Famous 5 – Alisha Ramos
Meet Alisha Ramos – the young entrepreneur taking your mind off of life’s stresses and re-focusing it on everything but. The founder of the Girls’ Night In newsletter, which launched nearly a year ago in January and appears in your inbox every Friday morning, prefers the simpler things and wants you to as well. (Warning: the pictures below are v relaxing and might cause super-chill vibes.)
First of all, congrats on your fast growing brand! But right to it – you quit your job working at a tech startup to focus on Girls’ Night In. What were all the feels like when you made the jump?
Thank you! I was pretty scared to quit my job but knew I had to do it. I’m a big planner, so I had been planning my exit from a practical sense for a while. That meant pooling up more savings than usual so that when I quit my full-time job, I knew I had enough money in the bank to support myself for a few months with no cashflow. I don’t come from a wealthy family or anything like that, so I knew I had to be completely self-supporting. At that point, Girls’ Night In was growing rapidly in terms of numbers. But I think the deciding factor for me to leave was hearing the stories from women who were saying things like, “This is amazing and exactly what I need in my life right now.” It showed that Girls’ Night In was clearly serving a need and I knew I wanted to help fulfill that by focusing on it full-time.
What is your favorite Girls’ Night In Activity?
I like cooking ambitious recipes because it forces you to slow down, not look at a screen for a while, and the end result is (usually) delicious. The latest ambitious thing I made was homemade Oreos, with a recipe from Smitten Kitchen which is one of my favorite food blogs.
How do you plan an attractive Girls’ Night In, especially with a group that typically goes out all weekend?
It’s been a while since I’ve been surrounded by women who go out all weekend, haha. But I think everyone needs a break every now and then and I think especially now, people appreciate it when you present the opportunity to slow down and chill out for a second. My favorite types of nights in that I host are very low key – usually revolves around preparing food and treats, and watching a very bad TV show like Real Housewives.
Although you love a good night in, I imagine you venture outdoors – what’s your favorite spot in the city?
Hmm, that’s a good question. I think my favorite spot in the city is walking along Q Street in Northwest D.C. I’m not sure how to explain this but I feel a sense of calm and happiness when walking down that street. It’s charming, tranquil, there’s plenty of trees lining the streets, and has a real neighborhood feel to it. Each time I take a walk down that street, it reminds me of why I love calling D.C. home.
What’s one thing that has surprised you during this adventure?
I’m consistently surprised by our community. I love how many women share their nights in with us every week with our hashtag #GNIvibes. We never expected this type of engagement, but we are so glad that our mission of helping women relax, recharge, and cultivate community resonates with so many women out there. It’s cool to see the community rally around something like that.
BONUS: Where will Girls Night In go next? Any teasers for what is to come?
We have some things in the works! One thing we can share is that we recently launched a Girls’ Night In Shop on our website that includes a limited run of products we’ve designed and created for women who’d rather stay in tonight. Stay tuned for more!
