Today we’d like to introduce you to Raven Bell.
Hi Raven, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, moved to Charlotte in 2014 completed my Associate’s degree at CPCC, transferred to UNCG in order to complete my bachelor’s. I became vegan at the beginning of 2021 due to a chronic illness I was diagnosed with.
Bettering health, I began to enjoy exploring vegan meals and vegan cooking in general, the more I posted what I ate the more people gained curiosity. So shortly after, I began selling my own meals which eventually led to a professional catering business around mid-2021 and I continue on till this day as a junior at UNCG.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Struggles definitely have always been an issue with me being the only cook/chef in my business.
As far as assistance, I’ve only had help setting up catering events or even loading my car to head to another event. Decorations, supplies, and food inventory started out as a major struggle is that I was supporting my business out of my own pocket. With the help of my mother who has experience in catering, and my Chef mentor who provided me with enough knowledge to start out this business.
They both helped me transition into the professional business that the vegan race is today, I’ve learned to pace myself and improve my prep more and more as I continue.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I believe that what sets me apart from others is that I do not strictly provide catering services geared towards nonvegans only. I provide vegan and non-vegan catering, vending services for pop-ups, custom meal ordering throughout the week if available, and a few desserts I just started out promoting.
I’ve completed several catering events in Charlotte, at least 4 to 5 pop-ups, and now starting out my own series of events in the heart of Greensboro. This year, I am planning a Juneteenth Pop-up event at momentum venue, Saturday, June 18th, 2 pm – 7 pm which will allow the black-owned businesses to showcase, promote, sell their work, performers, poets, and more will be present!
After this event, I hope to do more. Once I graduate in 2023, I plan to focus more on my business to be extremely successful. As a 21-year-old in college, I am always extremely surprised by what I can accomplish.
Any big plans?
2023, I will be graduating in the fall. With that, I plan to do Vegan Rae Catering full time and focus on organizing more events throughout Charlotte and Greensboro at some point.
My degree will be in entrepreneurship, from UNCG. As far as bigger changes, I may end up moving to a different area to expand more and more every year.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://vegan-rae-clt.square.site/
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/veganraeclt
Image Credits
Deonjphotographer
