Like some of New York’s most magical moments, creative studio GIRL GANG was born out of a bathroom stall. Well, at least kind of.
Founders Nicole Kimichik and Hashika Dissanayake met in college, as they separately traversed the male-dominated music industry. Nicole is a graduate from NYU with a degree in Music Business. She interned and experienced almost every aspect of the music industry alongside working as the assistant to the NYU Music Business program, managing two bands, and booking shows independently and with promoters. Growing up as a competitive gymnast, Nicole has always been an independent individual whose motto became “don’t panic, just figure it out.” She is a quick learner and has adopted the ability to put out fires swiftly and efficiently while staying organized in order to maintain the perpetual level of chaos that is the entertainment industry. Her biggest passion will always be curating experiences in live spaces. She has become known as an inventive go-getter who always finds a way to make her most fantastical ideas a reality.
Hashika, also a graduate of NYU’s Music Business program, has an extensive background in digital marketing and live events, having been involved in campaigns for the likes of Aminé and Republic Records. During her time at NYU, she made waves in the NYC’s music scene with a series of her own DIY music showcases. She is a highly adaptive individual who is creative and always thinks out of the box. Hashika spent much of her life traveling from country to country. These unique experiences allow her to always bring new perspectives to the table. Hashika hopes to continue to make a name for herself in the entertainment industry by putting on more memorable events in the city. She is an effective problem solver who is quick to think on her feet and will always take a minute to hear even the smallest of voices in any room.
Needless to say, Nicole and Hashika are a tenacious duo. The pair unknowingly studied in the same program at NYU and pursued similar passions outside of school. It took years for their paths to finally cross. In 2019, a friend of Nicole’s was playing at Hashika’s show in Brooklyn. After a far too lengthy late night chat in the venue’s bathroom … GIRL GANG was born. Well, again, at least kind of.
The initial bathroom chat, and subsequent hangouts-turned-meetings, lead to the birth of an idea: a GenZ-led business that connected the dots between the forward-thinking, fresh minds of the marginalized creatives that surrounded them, and the larger corporate brands who were finally shifting their focus to inclusivity.
Nicole and Hashika specifically spoke of the entry-level barriers so many creators faced. As BIPOC and LQBTQIA+ culture and creativity grew in popularity, it seemed that the actual workforce was having trouble staying congruently representative. And as the pandemic fledged on, the issue of entry level barriers (that had always been a problem) and freelance gaps were only magnified. Tech and creative jobs wanted impossible amounts of work for jobs that hadn’t even existed prior to ten years ago. Young and brilliant freelancers sat on the sidelines with portfolios that were being mindlessly and mistakenly overlooked. After seeing the industry’s issues firsthand, Nicole and Hashika understood that the disruptive spirit they fostered in live music could be carried over to a cutting-edge business model that would alleviate, and even solve, a lot of these problems. So rather than beg for a seat at this table, they understood it was time to create their own.
GIRL GANG is a creative studio that aims to spotlight and celebrate creatives of any and all crafts. With a constantly growing and evolving team of graphic designers, social media gurus, writers, editors, etc., GIRL GANG looks to create opportunity by connecting its network of experts with brands and corporations in need of creative makeovers. GIRL GANG offers end-to-end brand strategy and social media planning with a team composed solely of underrepresented creatives, each of whom are pushing the boundaries in their respective industries.
Since its launch, GIRL GANG has amassed a worldwide network of over two thousand creatives, with 300 of those members actively being connected to jobs. Their weekly newsletter has a staggering 80% engagement rate, and their clients and recent work include an LG campaign with Charlie Puth, and brand books / logan redesigns for plant stylist Maryah Greene (23k followers), artist Quincy Mumford (17.4k followers), and BIPOC wellness group Saddie Baddies (9.7k followers). Nicole and Hashika are also leading an ongoing, in-depth interview series “Creative Highlights,” which has featured names like James Beard Semifinalist and chef Kyo Pang, Funny or Die comedian Abby Govindan, and sustainable fashion designer Graysha Audren.
✨ Join the GIRL GANG community to become a part of a creative circle that you truly cannot find anywhere else ✨