Today we’d like to introduce you to Koya Bell.
Hi Koya, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
So much has changed since my first feature in 2022. At the time, I was navigating life as a newly self-published children’s book author and full-time entrepreneur after stepping away from a career in healthcare. Since then, life has taken me in directions I honestly didn’t expect, but I’m grateful for every part of the journey.
One of the biggest changes has been becoming a mom again. I now have another little girl, Aria, and motherhood has really shaped the season of life I’m in right now. Being home with my girls has allowed me to be present for so many moments that I know I would have missed if I were still working a traditional 9-to-5.
Over the last few years, I’ve also grown into content creation in a way that I never expected. What started as simply sharing pieces of my life, motherhood and family has grown into a community of more than 16,000 people on TikTok. I’ve been able to work with brands, create content around products I genuinely use and enjoy, and earn income through something that allows me to still be present with my family. I’ve learned that people connect with me most when I’m simply being myself…whether that’s the funny moments with my girls, everyday mom life, beauty, hair, or just sharing real life as it happens.
I’m also still proud to be a self-published author. This year marked five years since I published Nia’s Big Day, and being able to look back and see that something I once wrote on a vision board became something real is still special to me. My daughter, who inspired the story, is in 4th grade now and will be turning 10 in October!…she has grown right along with the book, which makes celebrating that milestone even more meaningful.
Right now, I feel like I’m entering another new chapter. I’m preparing to begin a medical billing and coding program, which will allow me to reconnect with my healthcare background while continuing to build the flexibility I need for my family. At 40, I’m learning that you don’t have to have everything figured out or stay on one path forever. You can grow, change directions, rediscover old passions and still make room for new ones.
If I had to describe this season of my story, I would say I’m learning to embrace where I am while still being excited about where I’m going. I’m still a wife, a mother, an author and an entrepreneur, but I’m also giving myself permission to evolve.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of my biggest challenges over the last few years has been learning how to balance motherhood with still making space for myself. After becoming a mom again, there were times when I honestly felt like I had lost parts of who I was. I love being a mother and being present for my children, but I also had to learn that Koya still exists outside of being someone’s wife or mom. I think that’s something a lot of women can relate to, but we don’t always talk about it.
Life has also taught me that no matter how much you plan, there will always be things you can’t prepare for. Over the last few years, my family and I have experienced loss, financial ups and downs, career changes and seasons where life simply felt heavy. There have definitely been moments when I’ve questioned myself, wondered what direction I was going in, or felt like I should be further along than I am.
One thing I’m continuing to learn is to give myself grace. I don’t have to have everything figured out at once. Sometimes success looks like accomplishing a big goal, and sometimes it looks like simply continuing to show up for yourself and your family during a difficult season. I’ve had to remind myself that changing direction doesn’t mean I’ve failed, and starting over doesn’t mean I’m starting from nothing. Everything I’ve experienced has taught me something that I can carry into whatever comes next.
My faith continues to be a big part of how I navigate those seasons. Looking back, there are things I didn’t understand while I was going through them, but I’ve learned to trust that God is still working even when I can’t see the full picture. I’m still learning, still growing and still figuring some things out, but I think that’s part of the beauty of becoming who you’re meant to be.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My creative work has evolved a lot over the last few years, but being a self-published children’s book author will always be a special part of my journey. Nia’s Big Day was inspired by my daughter Nehemiah and her experience starting school, I wanted to create a story that could help children feel less nervous and more excited about such a big milestone. What started as an idea on my vision board eventually became a published book, and in June 2026 we celebrated the 5th year anniversary of Nia’s Big Day. Being able to celebrate that milestone with the same little girl who inspired the story was such a special full-circle moment for me. What’s also really special is that my youngest daughter, Aria, who is now three, has developed her own love for books. Nia’s Big Day was inspired by her big sister, and now Ari gets to sit and read the same book her mom wrote about her big sister. Moments like that reminds me that this was always bigger than just publishing a book, it became a piece of our family’s story and something my children will always have…and seeing both of my girls connect with something I created made that five-year milestone mean even more.
When I first published Nia’s Big Day, I was stepping into something completely new and learning as I went. Since then, I’ve had opportunities to share my story and my book on platforms like the Read with Carylee show, and one of the things I’m most proud of is seeing how far the book has gone beyond what I originally imagined. Today, Nia’s Big Day is available through major retailers including Walmart, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million and Amazon. Five years later, knowing that families can still discover something that started as an idea inspired by my own daughter means so much to me.
Today, another large part of my creative work is content creation. I share motherhood, family, lifestyle, beauty, hair and the funny, everyday moments that happen in our home. I think what makes my content connect with people is that I don’t try to make my life look perfect. I’m simply sharing real moments from my life and allowing my personality and my family’s personalities to come through.
Content creation has also opened doors for me to work with brands and explore different ways to turn my creativity into income. I’ve had opportunities to create sponsored and affiliate content, share products that fit naturally into my life and connect with a community that continues to grow with me. One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that sometimes the content you don’t overthink is what people connect with the most.
Moving forward, I want to continue growing my platform while staying true to who I am. I would love to work with more brands that align with my family and lifestyle, continue creating opportunities through social media and reconnect even more with my work as an author. I’m not finished writing. I actually have another completed children’s book that has been sitting unpublished for some time. Life happened, motherhood happened, and I put that part of my creativity on the back burner for a while, but it never completely went away. Celebrating five years of Nia’s Big Day reminded me of that, so I definitely haven’t written my last children’s book…that part of my creative journey is far from over.
For me, creativity has never looked like just one thing. It can be writing a children’s book, filming a funny moment with my family, creating a video around a product I genuinely enjoy or simply sharing a piece of my everyday life that makes someone else laugh or feel seen. I’m excited to see where that creativity takes me next.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Of course I have to say my favorite book is Nia’s Big Day. It will always hold a special place in my heart because it was inspired by my daughter and was my first children’s book. As far as apps, some of my favorites are TikTok, CapCut and the God app. TikTok allows me to create and connect with my community, CapCut is one of my go-to tools for editing content, and I enjoy using the God app for daily Scripture and encouragement.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EucXFwRdg/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dembellgirlz
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heyyykoya
