putting myself in situations where I could get hurt.
For example (random example), as a kid, I once asked my mom to go to a sleepover for the first time.
She said no, and we got into an argument; it was so intense that I accepted it and never asked her again.
Some people might assume I’ve missed out on things because of this, and there is “good” and “bad” to this, but this experience taught me to be very observant and understand people’s boundaries.
My parents’ strictness and their Christian values shaped a lot of my upbringing.
They’re the type to not believe in therapy, so I often had to self-diagnose and manage my own emotions.
Regardless, I did my best to understand their perspective because I knew that they made choices based on what they thought was best for me.
This helped with not storing all the hurt and pain within me and instead looking at it from a perspective of understanding what they did what they did.
It also helped me discover my passion for understanding people.
When I told one of my friends about this experience, they reminded me that this is my parents’ first time living too.
They’re going through their life journey and doing their best.
At the end of the day, I love and appreciate my parents because they helped shape me today.
"Growing up, I discovered my passion for understanding people."
Nova’s Entrepreneurial Journey
TL;DR Version
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Nova’s first business was a talent and influencer agent, S&N Outlet.
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She created Humanova after realizing that the business world isn’t prioritizing humaneness and connection.
Q: What was the first business you created?
I created my first business back home in Haiti when I was 15.
I ran an influencer/talent marketing agency, S&N Outlet, which was a lot of fun.
My agency was born out of a need to help my community during that time.
Many schools were being shut down due to political unrest, some were being burned down, and there was a lot of gang activity, so I thought, shoot, I need to do something.
I saw this as an opportunity to step into the business world to provide a solution.
I remember talking to one of my friends and telling them, hey, let’s start a business and help people.
Back then, influencer marketing wasn’t as big as it is now.
We went to our friends to start this. One friend knew how to dance, so we filmed dances using our iPhones.
Another friend was great at basketball, so we organized games with well-known people in Haiti.
The business allowed me to tap into my creativity, provide fun for people during a time of unrest, and make some income.
We ran the business for two years and sold it when I moved to the United States.
It was the end of one chapter but the start of a new one. I was ready for my next adventure.
Q: How did you come up with creating Humanova?
Humanova came to me from my philosophy of humanizing the business world.
I’ve noticed that the way business is conducted is not very human-centric.
We are humans doing business, yet many of us act like robots with no feelings or individuality.
You also notice that many of us are trying to play and put on a persona that isn’t really us.
When I first started writing on LinkedIn, I was so scared of expressing myself because I didn’t want to be negatively judged by people in the business world.
It didn’t feel humane or authentic to me.
And with humanzing business means putting people at the center of everything: every venture, every decision, ever data point, everything.
Some businesses focus way too much on the data and numbers, and forget about the human beings impacted by these metrics.
I believe the ultimate goal of business is to improve people’s lives.
That’s why I created Humanova, with the mission to humanize our approach to business and community building, especially for my generation, Gen Z.
At Humanova, we create joyful and memorable experiences for Gen Z creators, entrepreneurs, and business professionals through IRL experiences and events.
I have a deep passion for young people, partly because I’m always the youngest person in many rooms.
Business shouldn’t be so serious or intimidating; it should and can be a space where we embrace our humanity, make meaningful connections, and have fun!
And that’s exactly what we do with Humanova when we host IRL events in NYC.
Q: What does entrepreneurship mean to you?
Wow, how do I begin to answer this question?
For me, entrepreneurship is second nature. I see entrepreneurs as leaders and change-makers.
They’re people with the audacity to say no to the conventional path and take control of their lives to change something for the better. It doesn’t matter what type of business you have.
Whether you sell hair products or run an ice cream truck, you’re fixing something that you see as broken or needs improvement.
It also means living your life on your own terms.
When people talk about work-life balance, it means something different for everyone.
As an entrepreneur, you might work more hours than someone in a corporate 9-to-5 job because you’re working to get something off the ground.
The idea of work-life balance can get blurred because your business is your baby – your passion and your lifeblood.
You can’t easily separate your work from your life because entrepreneurship becomes your life.
I’d also say that entrepreneurship requires you to be a little crazy. Just a little bit.
