Today we’d like to introduce you to Raychelle Meyers.
Raychelle, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born and raised in an impoverished neighborhood in Fort Worth, TX. While growing up, my family and I lived in a rundown home built by my great-grandfather. If you were 6 feet tall you had to bend down to walk the ceilings were so low. As my older sisters left home, my brother and I remained with our Stay-at-Home mother and Entrepreneur father. My father started several businesses, however, many of them failed. Often times the family struggled and would go without lights or water when business was slow.
Eventually, my father started a successful carpentry business. However, sadly, he soon became ill and passed away from Lung Cancer in 1987. As he died, so did his business. Worst of all, he left my mom widow and my siblings and I fatherless. Soon after, due to tax issues, we were forced to move out of the home, which was later demolished.
Seven years later, I took on the challenge to break the chain of poverty in my family, and became the first to attend college. As a daddy’s girl, inspired by my father’s hard work and dedication, I started my own private child care business at 23 years old. A business, which was created to help busy corporate mothers, ran successfully for 4 years. Unfortunately, due to non-payment by the landlord of the property I was renting, the house was auctioned off and the business had to be closed. Weeks later, I began working as a Teacher’s Assistant at a Head Start Program. Soon after, I became a USDA Nutrition Monitor. After 5 years of continuous success with the company, I resigned and in 2007 started my own nonprofit organization, Apples & Oranges Corp. The organization, where I remain as its CEO, is dedicated to encouraging youth to eat healthy meals, break the curse of poverty and continue on with their education. At Apples & Oranges Corp, young individuals can find empowerment through leadership and enrichment programs, education, mentoring, free after-school child care, and nutritious services to homeless youth.
Today, I have accumulated 25 years of experience in business and training small businesses to become successful. I also oversee an operating budget of $1.1 million, while managing over 50 poverty-fighting programs in Texas. Along with this, I am the President and founder of Raychelle Productions, LLC. In this company, she provides a variety of services such as book publishing, creating and producing short films, and writing for television. As a Film Producer, I also work with Maximum Achievement DNA Films, a 4-time Emmy Award winning film company. My first film as a Producer of the documentary film, The Soul of Success: The Jack Canfield Story.
Along with these achievements, I share my life experiences by serving as an Inspirational Speaker and Leadership Coach. My books, Confined Minds: Break-Free from Imprisoned Thoughts and Boss Girls in the Boardroom, have also made me a bestselling Author. I’ve been featured in the magazines USA Today, Encore HD, Focus on Women, and BridgeAfrique. I also wrote an article that was featured in the Huffington Post. I’ve even had the privilege of speaking on a variety of radio shows, nationally and internationally. I’ve spoken on a college level, as a guest speaker at the University of Arlington Texas and featured in the UTA Shorthorn Newspaper, where she shared my expertise on fighting child hunger and how my organization fights hunger in communities across Texas.
I recently started a success movement called The Stiletto Camp for Success Tour. The Stiletto Camp for Success Tour is a global mentoring program designed to empower young women around the world to be successful, bold, and confident leaders. The Stiletto Camp for Success Tour is not an event, but a movement that unites women from all walks of life regardless of race, ethnicity, background, or color; where my team and I create a platform for every woman to achieve success. I break down 6-key elements of success to help women get on the fast track to success. I’m known for pushing through tough challenges and breaking barriers to achieve success. I inspire and teach women how to turn their challenges into opportunities. At the end of the day, my passion is to make sure every woman feels important and to know she’s important.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, it has not been a smooth road at all. I had plenty of challenges and setbacks along the way. My number problem and struggle was the lack of money and low paying jobs. I was living pay check to paycheck. I prefer to call it living on the edge. One missed check or termination, I was two steps away from living in a shelter. So, one day I remembered my father’s dying wish before he passed away. He said, “Take care of your Mother, she is going to need you”. Something within me transformed my thinking and gave me the confidence needed to think clearly. I changed my mindset and developed a plan to start my own business.
I started saving money instead of spending on necessary things. I decided to start a private licensed child care home and attended the classes. I took the necessary steps to equip and safe proof the home my mother and I was renting at the time. I basically, self-taught myself how to sacrifice. How to take control of bad spending habits, and eventually I saved enough money over the course of a few months while working at a daycare center. While employed, I learned the daily operations of the child care business and took advantage of any overtime when suggested. So, one of many challenges, was definitely the lack of money, being a 23-year-old black woman asking for a business loan with no collateral, a low paying job, no savings account, or credit. Yes, I had to make a decision, the odds were against me and I knew no one could help me, but me.
Please tell us about Raychelle Productions.
I oversee two companies. Apples & Oranges Corp and Raychelle Productions, LLC. First, Apples & Oranges Corporation is a nonprofit youth organization dedicated to empowering underprivileged youth to eat healthy meals, break the chain of poverty, and continue education. We’re a 501 (c) (3) organization who are proud partners with the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA).
Apples & Oranges Corp youth and nutrition services provide services in throughout the entire State of Texas. Our services include all aspects of the CACFP and USDA; training, software program, technical assistance, reimbursement, reward programs, free child care training, at-risk enrichment programs, and additional youth programs apart from the CACFP.
Raychelle Productions, LLC, my company provide a variety of services such as young women global mentoring, book self-publishing workshops, producing documentary and short films, hire-to-speak platform, and writing for short and major movies. A division of the Stiletto Camp for Success Tour.
I specialize in providing “Success Mentoring Services” and known as a successful businesswoman with a passion to inspire and groom the next the generation to achieve success.
I’m most proud of my company Apples & Oranges Corp, because we are able to feed thousands of hungry children across the State of Texas. I’m also proud to train, educated, and make a difference with child care programs providing services to children at risk in impoverished neighborhoods.
The element of surprise for my clients set my company apart from others. My number goal is to ensure all my clients are HAPPY. So, I provide monthly, quarterly, and every 6 month rewards to show my appreciation. My clients love it and it keeps them faithful to the feeding and nutrition program. I also provide around the clock contact even if I’m unavailable. If I don’t respond back personally, one of my personal assistant are guaranteed to return your call or response to your need. One thing I’ve learned as an entrepreneur, most of my counterpart entrepreneur associates do not return phone calls. But I do!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Nothing. Everything I have been through (good, bad, and ugly) is why I am, where I am today.
Pricing:
- Book- Confined Minds: Break-Free From Imprisoned Thoughts $11.99
- Book- Boss Girls in the Boardroom: How Strategy Can Boost Your Empire $9.99
Contact Info:
- Address: 8008 Camp Bowie West
Suite 104
Fort Worth, TX 76116 - Website: www.raychellemeyers.com
- Phone: 682-704-0580
- Email: raychellemeyers.pa@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raychellemeyers/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raychellemeyers
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Raychellemeyers
Image Credit:
Willie Howard
Raychelle Meyers
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
