Meet Rocquel Carpenter

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rocquel Carpenter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Rocquel, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.

My optimism comes from my faith, which has led me to develop a better mindset. To be honest, over the past couple of years, I’ve had many situations thrown at me that I never could have imagined. If I didn’t have my faith, I don’t believe I would have the mindset I have now. I’ve learned that while things may not always be favorable, you can either bask in the negative and lean into fear or create a more positive outcome. Seeing the silver lining or remaining optimistic can be rough, and I do have my bad days because I’m human. But I always come back and thank the good Lord, because the things I was once fearful of—the things I couldn’t see myself getting out of—I did.

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?

My name is Rocquel, and two years ago I created a brand called Non Niché. At the time, I was going through a divorce, unemployed, and deeply working on my faith. Things weren’t going as planned in my life, and I felt very unsure about what was next for me. During moments like that, I lean into my art and meditation.
Slowly but surely, I was blessed with the idea of Non Niché while scrolling on TikTok. I began noticing a pattern online—people feeling unseen. Unfortunately, it’s often said that in order to grow on any social media platform, you “have” to pick a niche. To me, that felt like a challenge. I never understood the idea that, to be seen, you have to fit into a box. Some of us are created to do multiple things, and that should never be looked down upon.
In January 2023, Non Niché was born. Non Niché is a networking brand that builds community, shares authentic conversations with both your favorite creators and people you’ve never heard of, and creates a space for meaningful collaborations. I also offer creative services such as brand strategy, social media, and web design. At the core of it all, my goal is simple: I want everyone to be seen and heard.

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 most important qualities in running a business or creating something you’ve never seen before are having a healthy mindset, realizing that you are never behind, and remaining open to refining what you already know while learning something new. I always say that I’m forever a student of life because I keep myself open to growth—learning how to become a better person and how to move more intentionally through my brand.
Along the way, healthy mindset practices are especially important on the days when you’re not operating at 100%. Most of us aren’t always lucky enough to have someone supporting us through the entire process. I’m blessed to have my mom to talk to, but there have been many times when I had to be my own cheerleader and push myself forward toward my goals.
One of my current mantras is: time is always on my side. When you see others’ success or progress, even when you’re genuinely happy for them, it can still make you feel like you’re falling behind. That mindset can turn you into the energizer bunny—trying to do everything at once out of fear of being left behind. Creating from lack and fear doesn’t allow for growth, sustained momentum, or joy; instead, it leads to burnout, even in the things you love.
Because of that, I do weekly progress reports—checking in with myself on how the week went and identifying where I can improve moving forward.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

I’m forever grateful that my parents showed me the duality of life and the power of free will. The world will always present both the good and the bad. In every negative, there is a positive—but my parents, especially my mom, showed me that I can choose what I focus on. Every negative or inconvenient experience in my life can be seen as a setback, or I can choose to view it as a lesson—one that helps me grow and, hopefully, helps someone else along the way.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @non_niche
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@non-niche?si=aP0zEO_IAZnKo4ye

Image Credits

Profile photo: photographed by me
Group photo; Ciara Perozzi Photography
Me in the stars jersey: Ciara Perozzi Photography and styled by Diamond Williams
Coffee photo: Staged by me and photographed by me. Candle company called Concrete Dreams