Episode 1 – Bria of RVA Eats

Welcome to the first episode of Creator's Spotlight, an original show hosted by Kayleigh Crandell and brought to you by Channel RVA. Richmond, Virginia is home to millions of creative souls, so we're inviting local content creators to dive into what they do online: the type of content they share, what keeps them going, and the incredible communities born out of their collaborations

Bria didn't set out to become Richmond's go-to food creator. She was already taking photos, and a friend told her to start a page. That was RVA Eats — launched somewhat unintentionally on Juneteenth 2022, now 13k followers deep and still growing on her own terms.

In this episode of Creator Spotlight, host Kayleigh sits down with Bria to talk about what it actually takes to build a local food platform in Richmond — the planning, the creative process, the shoots that go sideways, and the ones that click. 

They get into her philosophy on reviews (she doesn't do negative ones), why she picks her songs before she picks her angles, and how a collaboration with CaryTown Teas turned into a full video series.

Bria's also honest about the gray area she's in now: two years of high-frequency posting, a growing audience, and a deliberate choice to slow down and prioritize intentionality over chasing numbers. 

Richmond gets a full chapter here too — its grit, its authenticity, the food culture that keeps drawing national attention. Bria talks about what makes this city's scene different from anywhere else she's seen, and why she's still here telling its story.

Chapters:
03:09 How RVA Eats Started (and Why Juneteenth)
07:09 The Creative Process: Planning vs. Instinct
09:01 Shooting on Location: Light, Music, Flow State
10:47 Favorite Projects and What Makes Them Work
13:31 Why Bria Doesn't Post Negative Reviews
15:54 Richmond's Food Scene and Why It Hits Different
18:29 Collaborations: When Business Owners Become Creative Partners
21:59 Advice for Creators: Know Your Worth
29:21 Where to Find RVA Eats + Creator Shoutouts

In this episode:
Kayleigh Crandell, Host — Project Manager and Social Media Lead at Xponent21
Bria — Creator, RVA Eats 
https://www.instagram.com/rva__eats
https://www.tiktok.com/@rva_eats


Creators Bria recommends following:
Eat and Play RVA – https://www.instagram.com/eatandplayrva/
Sweet Sauce Blog – https://www.instagram.com/sweetsauceblog/
Lunch Special – https://www.instagram.com/itslunchspecial/

More Local Shout Outs:
https://www.shopcarytownteas.com/
https://www.mainstdragon.com/

Subscribe to Channel RVA: https://channelrva.com/

Transcript

Why Creator Spotlight Exists

SPEAKER_04 0:00

Times where it's much less about that and it's more just about creating a really cool project together. And I love it when I'm on a project and there's other people who are also very passionate about what we're doing.

SPEAKER_03 0:17

Hi, I'm Kaylee and welcome to the Creator Spotlight brought to you by Channel RVA. When I moved to Richmond about 10 years ago, um I didn't really know anybody. I was just coming to BCU. Um and I started working in social media, and I think that social media brought me to a lot of places in this city that I wouldn't have known about otherwise. I think social does that in general. And so we wanted to create a podcast here where we could talk to the creators who are using their passion to get online to shove cool stuff off in our city. For these past decades, I've been working with brands and entrepreneurs, small businesses, and social media. Now I work at an agency at Exponent 21 as our project manager and social media lead. Um so I wanted to use the channel RBA platform to talk to other creators who are doing really cool stuff in our city. Um there's usually a story behind what everybody creates and posts online, and so this is our time to get into that. Um so for every episode of this podcast, I will be sitting down with a cool Richmond creator talking about their craft, why they love what they do, well, how they're making it better over time. I think that social media is always evolving, and so we're going to meet the people who are moving our city along

Meet Bria of RVA Eats

SPEAKER_03 1:38

with it.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

So today we're going to get started with our first guest. Uh, this is Berea of RBA East. Welcome. Hi, thank you. I feel so honored to be like the first one in here. This is so cool.

SPEAKER_03 1:50

Well, you reached out to us about uh Richmond Water, yeah, and that was really great because we also are involved with the whole Richmond Water refill stations. And so I think that's another thing in social media that's so cool is you see something that you don't have anything to do with.

SPEAKER_04 2:06

Literally, yeah. And then you're right in, you know? And that's also just not what you guys were doing. Richmond Water was so cool too. So I had to jump on these things.

