Meet Jada Raines

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jada Raines. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jada below.

Jada , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I get my resilience from struggle—real, raw, unfiltered struggle. I didn’t just wake up one day knowing how to bounce back. Life threw me curveballs, and I had to learn how to catch them with bruised hands. Growing up in Detroit, I witnessed pain, loss, and instability too early. But instead of letting it define me, I let it shape me.

My resilience was born in hospital waiting rooms, during long nights with sickle cell pain, when I still had to wake up and face the day like nothing was wrong. It was built when I had to move back home with nothing but a vision and a few broken dreams. I could’ve folded—but something inside me refused. I’d say that “something” was God, grit, and my mother’s quiet strength. She never said much, but she always got up and kept going—and now, so do I.

I’ve learned to turn pain into purpose. That’s where I thrive. Whether I’m mentoring youth, building my coaching brand, or creating healing kits to pour into women like me—I do it from the same place resilience came from: survival with intention. I no longer wear my struggle like a burden. I wear it like armor. It taught me how to be resourceful, compassionate, and powerful, even in the face of uncertainty.

I don’t run from the fire—I rise from it. Every time.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Right now, I’m in a powerful season of becoming. I’m Jada Raines, the founder of Thrive Affluent—a growing brand rooted in faith, wellness, and identity development. At the heart of my work is helping youth and young adults (especially those aged 12–21) discover who they are, heal from what they’ve been through, and grow into who they’re meant to be. I’m currently studying mental health and social work while building my life coaching practice, and everything I do—whether it’s coaching, speaking, or creating—is rooted in the idea that we weren’t made to just survive, but to thrive.

What’s special about what I do is that it comes from lived experience. I know what it’s like to feel lost, misunderstood, or overlooked. But I also know the power of healing, God, and resilience. That’s why I created RISE Healing Kits—a collection of wellness products, guided journals, and affirmations designed to pour into women and young people who carry so much. These kits are launching for Mother’s Day and Mental Health Awareness Month, and they’re more than just products—they’re an invitation to rest, reflect, and restore.

I’m building a brand that speaks life, honors growth, and turns pain into purpose. Whether it’s coaching, creative wellness products, or community outreach, I want everything connected to Thrive Affluent to help people feel seen, supported, and called higher.

This is just the beginning. God’s not done—and neither am I.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, I’d say the three most impactful things on my journey so far have been self-awareness, emotional resilience, and faith.

Self-awareness changed everything for me. Once I started asking myself the hard questions—Who am I really? What do I believe? What patterns am I repeating?—I was able to grow with intention instead of just reacting to life. If you’re early in your journey, start with reflection. Journal, pray, or even sit in silence and get real with yourself. You can’t heal or grow what you won’t face.

Emotional resilience came from the storms I didn’t think I’d survive. From personal losses to financial setbacks, I had to learn how to feel everything without letting it stop me. My advice? Don’t run from your feelings. Build habits that help you bounce back—whether it’s therapy, movement, prayer, or a strong support system.

And finally, faith. My relationship with God has been the anchor when everything else felt like it was falling apart. Even when I don’t have all the answers, I trust the process and the promise. For anyone just starting out: stay grounded in something bigger than yourself. Purpose unfolds when you stop chasing perfection and start trusting your path.

I’m 28, and I’m still learning, still evolving. Growth isn’t a destination—it’s a lifestyle. Give yourself permission to not have it all figured out. Just keep going.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

Right now, my biggest challenge is finding true balance and harmony between both versions of myself—the woman I’ve been and the woman I’m becoming. I’m learning how to honor where I’ve come from without letting it define or limit me. That means giving myself grace, taking the judgment out of my situation and my decisions, and allowing myself to grow without guilt.

Another layer of this is releasing the need for external validation—from my family, the world, even my old self. It’s hard when you’ve been conditioned to measure your worth by other people’s opinions or expectations. But I’m learning to trust God’s timing, trust the process, and trust myself. That’s where the real peace is.

To overcome this, I’m doing the inner work. I’m journaling more, praying more, and surrounding myself with people who reflect back truth—not pressure. I’m also giving myself permission to be in process, to not have it all together, and to still be proud of where I am.

As I grow through this, I know it’s not just personal—it’s foundational for my business. The more aligned, grounded, and whole I become, the more I can pour into others from a healed place. It strengthens my coaching, deepens my brand, and ensures that everything I create through Thrive Affluent comes from authenticity—not performance. This inner harmony is what will allow me to lead others into their own.

Healing isn’t linear, and growth doesn’t always look graceful—but I’m showing up for it. Every day.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Jadadr_
• Facebook: Jada Raines
• Youtube: Battletobalanced

Image Credits

Zapora Starks