Meet Akira Rashanë | Entrepreneur & Motivational Speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Akira Rashanë and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Akira, we’d love to hear more about your end-goal, professionally.
My goal is to continue to find ways to help others in many more ways than one. I have really envisioned myself to keep going no matter how hard or how tough it may get. So, when you say end, I have been taught to never think about an ending when it comes to something that you are passionate about. From a professional stand point I would like to be successful in everything I touch, I want to be able to say I’ve tried everything I have wanted to do, nothing is off limits for me. I want my name to be mentioned in rooms that I’m not physically in. I just simply want to make an impact not just in my community but GLOBALLY! So, when you say end I truly believe that there won’t be an end to my career that isn’t an option for me, my main goal is for my name to live on and on for many generations and years to come.

What should our readers know about your business?
It hasn’t been a smooth journey for me, it’s been many sleepless nights and hard days where I had to pick myself up and try again many times. When we talk about challenges, I am sure everyone faces them but as for me my challenge was dealing with my health, I was diagnosed with a chronic sleep condition/disorder called Idiopathic Hypersomnia at the age of 22. When people made jokes about me always being sleepy and laughed thinking it was funny because I was young and could fall asleep anywhere at the drop of a dime, not knowing that it was an illness that effected me on a daily basis it caused me to be in a deep depressed state and I shut out the world. I didnt want to come around anyone anymore including my family not because they did anything wrong it was just that I was in a dark space. My boyfriend was really my sole support and I thank him so much for understanding and keeping his composure and being patient throughout this process because I will struggle with this condition for the rest of my life. I’ve always been viewed as the strong individual that can handle anything that’s thrown my way and at the time without question I just made it look good to others but I was severely suicidal and I cried almost everyday. I finally went to therapy and got back focused on the things I was passionate about and started building my business from scratch. My brand is definitely going to represent my journey and the impact i have on people which means it won’t be a fairytale but it will always have a true and valuable meaning. My business is called Key Secret Society for a reason and it’s because we are the secret weapon to many businesses by being the main key to unlock their success by connecting them to the most profound resources in making their business successful. One of the main lessons i have learned on this journey so far and I tell people this all the time is to check on your strong friends, stop always calling and crying about your problems to people who you think are strong because they are always a phone call away, you never know what people are going through. Sometimes us strong people needs the same support by being able to vent and get checked on as well from time to time. I think people tend to forget that we can’t be blessed if we are selfish and only thinking about how someone can be beneficial only in your time of need. Life doesn’t work that way sometimes we have to stop speeding through life and slow down and look at our surroundings because what will eventually happen is we miss some of the signs that’s being presented to us. Don’t be fooled by what you think is clear as day because trust me when i tell you, you can’t always trust what you see all the time even salt looks like sugar.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

A cool Friday night I would either go to Impulse karaoke lounge or Mic’s and rent out a karaoke room and sing the worlds greatest hits all night long or go bar hopping on Peter Street and Edgewood Avenue or any clubs here are always a vibe. Saturday morning we would hit up some of the most famous brunch spots like Toast on Lenox, Breakfast at Barney’s, Lily’s Lounge or Escobar just to name a few. Saturday night night life in Atlanta there is always something to do like going to many rooftop bars like Cirque or an upscale lounge like Rock Steady or Pasha. Sunday would be another brunch day to try out the many options we have in the city and maybe a fun night to go to the Painted Duck and bowl and drink cocktails.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There’s definitely some motivation that my determination comes from and although I don’t mention him much and if you know me then you know my younger brother is my whole heart. You know sometimes people always say that you have to have this big public-figured person as your motivation but that’s not true. I chose my brother to play this role in my life because I’ve helped raise him and I’ve always instilled in him that trying is always better than not and he’s been trying to find his way ever since. I joke around with him all the time when I tell him that he’s my first born child, he hates it but I get a kick out of it. Overall, I just want to be that person who can be a vessel in his career and whatever he decides to do in his life. That’s why a lot of times when I make decisions I think about how I could be a role model for him. He places me on this pedestal and have these expectations of me that are unmatched because he knows his big sister is always up for a challenge and I don’t quit until the task is complete. It’s the extra push that I didn’t know I needed even when he just sends me a random text and tells me to keep going or how proud of me he is, that simply goes a long way with me because sometimes he doesn’t know how much I needed that motivation when I could unknowingly be in moment of giving up. He knows first hand how I hard I can be on him and even myself so it feels good to have a person in your life that truly understands who you are and never judges who you are and still looks up to you as a role model as well despite not being a perfect individual yourself. It just feels good to watch him grow everyday. He’s not perfect but is mine! Of course i want to thank my village of family and friends and when i say village i mean the ones that have genuinely been around to just watch me grow and wish me well. I have had so many people come into my life that has made an impact on my life and if i go down the list, I’d be sitting here forever. The ones that know who they are they don’t have to question if i am speaking about them right here in this moment, my day one people know that i got them and the ones that is questioning if i am speaking about them then that’s their answer, i show my appreciation to the ones that matter every chance i get, what’s that quote? Give your relatives and friends their flowers while they are still alive and can still smell them because once they are gone, they are gone. People think they are getting over on you by sticking around and holding up a facade as if they are happy for you but in actuality, they want you to fail because you’re either doing better than what they thought you were going to be or they want to see how much they can benefit from you. I always tell people that God hears and sees all. A wise man once said to me that if you stand by the river long enough you would eventually see the bodies of your enemies float by, don’t let that go over your head.

Instagram: @IAmAkiraRashane_

Facebook: Akira Rashanë