SPEAKER_03 2:14

That's awesome. And I love your page. So will you tell us a little bit about yourself and your page, what you're doing? RBA Eats.

SPEAKER_04 2:21

Right. Oh man, so my name is Bria. I am born and raised here, actually. I've been here all my life. Um, I have been in marketing for about seven plus years now. Uh, I got my start, uh actually, my very first uh marketing gig was at the 1717 building. Oh downtown. Yeah, that was like probably one of my favorite marketing jobs I ever had. Um so starting there, just yeah, um working with four different entrepreneurs. And then, you know, I started RVA Eats back in June, actually Juneteenth of 2022. Nice. Unintentionally, but glad I did. Um yeah, and then been rocking with that since since then. And honestly, I had no idea it would turn into what I'm doing now, but um really happy that it turned out that way.

SPEAKER_03 3:10

But yeah, it's grown a lot. You have many thousand followers. I think it was like 13K last time I checked.

SPEAKER_04 3:17

I was like, wow. 13. I know, and the eyes of eyes of influencers and in that world, I'm still very micro, but for me, and just being from this city and being you know a local creator, it just that's a lot of people to me.

SPEAKER_03 3:30

Put 13,000 people in a room, that's a lot of people, so that's like a whole arena, yeah, you know, um, and they're listening to your food recommendations, right?

SPEAKER_04 3:39

Right, it's so cool too. So I'm like that. I don't take that light at all. I take that very seriously.

SPEAKER_03 3:45

That's awesome. So I love that too, Juneteenth.

SPEAKER_04 3:50

That was unintentional, unintentional, but I was like, I I think I realized maybe a year or so after because I was like, Oh, I want to celebrate the birthday of my blog. And I went back to the first post, I was like, that's literally Juneteenth. I was like, awesome.

SPEAKER_03 4:04

Well, that's a great way to like use your voice. Yeah, that's all about like liberation and using your voice.

SPEAKER_04 4:09

And so, even like the last birthday post I kind of did, I incorporated some of those things in there. So that's fantastic. Like this kind of all kind of came together perfectly.

From Food Photos to Video Art

SPEAKER_03 4:18

So, what made you want to start having your social media not just be like a recreational fun thing that you really wanted to focus on RBA Eats and the food scene and stuff?

SPEAKER_04 4:30

Um, that's a really good question. So I well, to start, I was literally just taking a whole bunch of pictures of my food anyway. Yeah. And an old friend of mine was just like, well, you might as well just start a blog. You've already do this. So I'm like, you know, you're right. And so I just kind of started to mouse upload stuff, and then I just I don't know, I just got really excited to create art if I have to go out and eat anyway. I'm already a creative, so I'm like, let's do it. And then starting to get into video, that was probably a year after I started it. Um, and then learning how to, you know, do things and going back and looking at my old videos and like cringing a little bit, archived some, but like um, no, just very like you know, proud of kind of where I've evolved from. Yeah. Um no, but yeah, what I'm trying to answer your question, I'm sorry, to what made me wanna make it something that's not just recreational. I think realizing that this is something this is a platform that I could use to showcase other talents, other skills, other things that I'm working on. It's not just I I will always be recommending food to the city, but like and how I do it is up to me. It's like I can play around in all the ways that I want to. And I think that's what um really just kind of set the tone uh for you know what I wanted to do going forward. And something that I always say is that uh connection starts at the table. Um we feed ourselves in so many other ways than just food. So that's kind of been my my mantra. I love that. Yeah, that's sweet. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 6:21

So that kind of goes into my next question. Like, what is your intention when you post? I think that that's a maybe a weird question for me to ask, but you know, it's like people think social media is about clout and showing off and this kind of stuff, but you're talking about like this is a powerful platform and I can cultivate my skills and stuff like that. So, what kind of intention do you take when you're getting into posting? Whether that's something that you think about heavily or it's kind of something that's kind of just a running train of thought as you go throughout.

