Meet Oliver Riera of Focus Light Creative

I was with my dad, who I didn’t get along with. I had to grow up fast. Learned how to clean, cook, do laundry, etc. I didn’t get along with my dad, to the point where I was walking on eggshells every day. Through the help of the community, my mom and sister were able to come back two years later on Christmas night. My sister said I got quiet when they came back.

Starting from 8th grade and through high school, I was in bands. The last band I was in lasted around 5 years. I played bass, backup vocals, and screamer. We toured, recorded in studios, and played a lot of shows. The lead singer ended up leaving without any warning. One week later we get an email from Capitol Records asking us to perform at Walnut Creek and open up for a band so they can see us perform. We didn’t do it. A lot of people said I should have stepped up and became the lead vocalist, but I didn’t think I was strong enough vocally and was too in my shell to make it happen.

Once the band split up, I didn’t know what I was going to do with my life. I thought I was going to be a rock star (even though I had the chance). Looking back, I was drinking and smoking so much during my high school times, that if I did become big, I probably would have spiraled and drugs and alcohol would have taken over. Inside I was still a lonely kid who was scared and tip-toeing around on eggshells.

I decided I was going to just work my way up the ladder in the corporate world. I knew I didn’t want to go to school because I never liked it at all. Until one day when I was a manager at Blockbuster and looked around and said “I have to go to school”. Thinking back, I really just needed to do something else with my life and thought school was the only option. This part of my life was still in Raleigh, NC. When I decided to go to school, I ended up picking a school down in Orlando, FL, did all the loan paperwork by myself, got my license suspended the last month I was supposed to be moving, got down there, found a roommate, found an apartment, all within ONE MONTH. My mom said I turned white by the time I moved.

While in Florida, I ended up getting kicked out of my apartment and was living at friends’ houses for a night or two, and sometimes at the school where I was going. Luckily, it was open 24/7 because of class hours. I ended up moving in with one of my friends down there and finished out the year with my Associate’s Degree and moved back to NC.

I moved to Greensboro where I was living in the hood and working various jobs like Earth Fare, and an Air Filter Company that drives up and down the east coast changing air filters for Walmarts and Sams Clubs. Hotel living on weekdays. Hard to believe but that was a pretty labor-ish job. That’s when I was at my fittest. I found an Audio/Visual company that was hiring techs. With the air filter company I knew I wasn’t going to make it back in time for my interview with the A/V job, so I ended up quitting on the spot. It worked out because I got the job. I ended up working as an A/V tech for over 10 years. Learning everything from live sound, rigging, lights, camera, etc.

Here’s where my life took a big shift. I was 24, still doing A/V work, living in Greensboro. EVERYTHING in my life was negative. So negative to the point where I was working and coming back home. That’s it. My mental was extremely closed off from the world. There came a point where I knew I needed a change in my life. So I decided to pack up and move back to Raleigh. Luckily, I was able to just transfer my job over. At first, I lived with my sister for a few months. Then I got my own place. I came across the Educational doc “The Secret”. Learning about the law of attraction. That’s what began my positive journey into who I am now.

I wanted to learn everything I didn’t know how to do in life. I knew I needed to start with learning how to have a conversation with people. I became good friends with my neighbor who was in a band. He introduced me to the Pick Artist game. I saw so much potential in learning that skill. I would go to his shows and just walk around the place, talking to different people. Just practicing how to talk to people. Sure, I would get some numbers but my overall goal was to learn how to have a successful conversation. I ended up being pretty good at it. The more confident I got with myself, the more I explored my life and all that there is in the world. I was watching a movie and thought, I think I should try acting. Not only is acting a great skill to have but since I was learning how to be a better person, learning how to act is perfect. You get to study a character’s life and compare it to yours and notice things that could work for you or don’t work.

I ended up taking an intro to acting class. I did a monologue and everyone came up to me afterward not believing it was my first time acting. I ended up getting the acting bug and took more classes. After just one year of training really hard, I ended up getting an agent and went straight to work. Who knew I would become a professional actor for 11 years after that. Studying different techniques like improv (which I felt like were my people, since I have a huge goofy side to me). Being indifferent to improv groups and performing around the state. Working with some of the best acting, improv teachers in the area. Doing commercials, Industrials, indie films, and TV.

As I was acting, I was still working as an A/V tech, but I also started teaching acting to all ages. Both improv and acting. I got to a point where I wanted to try acting full-time. So I quit my A/V job and did so. What I didn’t realize is that with acting, and really any freelance/contract work, there are high times and low times. When the low time came, I wasn’t prepared. I was desperate for money. I ended up breaking up with my then-girlfriend, and since it was her place, it was time for me to go (overnight).

I moved in with my parents for a few months where I didn’t get along with my dad. It got worse and worse. The little kid in me was coming out again. I knew I was about to get kicked out and on the streets again. Out of the blue, SAS company called me up. Side note: before I quit my A/V job, we were contracted at SAS to work. So when the boss heard I wasn’t working for them anymore, he wanted to scoop me up. He couldn’t have called at the most perfect time. I ended up working at SAS for 10 years as a part-time permanent audio engineer contractor. I was still acting throughout my stay at SAS.

So at the same time as SAS, teaching acting, coaching and taping actors for major TV/FILM auditions, and also acting myself, I was training in MMA for about 3 years. Just for fun. Taught me a lot about balance, and confidence, until my gym closed down and moved to a different state.

I started really getting into my own video and photo work, later on. I started a business with my partner at the time, and we became Focus Light Creative. Doing photo and video work. It was a blessing to have a co-partner in the business because I couldn’t have done it without her. I think she gave me the confidence I needed to run a business. We both grew so much individually that we were starting to go in different directions. It’s great because I learned so much about how to be a better person with her and she became someone who was powerful, strong, and holds her ground. It was all great but we both wanted to go in different directions towards the end.

She ended up stepping down from Focus Light Creative, and I took over. If it wasn’t for the few years we had the business together, I don’t think I would have been ok taking over it. Plus the fact that there was no bad blood between us and it was a smooth transition, helped.

I focused on rebranding the company and learning how to step things up to the next level. Now, here we are. Today. My mind is clear. My mind is strong. I know from years of life training that with new levels in life, comes new struggles and I’m ok with that. I know that if I keep pushing through, keep learning, stay positive as much as I can, and go with the flow of things, I’ll be ok. I know my intentions and my heart is in the right place. I know my values are in a good place. If you boil things down to the core, those things are what will make it be ok.

I know that everything I went through, prepared me and made me who I am. Everything works together.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Life isn’t a smooth road. I think one of the biggest obstacles in my life was my inner thoughts.

Some struggles to list them off have been family separation, child abuse, homelessness.

When you go through trauma, no matter if it’s many years ago, it can pop out at times. Even when you don’t expect it. I think negative inner talk can be one of the biggest struggles. Once I started learning about the law of attraction, I started looking into other things, getting deeper into it. I started listening to motivational speakers like Les Brown, E.T., Tony Robins, Allan Watts.

You know what’s interesting is, when I’m going through a specific type of struggle, another motivational speaker comes into my life talking about that very thing that I needed. So when I started with Les Brown, it was just about being positive and not letting things get to you. When it was E.T., it was about “Keep going!” you’re strong enough, you’re a lion.

Sometimes I think my ancestors have been protecting me my whole life. I think between that and my sense of self-awareness, I was able to listen to what life had to teach me, and act.

I got to a point where I would come up with life quotes. Knowing that with any quote out there, other people have said it, but in their own way. One of the quotes I like is: “To worry is to think of the past and/or future. Accepting the now with peace and love with gratefulness, is to live in harmony with yourself”.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Focus Light Creative tells YOUR story by creating epic videos and photos that promote your fitness brand in a uniquely raw and compelling way.

I work with Athletes, gyms, fitness studios, coaches, fitness products, fitness clothes. One of the biggest things that set me apart is I love getting deep into the truth and the why of your brand. When I do interviews or meetings with clients, I’m not just asking a question and then moving on. I’m going to have a conversation with you and get to the root of things. Ask questions that you’ve never thought about or haven’t thought about in years.

My goal is to show as much emotion, into a video and photo, as I can, in order to grab the attention of your audience to bring in more sales and more fans. Taking your brand, sales funnel, audience/customers, and getting into the why and how with all of that. I have a deep passion to express, and I’m able to take what your brand, style, and mood are, and find a way to express that fully, with visual content.

That’s definitely what I’m most proud of. I love seeing my clients’ reactions when they see the final product. It’s such a good feeling. Not only that but there’s a bond that happens between my clients and me. I get to know them quickly and at a deep level, that it becomes a lifetime bond.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I think what I like best about Raleigh is how diverse it is. I’ve lived in Raleigh pretty much since I was 5 years old.

I’ve seen so many changes to this city, but one thing that always sticks is the laid-back feel. It’s a good middle if you’re talking about somewhere between a city like New York and a town in the country. Raleigh’s growing and it’s now becoming more and more like a big city, but the core of Raleigh has always been laid back.

I think the thing I don’t like is just like anywhere, there needs to be more nature. Obviously, Raleigh is going in a more city direction but that doesn’t mean we should stop building parks. Everywhere there’s construction around, it’s always a corporate office or apartment/condo building. You can’t enjoy life and play outside when it’s just parking lots and buildings. That doesn’t spark the creative mind.