On this episode of the Mompreneurs podcast, branding expert Rakia Reynolds sat down with host Nancy Redd for an enlightening conversation about her journey as the founder of Skai Blue Media—which is now Actum, after the company was acquired last year. The award-winning creative is known for breathing life into the storytelling and strategy behind big names like Uber, Airbnb, IBM, and Serena Williams. Reynolds reflected on her inspiring journey—sharing her thoughts on AI, working with her husband, and selling her company.
“I was told I talked too much in class, I was disruptive.”
Reynolds talked about what it was like growing up with ADHD. “When you are an ADHD child—you’re maybe hyper-focused on something or you’re called extra energetic—you have to be your own advocate and you have to be your own voice.”
Back then, she wasn’t the typical “model student.” “I’m not saying that I was a bad kid, but I got in trouble a lot,” she recalled. “I was told I talked too much in class, I was disruptive.” But her dad encouraged Reynolds to pay no mind to the naysayers and to be proud of who she was. “That always rang through for me whenever I’m at a moment where I feel like my back is against the wall.”
Ultimately, this was where she began to develop her superpower—the art of storytelling. “As a kid, I was always telling the teacher a story,” she said. “I was perfecting stories because I wanted to keep myself out of trouble.”
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