SPEAKER_04 6:55

Yeah, honestly, it's kind of a mixed bag. Sometimes because I think because I just have so much freedom with it, because I'm really the only one making the decisions for it. Um, sometimes I'll just, you know, on a whim, be like, I'm gonna go try this place, and I'll literally think of it like that morning, not really have a plan, just show up. They don't know I'm coming, buy my food, and I just do my thing. Um, sometimes it is plan. I have people reach out to me, especially as it's grown. Um, you know, they'll reach out and they'll kind of have a flow or an idea of what they want. So I try and match that. Sometimes they give me full creative control. Um, just like the beatbox video, for example. That one was a ton of fun because I kind of wrote out a little mini shot list for myself. And I was like, hey, I showed up and I was like, this is we're gonna do this with this camera, and we're gonna do this, and I'm gonna go here. And it was just like like a little mini, like directing type of thing, which was a lot of fun, kind of getting to like art direct these things, and um, something I've kind of told my friends, and it it was always like a pipe dream for it, but I do see it happening, but um kind of creating these very like cinematic, um fun videos that maybe involve music, maybe they don't, but yeah, and but at the same time showcasing food. So I kind of I don't want to be like every other every other food blocker here. I kind of want to, you know, create my own lighting with it.

SPEAKER_03 8:20

So I love that, and I think for me too, with uh like my social media background, it's always been hard because people are like neat yourself, and it's like like I'm all over the place. Exactly. So for you to have that control, I love that. You're gonna go make content that day. You said that you might just wake up and decide that that's something that you want to do.

SPEAKER_04 8:40

That day, just be like, you know what? I want a sandwich or I want some pho, or I don't know. I'm just like, okay, well, let's just kind of go in and see. Because the environment also depends a lot on how it's gonna how it's gonna come out, um, how many people are there, how management is. So it all kind of goes together, but for the most part.

SPEAKER_03 9:00

So are you just kind of like feeling that out too? Like, especially if you're not specifically invited somewhere by a brand. Right. If you're just gonna go to a photo shop, like you just kind of feel it out on vibes based out of what feels like appropriate to film or stuff like that.

SPEAKER_04 9:18

I've been places where I went in there and I was like, you know what, I'm just gonna eat lunch and I'm not gonna film anything. Um, sometimes I I definitely have um a plan to show up right around open time because I like the natural light, obviously, and if they have windows, adamant windows, then I'm definitely gonna be sitting there and shooting my content that way. But just those little things I try and keep in mind. But yeah, it really is. Sometimes it's a toss-up. Um now for like the planned shoots, those um, you know, there are times where I'll go into the restaurant, meet with the owner, meet with the manager, we kind of have a little conversation. I'm looking around and, you know, getting my like the environment set up and kind of figuring out how I want to shoot things that way. Um, then I go home and I get my pen and pad and I just kind of write ideas out that way. And then I love to start uh with music. Like I'll pick a song. Um, and usually some of my friends know this when they do come with me. I'll put like an earbud in and I'll have the song that I plan on posting with in my ears. That's right. So as I'm filming, as I'm in the video and I'm moving around, it's it's going with uh, you know, the flow of the song. It's kind of like a cadence you have to match.

SPEAKER_03 10:34

I feel like you put yourself like in a flow state kind of with that, like stay on theme.

SPEAKER_04 10:38

Yeah, that's very I care a lot about what I do, man. I think it I I would like to think that it shows. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 10:45

I love that. So um, like I was gonna ask you what your favorite part of the process is. It sounds like you like the the music and the storyboarding, and but what's your fave?

SPEAKER_04 10:55

So I'll I'll bring an example. So the I did a 10K event. Cool. Um, we did uh basically like um oh my gosh, what do you call it? Uh open mic deal. Um and it was celebrate 10,000 on the page, and so for that, I remember I worked with some friends at Tilt, I'm gonna bring them up a few times. I work with some friends at um Tilt Productions, and they they helped me kind of curate this post where I'm going through the city and I'm going to different places that I love, and they're just kind of seeing kind of like a day in the life of of me going going through the city. So with that, um I wanna say that my favorite part of that process was scouting locations, and then like as we're scouting the locations, I'm kind of writing down little notes for my my little many shot list for I wouldn't even say many. This was an actual shot list that we put together.

SPEAKER_02 11:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 11:51

Um, I think, yeah, I think the prep and the scouting for something like that was very fun. But again, it depends on which video. So if I'm doing something small and it's literally just me, it's probably the song selection part where I'm like, all right, I'm sitting with my headphones on, um, or I'm at the DJ board and I'm like, okay, what makes sense? Um, so yeah, I'd say all in all the prep. If I especially if I see it, because I I see it before I do it. And so yeah, that moment, I'm like, okay, yeah, this part is really cool. And then I try and keep my expectations not as high because you can see something and then it's not always gonna turn out exactly how you saw it.

unknown 12:29

Totally.

SPEAKER_04 12:30

Um uh but yeah, no, it's it's always very cool when it comes out if it exceeds your expectations too, especially that.

SPEAKER_03 12:37

I'm surprised that you're like planning and prep is your favorite part and not eating. That's surprising.

SPEAKER_04 12:44

I mean, I love to eat in general, in general, but I don't have that part of my my filming process not really. Um when I'm filming and I'm eating, I'm taking bites. I'm not eating a full meal. Um depending on the vibe of the place or the environment. Or if I know the owners are not, um, I'll bring up Main Street, for example. Shout out Jen, she's amazing. Um, I'll go there even when I'm not filming to eat, and I'll just grab a bite and chit-chat with her. So nice. Um with that video, yeah. I definitely after I was done, you know, sad, eight, ate a meal, but yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:18

But otherwise, it's just very take my bites.

SPEAKER_04 13:22

Um, I take it to go um box full course. I don't just leave it on the I don't leave it on the table like that. We don't like wasted food. No, we don't. We don't do that here. Especially if it's really good. That's

Honest Posting Without Restaurant Bashing

SPEAKER_04 13:35

another thing. I um I don't like to bash any restaurants, so I will uh if I love it, I'll I'll love it. But if I don't, then I just kinda omit. So I don't, you know, I don't like to talk bad about anyone, but yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:48

Okay, so not a food critic.

SPEAKER_04 13:50

No, I mean oh no, I won't say that. No, I won't call myself a food critic. I feel like I can't fully say that I am.

SPEAKER_03 14:04

You're like I wouldn't criticize. Right, exactly.

SPEAKER_04 14:07

That word critique is like I d I you know I do, but I don't not publicly on my on my platform. Because it's uh RVA Eats, it's not I don't want to create this space where there is much room for negative talk, if that makes sense. Yeah, for sure. Because there's so much negative talk everywhere else. Um so if you got something negative say, just don't say it, so omit it. That's kind of how I how I feel.

SPEAKER_00 14:32

If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all.

SPEAKER_03 14:38

I mean, I feel like yeah, there's definitely a lot of content in the world that's like this is the best, this is the worst. And it's like how much stuff lives in between that.

SPEAKER_04 14:47

Right. And then sometimes they say it's the best, so it's not really the best. That's not really the best. So I try and be as honest as I as as possible, and I try to post about uh restaurants and and small businesses that I know are good. So like there's Main Street. I was going there for years before I even posted it. Where is that? It's off of Main Street, it's in the BCU area, Main Street Dragon. Oh, Main Street Dragon. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 15:17

Sorry, I'm calling it Main Street. That's just main. I mean, I came up in in BCU and it was uh food, right? Yeah. Oh man, I've spent spent many a night in there. It was very good.

SPEAKER_04 15:28

Yeah, so if you haven't been there yet, you should try.

SPEAKER_03 15:31

I don't think I've been since it's Main Street Dragon, actually. So but I love the space too. Oh it's such a pretty place in the fan.

SPEAKER_04 15:40

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 15:43

The back bar? I love the back bar at Main Street Dragon. Shout out.

SPEAKER_04 15:48

Um we're talking you guys up right now.

SPEAKER_03 15:52

We're gonna wind up getting really hungry actually. Right.

SPEAKER_04 15:54

No, I'm thinking about it.

SPEAKER_03 15:56

Um, but Richmond has so much great food. Like the food scene here is recognized so many places. Um, and I think that it's a real privilege that some of us kind of take for granted sometimes. I know. Um, but what do you

The Grit and Magic of Richmond

SPEAKER_03 16:12

think about? I know you're from here, but what do you think when you look at other people doing like food blogging content in other cities? What do you think like the Richmond thing is? Because obviously we could go to New York City and try a hundred great restaurants in one day, yeah. Right, and we just simply don't have that amount, yeah, right? But like what's different here?

