Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Qveen Culver. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Qveen , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I’m Qveen, a model and entrepreneur originally from Orlando, Florida. My journey into the creative world has been deeply personal and transformative. Growing up, I always felt there was something unique about me, but I couldn’t quite figure out what it was.

My childhood wasn’t easy. My mom served time in prison, and that left me feeling like a part of me was missing. It was hard to express myself, and I struggled to make friends. I felt isolated, shutting out the world because I didn’t know how to deal with the emptiness inside.

Things started to shift in middle school when I found a brief outlet in acting. But it was music that really helped me express myself. Music became my refuge, a way to channel my emotions and start coming out of my shell. Through music, I began to make friends and realized that I had more talents waiting to be explored.

Being a 6-foot-tall Black girl, I always saw the world as larger than life, and I knew I had a place in it. By the time I reached my senior year of high school, I was determined to prove that I was more than my circumstances. I wanted to go to college, not just for myself but to uplift my family as well.

Moving to Miami to attend Florida Memorial University, a historically Black college, was a game-changer. College became the place where I truly embraced my creative side and started to explore all the different talents I had. It was here that I began to see the possibilities of a career in modeling and entrepreneurship.

Once I entered college, my perspective on life and my desires began to shift dramatically. Music was still a significant part of me, but my passion for education started to peak. I majored in Communications with a concentration in TV Broadcasting, shaping my mind for a career path I was excited about.

One day, while walking to class, I noticed something called modeling troupes at our college. These troupes would battle each other with their hairstyles, clothes, and runway walks, creating an electrifying atmosphere at our HBCU. Watching them strut down a cafeteria runway sparked my passion for fashion and runway modeling.

At first, I didn’t have much confidence, but I decided to attend one of their rehearsals and eventually joined. Ever since then, my style and interest in fashion grew immensely, igniting the modeling side of my career. Though it wasn’t originally modeling, there was still so much to learn before I could walk my first runway.

I started researching and looking up greats like Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, and Gigi Hadid. I thought to myself, “This is something I would definitely love to pursue.” So, while in college, I began looking up casting calls on Instagram, sometimes even skipping class to attend them. I met prominent people in the industry, including Mr. Coleman, who taught me how to runway walk.

As my time in college came to an end, I knew I had to take modeling and my career path more seriously. During college, I started multiple businesses, including a lingerie line. However, after graduating, I took modeling more seriously as a part-time job while working a 9-to-5. Things started to take off, and I began booking more modeling gigs.

As I climbed the ranks in the modeling world, I started to notice the difficulties Black models face. I realized that while some things had changed, there were still many disparities that needed to be addressed. This realization led me to become an advocate and start a movement called Support Black Models.

At the same time, I began to take my mental health more seriously. I had often put it on the back burner while trying to achieve so much at a young age. This led me to start a podcast called “Royalty Talks Podcast,” which focuses on women’s mental health and navigating it through true stories and tough conversations, creating an open yet fun space.

Since then, I’ve been shaping my media presence both on and off the runway to make an impact and help other women achieve their dreams and goals. I want to show them that sometimes it’s not about how you start but how you finish. Even when things seem unclear at the beginning, the end goal will eventually make sense with time and faith.

I’ve gone viral with multiple videos and participated in events like Miami Swim Week, LA Swim Week, Fort Lauderdale Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, and more. My journey is about resilience, empowerment, and creating change in the industry while inspiring others to pursue their passions.

Qveen , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Getting officially into modeling at the beginning was quite a challenge because I wanted people to take me seriously. I didn’t want to come across as just someone who wanted to do it for Instagram. I actually wanted to get into it seriously, which is why I studied so much and researched to find where to start.

Granted, I do feel like my start wasn’t a usual one. I kind of just ran into the right people at the right time who wanted to take the time to mentor and shape me. Trust me when I say it was not easy. It takes a lot of discipline, especially since, at the time, I was in college trying to accomplish so many things. I felt like I had to prove the doubters and my family wrong. I wanted to be twice as good.

However, understanding the pressure of wanting to be good, I had to release that notion because nothing is ever perfect or set in stone. Meeting other models in the industry and finding navigation and support amongst each other definitely helped me. It helped me cultivate my platforms to be a voice of reason.

Being a full-time model now with a podcast definitely gives me the voice to speak up for those who might not feel they have a voice. Being their voice of reason means everything to me. Seeing how women contact me for advice or even congratulate me, saying how I helped them through a rough spot with my videos or content, is such an amazing and empowering feeling to have.

A highlight so far would be the women I have impacted with the micro-following that I have. I always said if I can change one person out of a thousand, the fact that someone was impacted means a lot. I think what sets me apart from most models or podcasters in the industry is that I don’t really do it for me. I don’t do it for fame or personal gain. Honestly, at one point, I didn’t care at all. I do it to see a bigger purpose beyond just taking sexy photos on Instagram. I do it for change. How could I leave a mark?

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Building my social media audience was definitely a gradual process. I didn’t wake up one day with 10k followers—it took time and effort. Initially, I focused on attending networking events, and being in college helped a lot too. But when it comes to the following I have now, I’d say consistency played a huge role in growing my audience. Creating quality content consistently was key. Of course, my sexy modeling videos and some of the more outrageous podcast discussions helped catch attention from time to time.

My biggest piece of advice for aspiring models and creators? It might sound cliché, but just start. Think about it—if you don’t start, how will anyone find you? How will anyone know if they can relate to you or like what you do? You have to put yourself out there. Start learning what works for you, and stick with it. Consistency is crucial—without it, you won’t make it, plain and simple. And lastly, have faith in the process.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I’m laughing as I read this because my whole life feels like a series of pivots! One significant pivot was after I graduated from college. I found myself working in government as a legislative aide and then as a public affairs specialist. It was far from what I studied, but it felt like I was living in a reality show every day. I knew my purpose was bigger, and my time there would be limited. Balancing government work and modeling was tough, and eventually, I was fired from my government job. It was a blessing in disguise, as it redirected me towards my true passion. I firmly believe that rejection is redirection, and this experience reaffirmed my faith and purpose in life.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsofficialqveen