Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rayna Ali-Patterson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Rayna , appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
Oh my gosh! I so wish I started sooner, because…well I did! Let me explain. In 2009/2010, I started my Youtube channel where I was simply doing hair and makeup. I was in a one bedroom apartment, newly married and with a newborn on my android phone uploading short videos to Youtube. I was still in under grad after taking a break and had some free time on my hands. So, I randomly started a channel, no plan just vibes lol. A few months into it, one of my friends messaged me and told me they saw one of my videos pop up on Youtube, and I PANICKED. I have no idea what I was thinking would happen, but after she told me, I deleted my channel. I didn’t start back producing content until a few years later. Fast forward to my Influencer career now, of course I wish I would’ve stayed the course! I’m grateful for when I “truly” started in this industry, but I can’t help but imagine how it would be had I not deleted my channel back then! You live and you learn!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hi, my name is Rayna! I’m a natural hair, midsize fashion and lifestyle full time content creator born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. I’m a wife and mom and most currently a new dog mom! I stumbled into this industry like most creators did during the 2010 YouTube era. I started creating content around 2012/2013 centered around natural hair. At that time the natural hair community was flourishing and many women were learning how to care for and most importantly how to love their hair. I decided to document my journey, hoping to help other women to learn, love and care for their hair like I was trying to do. I started with a blog called ‘happy curl happy girl’ and the name and content took off. It turned into my full my time career since then. I did tons of natural hair product review videos and showcased all the different looks over the years on platforms like Youtube, Instagram, Snapchat and Tik Tok. However, as I was evolving, so was my content. I started venturing into midsize fashion, mom of a teen talks, wife life and lifestyle. Finally in 2025, I rebranded! I changed my name from happy curl happy girl to @itsraynacamille. That was a huge step for me because I was so attached and thats who people knew me as! I’m so proud of that shift! The main thing I want people and followers to know about me is that I love Jesus, I love my family and I love bringing light to those who may need it with my comedic and relatable content. If I can do it, so can you!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is being able to set your own schedule. As a mom, it’s so important for me to carve the time to raise my daughter. Working from home afforded me the advantage to be very present in my daughters up bringing. Not only that, my daughter is a creative and an artist and she gets to work with her mom as well. Since she was small, she’s been in countless videos with me and recognized by supporters and brands and I love that she gets to experience the great times with her mom. She gets to see an entrepreneur in action daily. Being able to work with my child and be so present in her life has been such a blessing!
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
The lesson I had to unlearn is perfectionism. Waiting to share or post until it’s perfect will keep you in self doubt and cycles of overthinking. Aesthetics and comparison has caused creators to second guess and sometimes wait to share content and thats simply hurting the creator but also the trusted supporter. I remember I used to be so stuck on aesthetics and making sure every aspect of my photo or video was perfect until it was obsessive and ultimately draining. Now, I’ve learned the importance of showing the real life and the flaws. I show the highs as well as the lows, the beauty marks and the stretch marks. That’s what people resonate with, not the aesthetic.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @itsraynacamille
- Youtube: https://YouTube.com/happycurlhappygirl