SPEAKER_04 16:37

Oh man, that's a really good question. Um I would say and I don't want this to sound bad, but I think it's Richmond's like we just have this grit that I don't think a lot of other cities have. Um, and especially if you're a creator and you're trying to make art as well, it it can come off as and not everybody has some uh there are a lot of people that are do really great work, video work with their posts and stuff. But um I will say the thing that stands out with us like yes, we have amazing food, but we have this gritty culture that I don't think a lot of other cities have quite like Richmond, if that makes sense. Definitely, yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_03 17:25

No, I feel like the food content too that I see out of other cities, which I'm particularly looking at when I'm like traveling.

SPEAKER_01 17:32

Yeah, because I'm like, okay, I have to have a perfect trip.

SPEAKER_03 17:34

It's very uh perfect, right, right, and yeah, that don't really and if even if one of those bloggers were like were to come to Richmond and make this pristine video, amazing, amazing, yeah, but that isn't scream like oh um this is Richmond, I'm from Richmond, and I'm not trying to like we got um called out in the New York Times recently too as like a must travel to city and part of it was the food, but I think it's just because like it actually really feels authentic, whereas it's not like this like uh current Chicago guide, you know?

SPEAKER_04 18:10

I've read things online where other um other people are coming to visit and they're like, What what are y'all doing here? Like, what's going on here? You can't even like pinpoint exactly what it is, it's just Richmond just has this like essence to it that you just gotta come here to to feel it. Describe. Yeah, just vibe.

Collaboration, Money, Breaks, and Community

SPEAKER_03 18:29

Um, so RBA Eats is obviously very collaborative. You are going into other people's places of business. Um, what is the cool part about that? Like, where does that start? And what is your favorite thing about working with these people? Because for my background with social media, I love being like you're really good at your business, right? Yeah. Maybe you're not the best at social media though, and I can help you while you focus on being great what you're great at, you know? So do you feel like you're doing that kind of thing with people? Like, and how yeah, how does stuff start and how does it kind of pan out typically?

SPEAKER_04 19:11

Again, that's another mixed bag answer for that. Um I have approached a few, especially in like the earlier days where I'm trying to also grow my platform, but I'm like, hey, I have this thing I'm doing, I have this skill. You know, like we can help each other, we can help each other grow in that way. Um, and then there are times where it's much less about that, and it's more just about creating a really cool project together. Um, and I love it when I'm on a project and there's other people who are also very passionate about what we're doing. And so it's like it's not just me kind of driving the car here, it's like other people are also um fueling that too.

SPEAKER_03 19:55

So um like being like you have to highlight this dish, or I want you to watch me cook this or whatever.

SPEAKER_04 20:03

I'll I'll work with someone and they know exactly all the plates they want to showcase, they'll they'll help place things. Um, and I'm like, oh, that's so helpful. Makes my job a lot easier, too. So yeah, you can just kind of tell when you when you go in again, it's a vibe check almost every time. Like you kind of go in and you're talking with someone, and and you can kind of tell right then and there how um fully in it they're gonna be. So that's cool. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 20:27

Um what's probably what we've obviously talked about Main Street Dragon. Um what are some of your other favorite projects that you've done, favorite restaurants that you've made content for?

SPEAKER_04 20:40

Ooh. Quite a few. I'll say and so there's it's there's different answers for it. So there's places in terms of just going and getting a bite, and then there's places that I've just thoroughly enjoyed the process of creating with. Um, and that's definitely at the top of that list is Carrietown teas. Shout out to Andrea Post, she's amazing. Again, that's someone that I cherish. I love her. We I'm in there all the time too. We sit and we chat, but we also created this piece of work that's a tea talk, and I really I do plan to do another one with her soon. But um, yeah, we just kind of sat and we talked about, I think we talked about me one or two teas that she had. It was very quick, but um the process of it, like we, you know, we met a few times beforehand, we got a videographer on, and you know, it was a really cool, just a really cool thing that that we did. And we actually sit and have like very wholesome conversations, and so that kind of just makes the video itself turn out better because you're actually like connecting with someone off screen as well. So over tea as well. Over tea, that's great. Yeah, yeah. I literally we we share tea and we also drink tea.

SPEAKER_01 21:50

So that's perfect. That's actually perfect, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 21:54

No, literally, like it's amazing. I love her.

