For years, audiences have watched Gia Giudice grow up in front of the cameras on The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Now at 24, Gia is ready to carve out a space of her own — without leaving her family behind.

In a new interview with PEOPLE, Gia Giudice opens up about launching her iHeartRadio podcast Casual Chaos and starring in the upcoming Bravo series Next Gen NYC. Reflecting on the unique challenges of growing up on reality television, she admits it hasn’t always been easy.