Moving to the United States
TL;DR Version
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At 15, Nova started an influencer marketing agency in Haiti to help her community during political unrest. She sold the business when she moved to the US in 2021.
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Humanova was founded to humanize business by focusing on people over data. It aims to create joyful experiences for Gen Z entrepreneurs, creators, and professionals.
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For Nova, entrepreneurship means living on your own terms, merging work and life, and being a leader and change-maker willing to take risks to improve or fix issues.
Q: How did you feel when you first moved to the US?
When I first moved to the United States three years ago, I was excited and scared. I had big dreams and a ten-year plan.
I saw myself involved in big opportunities and thought, “This is the American dream.” But reality hit me, and imposter syndrome kicked in. Everything felt scary.
I was like, “Oh my gosh, this is America.” There’s actual structure here.
Back home in Haiti, there weren’t any legal or formal structures, so I ran my business without registering it. It was very informal. I realized that in America, you had to do things “by the book, ” which felt frightening.
I started feeling like everything was much bigger than me, and this fear put me in a rut.
Q: How did this fear and anxiety impact you?
I also felt like I was losing myself because I had always tied my identity to entrepreneurship and work.
To me, work is fun. I make it enjoyable and humanizing. I don’t see being a workaholic as a problem because I’m living my life in a way that makes me happy.
But when I first got here, I wasn’t actively working on anything.
I felt so lost, with no purpose.
Here I was in the United States, but I wasn’t experiencing the “American dream” everyone tells you about.
So last year, when I started thinking about Humanova, I took small, easy steps to create it.
I’m definitely moving slower than when I started my first business in Haiti. I got to work that same day.
I thought of the idea for that business, reaching out to people and putting everything together.
I’m definitely working through my fear and overcoming it, bit by bit.
Challenges, Learning, and Personal Philosophy
TL;DR Version
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Nova struggles with balancing her parents’ traditional expectations with her entrepreneurial aspirations.
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She values authenticity and believes in staying true to herself.
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Nova’s passion for psychology drives her to understand and help people, and she uses this knowledge in her entrepreneurial ventures.
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Nova embraces her multiple passions, believing that pursuing diverse interests can enrich her life and work.
Q: What’s something you’ve been struggling with recently?
I’ve struggled with the idea of following a blueprint for my life.
Like all parents, my parents always had a clear vision for what they wanted me to achieve: go to college, get a master’s, maybe even a PhD, and secure a great job in corporate America.
They wanted me to accomplish the things they couldn’t, which I appreciate.
They’ve even dreamed of me working for big companies like Google or even speaking at the United Nations.
They wanted me to take a 9-5 corporate job, and still think I will.
It’s been a struggle dealing with internal conflict, you know?
On the one hand, I am passionate about education and entrepreneurship, and I thought, what if I get my master’s to gain respect and credibility? Or should I solely focus on my business? Or should I get a job to generate some money and income?
Because to be an entrepreneur, you do need money to fund your business. It’s just a lot of things running through my head.
Societal and family pressures weigh down on me.
It’s hard to break free from the idea that success only comes from working in corporate America; that’s all we’re told from a young age.
I sometimes question if the entrepreneurial route is right for me, especially when I don’t have a steady income or a clear path for me.
It’s basically living in a constant state of uncertainty.
But I’m learning that there’s no “right” or “one-way” blueprint or road map for success.
I’m in control of my life and make choices that align with my values and goals, even if they don’t follow the traditional path.
Some days are harder than others, and I wonder if things would be different if I had pursued a corporate career.
I am okay with the path I’ve chosen and recognize it’s OK to create my own path.
Q: What’s something you love to learn about?
I love learning about psychology.
My interest in psychology began when I was about 8 years old when I needed to understand what was happening at home.
This goes back to trying to understand my own feelings and sense of life.
As I got closer to choosing my major in college, my parents associated psychology with “crazy people,” and they were doubtful about psychology.
But I understood their perspective given their background; they didn’t grow up talking or learning about mental health.
Mental health is something that lots of people don’t know about, even here in the United States.
My interest in psychology was because I was passionate about helping people.
My dad suggested I find another way to help people, and at first, I resisted, but I’m glad I took a different route because pursuing psychology in college might have led to boredom for me.
It wouldn’t have been the right path for me. Not studying psychology in college didn’t lessen my interest in it.