SPEAKER_01 21:57

That's sweet, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:58

Um, so Getting into like other content creators, um, and kind of like what you've been doing, evolving yourself and growing as one. What do you wish that other content creators knew about partnerships? What advice would you give them? What would you tell them about like getting paid and monetizing? Um, what would be your recommendations? Particularly maybe in the food space too. Because I think it looks really different in every industry.

SPEAKER_04 22:25

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Um that's a that's a great question because the monetizing part specifically, I'm still navigating that because not everything has been monetized clearly, but um a lot has. Um, and in terms of partnership and monetizing, I would definitely say to know your worth, know your value. Um sit and even write like a little mission statement for what you're trying to do, and then do your research, see what other creators are are making, what's the average numbers for the stats that you have, but don't just keep yourself locked into your stats because if you have value, if you have a high value, that can take you far.

SPEAKER_02 23:04

Totally.

SPEAKER_04 23:04

So yeah, like it doesn't really matter, like you know, if you're still growing, whatever that's right, especially if yeah, you're working with someone that's looking specifically for what you can offer. Yeah, don't set yourself short. That's my advice.

SPEAKER_03 23:18

Um so back to Richmond too. Or you know what? Let's uh let's go, let's keep it on content creation. Yeah. So what is like what does growth look like for you as terms of in terms of being a content creator? Like, how do you want to chase after your goals? Do you just want to keep creating? Do you want to look for more monetization? Like, what's on your mind with all that kind of stuff?

SPEAKER_04 23:42

Oof. I'm kind of in a in a gray area with that right now. It's because for the first two years of the blog, I was very go, go, go. It was in in the streets literally almost every day, posting way more frequently than I do now. But um I've learned to take those necessary breaks because when you are creating so much, especially with me, like this is an art form for me. So it does get taxing. It gets pretty like tolling after a while. So um how growth looks for me right now, I would say my focus is on intentionality and the art behind it. So I'm very much in a state where if I'm creating what I feel is in line with what I want to do, then growth will follow. I'm not as pressed on the chase of growth. Um, I feel like this is a very, you know, I just want to focus on magmatism and drawing people in. And hey, like if you don't like what I do, then don't follow. If you do, great. Glad you're here. Yeah, like natural progression with like the community that actually cares. Right. There's no rush. There's no rush. Because then if if you're in this this state of like go, go, go, go, go, and you're not focused on your art, those people that just as quickly as they follow you will unfollow.

SPEAKER_03 25:01

So that's true.

SPEAKER_04 25:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:02

Yeah. Some content creators are like, you gotta post multiple times every day. And I think there's definitely like you know, that's a great strategy in every for sure, especially if you're starting.

SPEAKER_04 25:11

For sure, 100%.

SPEAKER_03 25:13

But yeah, like if you're thinking about like, is it sustainable for me to be doing this constantly, even if you're filming in batches, like it's it's tiring and exactly you don't really have let's be real, you don't really have the energy every day to like show up on camera.

SPEAKER_04 25:30

This is still a show thing, believe it or not. This is not my full time. If it was, I'd be I'd probably be double for it.

SPEAKER_03 25:36

You'd be at it, but this is this is for fun for you, but also I mean like passion project successful, like you know, all these things can exist at the same time.

SPEAKER_04 25:46

Yeah, and it's like I could also like I know that I could hit another season where it'll be a similar growth rate as earlier before, so it you know, it's I'm I'm not too too worried about it, and also having people like on a team with me, people working and who are just as passionate about it as I am. So that's another thing. So, like, you know, just taking my time and knowing things will fall into place and the right people will will jump on board when they are ready.

unknown 26:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 26:17

So in terms of people and community and stuff like that, yeah, has the Richmond community, your friends, family, whatever, random people that you reach out to on Instagram, have they like shown up for you in any ways that like you know really surprise you and make your heart feel full, like make your belly full?

