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Creator Economy · Digital Content · Media Acquisition · Women'S Market
Former Hartbeat CEO Thai Randolph launched NILE & Co., a new creator-driven media company, acquiring BuzzFeed's As/Is and Goodful brands for $500,000, marking her return to the media landscape with a content-to-commerce model.
NILE & Co., which stands for “Narrative, Influence, Legacy, Enterprise,” operates as a content and commerce platform specifically targeting women through its owned channels and trusted creators. At launch, the company acquired As/Is and Goodful from BuzzFeed, which reported selling the brands for $500,000 at an $800,000 loss in its 2025 annual report.
As/Is, with over 15 million followers, is being repositioned as a "whole-life platform for high-performing women," while Goodful, boasting more than 25 million followers, is evolving into a "wellness-to-wealth platform for women who invest in themselves." Both brands will relaunch in summer 2026 with new brand identities, business models, and creator partnerships. Additionally, NILE & Co.
secured a commercial partnership for BuzzFeed’s Cocoa Butter, Pero Like, and A*Pop brands, expanding its reach to multicultural audiences. The combined NILE & Co.
portfolio now reaches over 50 million consumers, predominantly women aged 25-45. Randolph's strategy focuses on building new companies with creators, acquiring brands with loyal audiences, and partnering for commercialization.
Her leadership team includes Manveer (Monti) Sehmi as CFO, Heather Johns as Head of Content, Melinda Lee as Operating Partner, and Ahmad Barber as Creative Director. Randolph previously led Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat, securing a $100 million capital raise from Abry Partners.