I now do my own research and learn about understanding people and their behaviors, and I include psychology in Humanova and ventures.
I genuinely believe in understanding people’s needs, problems, and desires.
Many businesses fail because they invent problems for their consumers rather than talking to them directly to understand them.
Q: You call yourself a multipotentiliate. What does that mean?
This basically means I have multiple passions.
I do many different things that make me feel excited and passionate.
I can’t just choose one thing; I refuse to. I do a lot because I can’t and won’t limit myself to a single focus.
One of my best friends suggested that I focus on just one thing, and I told them that if I did that, I’d get bored.
My excitement and passion come from various interests.
Even if these passions don’t seem connected on the surface, there’s always a common thread.
This ties back to my belief in humanizing business. To humanize business, you have to embrace being human, and as humans, we are multifaceted.
We aren’t just “one” thing.
Being multipotentialiate means celebrating ourselves as complex beings with various interests.
Each project feeds into my soul and happiness, even if it’s just a one-time thing.
I’ve learned to stop fighting for others to understand me and instead live in my truth, showing them that pursuing multiple passions is possible.
Nova’s Advice for Gen Z Entrepreneurs
TL;DR Version
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Nova advises that entrepreneurship isn’t as glamorous as social media portrays it. It involves struggles and risks, but consistency and hard work can lead to success.
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She emphasizes the value of mentorship, sharing her positive experience with the SBA’s free mentorship program, which provided her with clarity and validation.
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Nova suggests starting with what excites you and identifying problems you’re passionate about solving. She encourages taking small steps, finding mentors, and surrounding yourself with a supportive community.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you have for a young person interested in entrepreneurship?
I always tell people who choose to go down the entrepreneurship route to understand that it is not all rainbows and sunshine.
Social media, especially TikTok, glamorizes entrepreneurship, making it seem like a quick and easy way to become a millionaire.
Whenever I see those kinds of videos, I think, “Please, warp it up. This is so unrealistic.”
The reality is that entrepreneurship involves a lot of struggles – people lose their homes, go into debt, and even face bankruptcy.
It can be helpful to think of entrepreneurship as a game.
Today, you might lose, but tomorrow, you could win big.
I also believe in putting in the work and being consistent.
Q: What was the process like finding a mentor, and when did you realize you needed one?
I realized I needed a mentor when I felt stuck in fear.
I needed someone to give me assurance in my ideas and provide guidance.
One of my favorite professors in my entrepreneurship class mentioned that the Small Business Administration (SBA) offers free mentorships.
I thought, why not give it a try? It was free, and I knew I had a fear problem holding me back, and having someone to mentor me could help.
I gave it a try, and it turned out to be an amazing experience.
The first mentor I met with was so helpful. We had a two-hour call together.
He gave me clarity, validated my ideas, and offered suggestions on simplifying my plans so that they didn’t seem daunting.
This experience taught me the importance of having an outside perspective to give feedback and suggestions on my ideas.
If you are looking for a mentor, I highly recommend it.
Check out the Small Business Administration (SBA) to pair you with a free mentor who can guide you.
Just do it and give it a try. Even if the first mentor isn’t the perfect fit, you can always learn something from everyone.
I’m currently on a “passive” search for a mentor.
More specifically, I am looking for an advisor for the business.
Q: What advice do you have for someone who wants to pursue entrepreneurship but doesn’t know where to start?
Start by identifying what excites you. What problems do you see in the world that you feel passionate about solving?
Entrepreneurship is about providing solutions and creating value. Don’t be scared to take small steps.
Do your research, find mentors, and surround yourself with a supportive community.
It’s okay to start small. Grow from there, take consistent action, and remember that entrepreneurship is a journey, not a destination.
Embrace the process and learn from your experiences.
Don’t be limited by other people’s ideas of “success” or the path that you should take.
Allow yourself to be human, explore your passions, and make your dreams come true. No one else can do this.
Connect With Nova
Want to connect with Nova? Find her on LinkedIn here, and check out Humanova here.
You can check out her YouTube here.
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DISCLAIMER: This article is written in the voice of Nova Pierre Louis. The conversation and answers are based on Nova’s responses and have been edited in collaboration with her to reflect her authentic voice and experiences.
