We were lucky to catch up with Qi Rosa Zhang recently and have shared our conversation below.
Qi Rosa, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
Being the only one in the room—especially as an Asian woman founder—has been a defining part of my career. Early on, when I worked in more traditional industries like art and auction, I often found myself as one of the very few women of color, the youngest person in the room, and someone communicating in a second language, even though my English is native-level. That experience was both isolating and revealing—it taught me that visibility can be a double-edged sword. You stand out easily, but being seen doesn’t always mean being understood.
Over time, I learned that effectiveness—and truly standing out—is not only about hard work and effort, but about being smart in how you shift the narrative. It’s about understanding that success isn’t just individual performance, but how you change the way people see what’s possible.
On a more personal level, I’ve come to accept that fairness and recognition don’t always come naturally—and that realization can be painful. There are systems and perceptions that have existed long before us, and no one can change them overnight. But acknowledging that truth is the first step toward transforming it. I can’t control how others see me at first, but I can control what they see next. Many people have simply never met someone like me before, never seen what I could do—and that’s okay. My role is to make that first impression meaningful and to make my difference part of the reason they remember me.
Now, as the founder of a PR and marketing agency that operates between the U.S. and Asia, that duality has become my biggest advantage. My team and I specialize in helping brands translate across cultures—whether it’s a company in Asia entering the U.S. market or vice versa. That cross-cultural understanding, that ability to speak multiple “languages” both literally and strategically, grew out of those early experiences of being the only one in the room. What once made me feel out of place is now what makes my work irreplaceable.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
This is Rosa Qi Zhang, the founder of Queue Agency, a boutique PR and marketing firm based in New York. We focus on lifestyle and consumer goods brands—from major tech and home goods brands to local fashion labels and independent designers. Over the past two years, we’ve grown into a steady, trusted partner for clients who value creativity, cultural sensitivity, and experience forward storytelling.
What makes our work special is our approach: we create campaigns that are experience-forward. Whether it’s a digital campaign, a live event, or a social content series, we always start from a place of emotional resonance. We think about how people will feel, not just what they will see. That’s why our projects are designed to spark real connection—campaigns that people don’t just scroll past, but actually remember and talk about.
Some of our recent work includes campaigns for brands like Insta360 and Bedsure, and our fashion event productions have been featured in Vogue. This year, we were also honored by The PR Net as a Next Gen Honoree, which was a really meaningful recognition for us as a young agency under two years old.
At the core, Queue is built on values. We work with brands that have an ethical offering—products and ideas that genuinely make people’s lives better. In an era of over-industrialization and AI-driven content, we take pride in holding onto the human side of marketing: crafting experiences that move people. That belief in experience-forward thinking is what defines us, and it’s something I hope continues to grow as we do.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The three most impactful areas of knowledge that shaped my journey are: data-driven content strategy, emotional intelligence, and creativity rooted in cultural insight.
The first one—data-driven content structure and production—is at the core of how we work at Queue Agency. Every brand that comes to us goes through a full strategic benchmarking process, where we reexamine its positioning, audience, and narrative through our lens. For us, data isn’t limited to numbers—it includes qualitative insights, cultural signals, and emotional patterns that reveal how a brand truly connects with its audience. This balance between analytical structure and cultural intuition is especially crucial for the cross-cultural and market-entry projects we often handle. It’s what allows us to build strategies that are both locally relevant and globally resonant.
The second is emotional intelligence. Our core service is communication—and I genuinely believe it’s one of the few things that will never be replaced, even in an AI-driven future. Cross-cultural communication isn’t just about translation; it’s about empathy, context, and tone. It requires technical precision but also emotional awareness—knowing how to speak to people, industries, and systems that operate on different assumptions. We’ve built this into every layer of our agency, from training and workflow design to how we choose the clients and collaborators we work with.
And the third is creativity, which for me isn’t about aesthetics alone—it’s about cultural depth. True creativity happens when you understand the cultural cloud you’re operating in: the subcultures, emerging rituals, and the avant-garde ideas that shape how people experience the world. That’s the foundation of our experience-forward philosophy—creating campaigns that aren’t just visually striking but emotionally and culturally grounded. When creativity meets cultural intelligence, it doesn’t just attract attention—it creates connection.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
I don’t think going all in on your strengths and being well-rounded are opposites—but if I had to choose, I believe in going all in. The key is to stay grounded while you do it. Because when you go all in, you inevitably expose your weaknesses faster. You’re moving fast, pushing boundaries, and that means you’ll see where you fall short. But that’s also how you grow.
To me, focusing on your strongest areas first gives you momentum. When you double down on what you’re truly good at, you enter a space where you can compete with people who are also excellent—and that’s how you get sharper. For me, my strength has always been in cultural sensitivity, brand insight, and understanding the relationship between product, market, and consumer experience. That’s where I can create the most impact.
Of course, as a founder, you have to wear many hats. I’ve done design, operations, marketing, and PR, and I also studied business, so I do my own books and planning as well. For a while, I tried to do everything myself—but the more I grew, the more I realized that doing everything can make you forget what you do best. So I’ve been learning to delegate—to let other professionals take over the more operational and financial parts, while I focus on vision, communication, and creative direction.
Still, I think it’s important to understand every part of your business, even the parts you delegate. You need to know your company’s backbone—finance, structure, workflow—so you can build sustainably. So my philosophy is: master your strengths, understand your weaknesses, and surround yourself with people who make the whole picture stronger. Go all in, but build from a stable core.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://queue-agency.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queue.agencynyc/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/queue-agence-nyc/
Image Credits
First Photo – Courtesy of Queue Agency, Second and Third Photo – Courtesy of Insta360
