Meet Raven Jackson.
CEO of Raven's Creations.
"Cincinnati is up and coming and full of new businesses and people [where] you can grow alongside other new business owners..."
Raven’s Creations is a personal chef and catering service created to engineer upscale, memorable events for those celebrating life’s most precious moments or those with hectic lifestyles wanting to take a break from the kitchen.
Q: What is a problem you're working to solve?
A: Raven's Creations strives to make upscale Soul Food and fusion dishes more accessible in Cincinnati and surrounding areas.
Q: How did a grant from Main Street Ventures impact you and your business?
A: Main Street Ventures will give me the capital and resources to help expand my business. With this grant, I will be able to segue into a different, more passive area of the culinary world. The employees at MSV have been very eager to assist with my vision and that is invaluable. With my new venture, I aim to educate and inspire home cooks, chefs, and families around the world. I plan to educate the masses on what Soul Food is, as well as how to prepare Soul Food dishes.
Q: What makes Cincinnati a great place to start a business?
A: Cincinnati is up and coming and full of new businesses and people. If you take advantage of that, you can grow alongside other new business owners and businesses. I feel Cincinnati is also a 'transplant city' with people moving here from all parts of the country. This creates a unique opportunity to market products to new residents who are looking to replace all the old businesses they supported in their former cities.
Q: What is a lesson you've learned that has shaped your work?
A: I've learned to have confidence in myself and my work. No one wants to hire a professional that is unsure about the value they offer. At first, I was very meek and was severely undervaluing my talents because I was afraid that I would not get any customers if my prices were too deemed too expensive for what I had to offer. After building my confidence, expanding my education and experience, and narrowing down my target audience I now understand my internal and perceived value. I lost a lot of money, time, and product by not charging my worth but thankfully I can now proudly stand behind everything I have to offer.
Q: What's next for Raven's Creations?
A: I would like to focus on the educational aspect of cooking, more content creation, and cooking tutorials. Ultimately, you'll want to wait and see what I do next :)