Meet Raq Bacon

We were lucky to catch up with Raq Bacon recently and have shared our conversation below.

Raq, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?

Optimism has saved my life. Growing up in relational war zones can take a toll on a person’s mental health and the more bad things you see, the more bad things you expect. Which in turn, attracts more negativity into your energy. It took me a long time to realize this, but once I recognized the power I had in my life experiences, everything changed. I battled suicidal thoughts for a long time because I just knew in my heart of hearts that things would never improve. I could not visualize a future in which I was happy or motivated. I could only see more and more potential painful stories for my existence. Reigniting my relationship with Christ gave me a whole new outlook. Knowing that I had my very own advocate, working on my behalf at every turn, I knew that I could never fail. I knew that even when I came into an uncomfortable circumstance, it was all a part of His plan. With that in mind, my focus switched to best case scenario, and I focused on the joy I felt from life’s pleasures rather than the pain I felt from the disappointments. Some might call it delusion, but I call it my superpower. My optimism is truly a survival instinct turned party trick. I can find a perspective of optimism no matter the circumstance. Family and friends find it admirable and sometimes comical, but for me it’s simply my way of life. Keeping God at the center of everything I do reminds me to move forward as if success is already mine. No matter what I come across, I am grateful and optimistic that great is coming.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

As a serial entrepreneur I have many ventures at the moment so strap in! Currently I identify most often as a Creative Director and Non-Profit Development Specialist
My longest standing business is Professional Peace which began as career consulting with services such as resumes, cover letters and interview preparation. We provide workshops, coaching, and job search support for those who find themselves in a professional transition. As a former educator who successfully exited the classroom, I built up the expertise to help professionals highlight their transferrable skills on paper and in interviews.
I expanded this business to also offer business and non-profit development. I support founders through the process of establishing their organizations and effectively communicating their brand to reach their target audience. As we know, everything costs money these days so we also offer grant research, writing, and submission services to help organizations increase their resources.
On the creative side I am a photographer, videographer and creative director who frequently captures artists on stage, lovers side by side, and celebrations of all kind. Weddings and comedy shows are some of my favorite events to capture but being raised as the oldest of 7 siblings I also love a family photo shoots. My creative direction portfolio includes music videos, short form web series and engagement announcement videos.
At the root of all of these ventures though is my passion for confidence building. In every photoshoot, project conception, business strategy meeting and beyond I am pouring in affirmations and visualizations of success into my clients. I aim to help shift their mindset into full optimism and best case scenario mode. This is the most powerful energy to operate out of because it lets the universe know that you are ready and open to receive the things you desire. That’s my favorite part of collaboration, watching people’s belief in themselves get stronger and stronger.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The top three qualities that impacted my journey the most are risk-taking, confidence and reflection.
As a child, my mom encouraged us to be independent and to always be willing to go back to the drawing board. She created situations so that we could practice trusting our intuition, taking action, and reflecting on the the highlights and improvements from our experiences. These skills have found their way into every stage of my life. When I became a classroom teacher, our coaches used the same protocol. They trusted that with the coursework we engaged in, we could trust our intuition and perform as the leader of the room. We also had debrief sessions where we received feedback and shared our own Glows and Grows. This also became important as a business developer, grant writer, program manager and coach. Even in my marriage, we flex our risk taking, confidence, and reflection skills almost on a daily basis. My wife and I are newly married (05/25/25) and everyday is an adventure. As a unit of creatives, we are consistently reminding ourselves to trust our vision and remain consistent with our projects. And of course, we are each other’s safe place for reflection. A piece of advice that I will share for anyone on their professional or life journey is: Replace procrastination with risk taking. Replace the need for a perfect plan with confidence in your current idea. Replace judgement or shame of failure with a safe place to reflect and pivot as needed.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I am looking to host a wellness retreat in Atlanta, GA in 2026. I will be looking for movement leaders, spiritual healers, as well as vendors to bring this to fruition.
Also, I have openings for Creative Direction. If you are a music artist, film writer, or other creative and need a director to bring your ideas to life, let’s connect!
Lastly, for any non-profit leaders or small business owners who are looking for grant writing or development services, I can help you reach your goals remotely. No matter your location we can establish and fund your organization!
I also offer mentorship for girls aged 16-24, who need guidance with career and personal development.
Email me at [email protected] to connect. Refer to my socials and feel free to connect there as well!

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Deandra Raquel Bacon of Raq Steady Portraits
Brianna Phillips of Blooming Photography
Destiny Taishea of Destined2Shoot Photography

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Productivity
What do you do for self-care and what impact has it had on your effectiveness?

We asked some of the most productive entrepreneurs and creatives out there to open up

Resilience
Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience is often the x-factor that differentiates between mild and wild success. The stories of

Productivity
How do you keep your creativity alive?

Keeping your creativity alive has always been a challenge, but in the era of work