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

Hi Raven, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The thought process behind starting my own business was very intricate. I wanted to do something to establish an independence, create another source of income, and give others a glimpse on who I really am all at the same time. To me, YouTube was the perfect platform for me to do all three. For years, I have watched various influencers and always wondered how it feels to do something that you love and be able to do it on your own time. Starting my channel was honestly just a leap of faith and I cannot wait to see where this platform leads me.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
There are many Youtuber’s who do similar things on their channels, but I feel what sets me apart is my personality. Anyone can create tutorials, reviews, and vlogs but when you are passionate about something it shows through your personality. No one wants to watch a boring video so I try to keep my content fun, interesting, yet simple at the same time. For my channel, I am most excited about showing people my progression in life. I believe that it is always interesting to watch someone from the beginning all the way up into their success. I recently graduated undergrad and plan to attend law school. I not only want to show others my everyday life, but also my transition from undergrad, law school, and into my career after that. Where I am today is not where I expected to be and I am extremely excited about that. Sometimes, we get lost into where we want to be and lose focus on how far we have already come. I can agree that this is something that I often do and I know that many others around me may do the same. Becoming who I am today was not easy and I know that it may only get harder, but that’s the beauty of it all. Everyday we become stronger and as long as you stay focused, have faith, and never give up then the rest will fall into place. I want the world to know that my brand and my story are as authentic as it comes. On my channel, I keep it as real as it gets and hope to show my subscribers that no matter what it is, you can do it! Whether it’s makeup, law school admissions, styling, or etc., my channel will show you what to do and if you need a little help, I got you.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
My idea of a perfect hangout would include self-pampering, shopping, and great food! For anyone visiting Atlanta in general, I suggest brunch to start off your day. Some of my favorite brunch spots include Ms. Icey’s, Negril Village, and BQE. The food options at both are amazing and the vibe takes it to the next level. More specifically, my favorite area to hang out in is Buckhead. Buckhead is a dream to me and I one day hope to establish a foundation there because they have everything. They have great food, shopping, amazing nail salons, beauty salons, and even more fabulous cuisine. On a perfect day, I would begin by getting my nails done at Eminence Nails and Spa then taking some time to shop in the Buckhead Loop and even make a trip to Lenox Square Mall. Then I would grab a bite to eat either at California Pizza Kitchen or Maggiano’s and a glass of wine because both have great selections. For a little fun, I would ride bikes on the belt line, grab some ice cream, or walk around and take pictures in front of the many beautiful murals in the city of Atlanta. To end the day, I would grab some friends and enjoy drinks at a rooftop restaurant or even take them to a lounge to get a glimpse into our night life… all while social distancing of course!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my family and friends. They all deserve credit and recognition for encouraging me to be who I am. It may sound cliche to say, but I truly do not know where I would be without them. I want to genuinely thank them for pushing me, checking on me, and making sure that I stay on top of things at all times. They are the ones who helped to give me my start and I will never forget that!

Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl1OAMjRmFo3kQ_l0O-UCdg/featured
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ravenxdenise/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raven-smith-bab283192/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/raeyonce?lang=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raven.denise.3
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl1OAMjRmFo3kQ_l0O-UCdg/featured

Image Credits
Essence Ransome @essence.ransome Hannah Cohen @hmnphoto @tropicophoto

Nominate someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.