SPEAKER_04 26:38

I love that question. Cause there's two sides to that coin, right? Um, no, I will I will say there's been maybe two instances that really stick out. The first, um, I was actually at Big Bamboo and I was filming a video for them, and this guy walks in, and he's like, he's looking at just me and my friend at the time, and where I have like my phone, I'm doing the phone stuff, the video, and then I have the the Canon taking photography for them too. And he's just like he's staring for a while, so I'm like, okay, he walks over and he's like, I'm not trying to be creepy, I just really, I just really like love what you're doing. He's like, Can I possibly see like what that shot looked like? And I was like, Oh, he's just nerding out like I would about this. So, like, that was a really like cool moment. And then come to find out this person works. I actually used to do social media for crunch fitness, so oh cool, yeah. He was also someone that was in the gym, and I remember I was he would send content to us all the time. So I'm like, wait, I didn't realize till like after he left. I was like, oh wow, so small worlds, but I just love that he's like also nerded out about something that like I also you know nerd out about. So that was really cool. Um the second instance was when uh I'm shouting out so many people, but Lindsay from Teleproduction, awesome human being, she um reached out to me. This was I want to say 2024. She can correct me if I'm wrong, but she reached out to me um and they had this project with Visit Richmond and Visit Black RVA. Cool. And we did this commercial for them, and I was like, You're asking me to be on something like this. And I remember showing up and like it was like the whole nine. It was like makeup team, the trucks, production. It was just like this whole thing. I'm like, this, I'm here, like me, and like it's just it was a very awesome moment to be kind of highlight, especially for something that's drawing people in that you know they're not from here, and they're like, Oh, okay, if you're ever in Richmond, you know, here are some like heavy hitters in the city. I just I love that. That was awesome.

SPEAKER_03 28:50

You're telling me though, that you started doing this like kind of on a whim on Juneteenth, and then you wind up getting roped in with great people at a production studio. Tilted is awesome. Yeah, and then you wind up being in a black RBA girl. That feels really good. Oh, yeah. I hope that was very fulfilling for you.

SPEAKER_04 29:11

It was 100%. That's amazing.

SPEAKER_03 29:14

100%.

SPEAKER_04 29:14

That was so cool.

SPEAKER_03 29:15

Like one of my favorite memories for sure. Of course. You've told us about some of the content that you've made. Where can people find you and what is the best way to support what you're doing?

SPEAKER_04 29:25

Oh, you can find me on Instagram at R V A double underscore eats. Um, I'm also on TikTok. I will start posting there more. But um, how you can support is just you know, follow the page, follow what I'm doing. Um go eat at the restaurants. Go eat at the restaurants that I recommend because I promise you, if I recommend it, you'll find at least something that you like. If you don't, then DM me, we can talk about it.

SPEAKER_01 29:53

Tell them Bria said, you know, tell them that you can't you're here from RBA Eats. I love that.

SPEAKER_03 29:58

Also, what you said earlier, it's like RVA Eats in the streets.

SPEAKER_04 30:02

RBA Eats in the streets.

SPEAKER_03 30:03

I don't know. Something.

SPEAKER_04 30:05

Oh, that's genius. That might have to be a series or something.

SPEAKER_03 30:11

So um wrapping this up, who are the other creators that you love to see in Richmond? Who should we be talking to? Who's like really on a unique journey? Um, that we should highlight their story on this uh podcast here.

SPEAKER_04 30:24

Yeah, off top. There's a lot, but I'll say Eat and Play RVA. They're awesome. Um their video work is amazing, it's been amazing for a while. Um sweet sauce blog. Um, she's great. Worked with her a few times.

SPEAKER_03 30:40

I don't know that one, but sweet sauce sounds really delicious right now.

SPEAKER_04 30:45

I mean it is sweet. So um and then the last one I'll shout out. Uh his name is Lunch Special. He's a um uh Richmond rapper, but also really knows a lot about food. He can talk to you about talk your ear off about food. Those are two really cool cool genres. I know, right? Okay.

SPEAKER_03 31:10

Cool. Yeah, well, thank you so much for joining us, Bria. Um, I can't wait to see what else you create in the future, what else you eat. Yeah, um, and check out places that are on your page that I haven't been to in Richmond yet, because you know, we all get to explore a little bit more because of the black mirrors that we're tied to. Uh so let's make the best of it, you know. Exactly, for sure. Thank you for having me. Of course. Thank you for watching the Creator Spotlight brought to you by Channel RVA. Thanks for watching the Creator Spotlight from Channel RVA. Don't just like and subscribe to our channel. Check out today's Creator online too. And check out channelrva.com for everything Richmond. News, events, weather, restaurants, we've got it all. Thanks for being a part of our community.