Raven Smith is the Co-Founder of Cousin Craze.
Tell us about your company. What inspired you to start it?
Zora and I always wanted a YouTube channel. So, one day we were talking and we thought about the fun we always have and decided we should have a cousin-themed show on YouTube to show everyone. All of our cousins are very close. It was easy!
Who are your co-founders and what makes you a great team?
Raven Smith (Age 9) and Zora Teacher (Age 11) We’re best friends and we’ve always been able to play well together. So, now we just work well together. She’s older and a little more serious, and I like to have a lot of fun. So we’re kind of opposites, but that’s why we make Cousin Craze work.
How is your company making a difference?
Cousin Craze brings families closer together. Family can be friends too and cousins can even be like siblings.
What are some of the challenges you have faced?
We didn’t know where to begin! But our moms helped us get started on YouTube. They showed us the way. We know a little bit about social media, but now we have to learn a lot more about it and stay on top of it. Both of our moms have their own businesses, so they know a lot.
What is your biggest win?
Our best win was the day we started online. People actually went to our website and bought our merchandise! We like to call it merch for short.
Who is your role model?
Our moms are our biggest role models. We also like African-American female figures like Oprah. I think she’s got millions of dollars.
What do you wish you had known before starting your company?
We wish we knew all the time and paying attention we’d have to do. I had no idea it would take so much. It’s like having a real job!
