Today we’d like to introduce you to Ms. Monique Bryant.
Ms. Monique, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My name is Monique Bryant but most people call me Ms. Monique or Ms. Mo which is a nickname my dance teacher gave me when I was 16, and I adopted it. I like to consider myself someone who’s always working hard under the radar, while socially, I am known to be a free-spirit who is a beauty enthusiast. However, I have worked a myriad of roles within the beauty industry for 15 years from makeup counter sales, professional artistry to management in the corporate space. As a creative gaining business exposure in an industry that I would consider ‘my first love,’ I personally felt that true inspiration behind brands was dissolving, as it is often about the big business format. Everyone knows that the real magic inside of art is the artists themselves. They influence the corporations who then fund the magic with a strategy that suits their long term goals that don’t necessarily include the original creators.
I decided to launch The Raven Woman, a Beauty Brand Management x Creative Direction Collective, in 2019 to support start-ups and professionals in the beauty and wellness industry. Our main goal is to gear the client with a healthy start on their journey by nurturing their uniqueness and crafting the brand’s identity before hitting the market. Single and full-service options because everyone is at a different place in their path, and we want to do our best to serve that stage. Ultimately, we are a team of professionals who live and breathe the realm of beauty helping creators develop timeless & iconic footprints.
Many people have asked about the name of the company. The Raven spirit animal is said to ignite magical energies to stimulate manifestation. Raven’s are entirely black from head to toe. I am a black woman supporting your intentions. The name is a perfect fit.
Ms. Monique is a native of Pasadena, CA who holds a B.A in Communication Arts. She earned her degree at Marymount Manhattan College in New York City which she called home for the past 15 years before moving back to Los Angeles in the past year.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
If it wasn’t for obstacles, I wouldn’t of started this journey. This is NOT my first rodeo. It all started back in 2007 when I thought I could manage an online magazine covering spectrums of talent in beauty and fashion. It was called MYNT MAGAZYNE. Ha! I funded my own photoshoots, wrote articles about all sorts of stuff. And I fell out of love quickly, because I wasn’t focused. I just knew I wanted to create. Luckily I met some amazing friends who I consider family who are popular mavens in entertainment, fashion, and media today.
One of my biggest struggles as a woman of color was working in management for a company that was primarily led by men (a few women) that looked nothing like me. I learned that while it felt I had the dream job, racism and prejudice killed my career. The triumph was walking away from a fight that wasn’t mine to win, because my success is inside a space of commerce that supports me. Even if it meant leaving behind all I worked for and starting over with minimal ground to stand on. I had my daughter, my dog, and my life to look forward to.
The Raven Woman – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Based in Los Angeles, CA we built a team of experienced professionals to serve the beauty and wellness industries. The core focus is to deliver individuality to support a cohesive omni-channel experience. We uniquely support brands and professionals through creative development and sustainability by burgeoning competitive framework and identity.
We pride ourselves on partnering with clients from concept to delivery. This is accomplished by providing trend intelligence, framework, and various concepts of design to successfully launch: graphic design, logos, web design, brand packages, and campaign ideation & strategy. Our mission is to make brands monetary, not transactional.
Additional services include turnkey resources that we have partnered with to create prestige custom brands.
The Raven Woman provides single and full service offers to best support the needs of your business.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I define success by knowing which way is up and accepting that while it is not always smooth, girl you better stick to your plan even if there is a cause for delay. It always works out.
I have to create actionable challenges for myself. The same accountability I preach to my clients. It’s scary because it requires you to review the result of your work. I have learned to create my markers of success in steps. I may not breathe to see the “big goal.” I make a list and the intended outcome to best manage my expectations. Mind you, every step has its reward and leaves something promising in place for my daughter and business — big or small. There is a timeline for everything and I don’t let the unexpected loosen my fight because that is inevitable. Starting my business and having client retention has been rewarding. With each opportunity that challenges me to create something new, it defines why I started my business in the first place — creating my own space for success that can be handed down to my child. She should have a silver spoon to flip into millions and be the takeover for any and everything.
Pricing:
- Brand Discovery, 30 min call – FREE. Let’s discover if you are ready to invest in your own company!
- Brand Consultation, 2 sessions (60 min each), $250, Knowing where to start, and how to invest. It’s Your Brand, Own It!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theravenwoman.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @theravenwoman
Image Credit:
Shannon Laurine; Matthew Warren; Cristian; Ryan Barbee
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