Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rasheen Jeffries. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Rasheen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
FOCUS & PERSISTENCE
Knowing and understanding these two words and their action steps is essential to ones success. When you’re focused, nothing will be able to take your mind of reaching that specific achievement. When you’re persistent, you learn endurance and consistency. Both go hand-inhand.
Rasheen , 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?
Hello Everyone! My name is Rasheen Jeffries (RJ) the founder, curator, and lead designer of R. Jeffries Events. I was born in the Bronx, NY, but raised in Astoria, Queens.
Creativity and artistic expression are second nature to me. I have been able to masterfully take a concept, thought, or idea, and bring it to life with breath-taking floral arrangements and unforgettable event designs.
Transitioning from New York, to the Atlanta Metropolitan area allowed me to
purposefully hone in on my passion. My love for events developed in 2018. My love for florals developed in 2019. Since then, I have been blessed with opportunities to work with celebrity event planners whose clients includes: Cynthia Bailey (Real Housewives of Atlanta), Rasheeda & Kirk Frost (Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta), Quad Webb (Married to Medicine), and Keisha Knight Pulliam (The Cosby’s, Tyler Perry’s: House of Payne) just to name a few.
I am currently working to gain new heights. The potency of RJ Events work continues to be echoed by clients from New York, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, and other places, leaving residue of class, contemporary flare, and precision.
“It’s not about the income, its about the outcome”
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Being a creative is a reward all by itself. For me however, I would say the most rewarding part is having a vision and seeing that vision come to fruition.
Often times, I am taken back to the time in 2018 where I decided to enter the event industry. I thought I just wanted to be a planner- a contract evaluator, the guy who works hard in the background. I was truly a beginner, a real novice, and one that was eager to learn everything that I can–FOCUSED
I would’ve never thought I’d fall in love with floral design but I had VISION! I knew I wanted to do something in the event industry and to see how I’ve evolved through the years is such a rewarding factor.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
The event industry is a community that can be very intimidating yet inspiring at the same time. When I started, I spent a lot of time gleaning and learning from other event planners and floral designers.
What I believe helped build my reputation was:
- My Drive- I was one that was eager to learn. I reached out to planners asking to shadow them so that I can learn as much as I can. I showed up on time (before scheduled time) and did more than average “event intern” would find themselves doing.
True Story: When shadowing one of my mentors for the first time, I found myself assisting a catering vendor by washing dishes. Yes, I was in the back washing dishes after a wedding reception when it wasn’t required. I believe it was this passion and eagerness to learn that aided in the development of positive business relationships.
- My Creativity- I am an avid floral lover! I love being able to take florals of all colors, sizes and textures and use them to create eye-catching event aesthetics. I’ve been told I bring a “Classic Flare” style to the industry.
- My Personality- I love people! I love meeting and connecting with other creatives. My down to earth, NYC poise is something that all those connected to me love!
Contact Info:
- Website: rasheenjeffries.com
- Instagram: @r.jeffriesevents
Image Credits
Tevin Mike- @whotmike Stanley Babb–@stanlophotography