Dr. Raechelle “Rae” Johnson shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Dr. Raechelle “Rae”, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What are you chasing, and what would happen if you stopped?
I’m chasing alignment—between who I am, what I believe, and how I lead. For me, it’s not about running after success the way most people define it; it’s about ensuring my work, my voice, and my presence line up with my purpose.
If I stopped chasing, the danger wouldn’t be that I’d fail—it would be that I’d settle. Stopping would mean silencing the part of me that refuses to play small, the part that insists that leaders can lead with clarity, confidence, and calm without losing their humanity. And I know myself well enough to say that silence would cost me more than any stumble on the chase ever could.
So I keep moving—not frantically, but mindfully. Because what I’m really chasing is not a destination. It’s the practice of becoming.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Dr. Raechelle “Rae” Johnson, founder of Kreative Ink LLC, where leadership meets clarity, confidence, and calm. My work sits at the intersection of corporate strategy, mindful leadership, and cultural transformation. For nearly three decades, I’ve trained and coached leaders—from Fortune 500 executives to frontline managers—to lead with presence, emotional intelligence, and purpose.
What makes my brand unique is that it’s not just about teaching leadership—it’s about transforming it. I blend evidence-based leadership frameworks with mindfulness, storytelling, and what I like to call “edutainment.” Leaders don’t just leave my sessions with theories; they leave with tools, practices, and a renewed sense of self that ripple out into their teams and organizations.
Right now, I’m excited about scaling my work through digital leadership tools, retreats, and cultural alignment frameworks that help organizations move from survival mode into thriving, trust-centered cultures. My brand is built on the belief that leadership is not a title—it’s an act of alignment. And when leaders align, organizations flourish.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
What breaks the bonds between people is often unspoken: silence, unmet expectations, and the invisible wounds we carry into relationships. Growing up, I saw how fear, pride, and survival instincts can fracture families, teams, and communities. Those early lessons taught me that people rarely set out to disconnect; disconnection happens when pain gets louder than presence.
What restores bonds, I’ve learned, is intentional courage—the willingness to be vulnerable, to listen without defense, to extend grace, and to create safety where none existed before. For me, restoration isn’t about erasing the past; it’s about choosing to see one another clearly in the present.
That’s why my work today is so deeply rooted in mindful leadership. Because whether it’s in a boardroom, a classroom, or around a family table, the same truth holds: bonds are broken by neglect, but they are rebuilt by intentional presence.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me truths that success never could. Success is loud—it celebrates the win, the recognition, the result. But suffering? Suffering speaks in the quiet places and teaches you how to trust your own voice when the applause fades.
It taught me resilience not as “toughness,” but as depth—the ability to keep showing up with authenticity even when life has pressed you to your limits. It taught me that control is an illusion, but courage is a choice. It showed me the difference between being busy and being present, between performing strength and actually living it.
Most of all, suffering taught me empathy. Success will let you stand tall, but suffering will teach you how to stand with someone else. That’s the lesson I carry into every room I walk into as a leader and as a trainer: that transformation doesn’t come from avoiding pain, but from allowing it to sharpen your clarity and deepen your humanity.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What truths are so foundational in your life that you rarely articulate them?
The truths that are most foundational in my life are the ones I almost never say out loud because they’re so deeply woven into how I move through the world, I feel it’s evident.
One of those truths is that people matter more than positions. No title, paycheck, or spotlight is more important than how someone feels in your presence. Another is that alignment is greater than achievement. I’ve learned that success without peace isn’t really success—it’s burnout in disguise.
And finally, I hold to this: leadership always starts with self-leadership. You cannot give clarity, confidence, or calm to others if you’re running on empty or hiding from your own work. These truths are my foundation, and they shape every room I enter, every leader I coach, and every decision I make.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
If I laid down my name, my role, and every possession, what would remain is presence. The way people felt in my company. The way I invited leaders to breathe, to pause, to see themselves clearly, and to rise without apology.
I don’t want my legacy to be a title, a program, or even a framework—though those things carry impact. I want it to be the ripple: the leaders who chose alignment over ambition, humanity over hierarchy, and courage over comfort because they encountered me.
At the end of the day, I believe legacy is not what you build—it’s what you leave in others. And if what remains after me is clarity, confidence, and calm carried forward in the lives of those I’ve touched, then I will have lived my calling well.
Would you like me to also craft a short, quotable line (something poetic but punchy, like a one-sentence mic drop) that the magazine could use as a closing highlight?
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.Kreativeinkllc.com
- Linkedin: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/kreativeinkllc
Image Credits
Emma Burcusel
Peace Edwards
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
