Born and raised in Georgetown, Raiza considered her early years in Guyana rich with adventure and balanced; accomplishing Honour Roll at School of the Nations every year and competing in dance competitions presenting her schools. Leaving Guyana at 17 to pursue a Diploma in Social Work in Toronto, Canada. She later went onto receive a Double Major Honours Degree in Latin American & Caribbean Studies and Psychology from York University.

Raiza returned home in 2013, while working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs she also worked with NGOs such as REDbandaid Foundation who worked with orphaned children and the Global Shapers Community-Georgetown Hub. She recalls that many of her fulfilling moments were with the Shapers. Many of the projects they worked on were impactful not only on those they aided but on her own sense of self as well.

After championing a successful Mental Health project, she recognized that more needed to be done and within a month found and applied to the University of the West Indies. Fast forward three years, she is now a Counseling Psychologist with a Masters of Science in Counseling Psychology with Distinction. She works with SASOD and has her own private office in the city. She also speaks at schools and conferences regarding mental health and other social issues.

How did you arrive at the idea for your business?

At first, I created a youtube channel and made monthly videos promoting and bringing awareness to mental health and other social issues. I kind of just assumed I would come home and work with different agencies, providing my services to as many as I could. I did not want to go into private practice. I truly believed that even though after 1300 supervised hours in the field that more experience and guidance was needed. However, after many persons approached me for therapy, I realized that building a safe space to do therapy was needed.

What was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur?

The driving force has always been the people, for those who need psychological services, for the individuals who maybe suffering with their own mental health, for the communities that need healing and for those who need the knowledge to understand what is happening or has happened to them.

What is your greatest challenge being an entrepreneur?

I think information, I wasn’t sure what I needed to do to make a small business. I didn’t know how to register a business, or how NIS worked or any of these things. I had to seek information from other small business owners and go to offices to seek knowledge. As frustrating as it was, I am now more equipped to help others who may need this kind of information for their own goals of becoming an entrepreneur.

What has been your most satisfying moment in business?

There are so many, almost everyday I feel a sense of satisfaction with taking the leap to do my Masters to become a Psychologist to help others. When my clients come into therapy to report that their anxiety was less intense that week, or that a technique worked for them, or when they sometimes send emails weeks after therapy has been terminated to let me know that they were living a more healthy and happy life. I am grateful every day and I am proud of my clients every day, even if they have a challenging week, it just means we have to work harder together to become better.

What piece of advice would you give to other young people who want to become entrepreneurs?

Do it ! Even when it seems challenging and you want to just roll up into a little ball from fear or being overwhelmed. That “thing” that wakes you up every day, that “thing” that makes you excited, drives you, keeps popping in your mind when you’re at your job. That is your calling. That is how I knew, I was sitting at my desk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and I thought to myself, “ I care more about my non-paid mental health work than my paid job..what can I do about this..?” And from there, the search for my degree started. So you see, listening to your inner self, your deep desires and going after that “thing”, that “fire in yuh belly” is what I would suggest to persons.

How do you define success?

I believe success is the accomplishing of that “thing” that you most want, even when the waves of challenges hit you, you persevere and continue knowing that it will all be worth it in the end. That “thing” that makes you a better person, adds character to who you are and has a mutual benefit for your sense of development and the others that you hope to impact.

Who has been your greatest inspiration?

As cliché as this may seem, my mother. My mother is one of the most dedicated, empowering, hard working and successful women I know. She has balanced the family-work life perfectly. Being a politician isn’t easy on oneself much less their family. However, my mother has raised two equally as dedicated and hard working daughters who have given to their country as she has always done.

She continues to show me that service to our country and our people is a road we must travel, that it is apart of who we are. It’s one thing for our parents to say we should be good citizens to our country, but it is another to demonstrate that every single day.

The values, kindness and open mindedness I have towards our people and my country is all thanks to both my parents. I don’t know who I would be without the influence and inspiration of my mother. I just hope to be as half the woman she is as I continue on this journey called life.