Rachael Aluko - showing up is better than perfect

Rachael is a product designer based in Lagos, Nigeria. She loves solving problems by designing aesthetically pleasing and usable products for people. In 2018 she created her Youtube channel RaeCreates where she shares her passions and different DIY experiments. Rachael is big on everything creative, always wanting to try something new to satisfy her multi-passionate self as she consider herself one.

What made you start your Youtube channel?

I am a product designer, and I love solving problems by designing aesthetically pleasing and usable products for people. I also love to experiment a lot, I see something and I want to try it out, so I got started as a DIY Youtuber, where I share my different DIY experiments.

Can you talk about your journey since you started your Youtube channel?

I loved watching youtube, I would binge watch my faves and I liked to try out different experiments from some of the videos I watched, so I thought to myself, why not make youtube too,I could also share my experiments with others especially since I had not seen DIY youtubers from my part of the world. So I basically used Youtube to do Youtube 😂. I had to learn how to shoot, edit, lighting techniques and many more, all of these I am still learning so as to become a better youtuber.

Another challenge I faced was niching down, everywhere I heard to be successful on Youtube, you had to be know for one thing, but I wanted to do a lot all under the umbrella of DIY, whether, it was making a concrete planter, hauls, tech gadgets that fascinated me, a natural hair tutorial or a vlog about what was going on the my life at that time. All of these were me so I had a hard time categorizing these to make sense in my channel. This is still a work in progress, and I am getting better at it.

Can you share with us one of your favorite video you made? And a brief reason why is it your favorite.

My favourite video, is my first video that ever blew up on Youtube, the video is about how to make a DIY Crown, I remember at that time the Mets Gala had a dress code of heavenly bodies, a similar event was also done in Nigeria and I wanted to try my hand making one I had seen on an actress (Jemima Osunde) in Nigeria. I almost did not post the video because I thought everything was wrong with it, the lighting, audio and many things I felt were off. But I was encouraged to post it, so I posted it and forgot about it, some weeks later the video started blowing up, I posted a short version on my instagram for International Women's Day and the same thing happened. That video is definitely my fave, it just shows how putting in the effort and showing up is better than perfect.

We met in a speaking course, what made you want to learn more about speaking and taking that course?

As a content creator and designer, my role involve me speaking up everyday in different mediums, but I sometimes still find it hard to speak up, so it's still a work in progress for me. I want to be able to help the people I am a step ahead of and I want my voice to be heard.

I recently got into writing about my design journey, and things that have helped me along the way, that's why I took the course and learning how to speak about it.

Can you share few tips on presenting and speaking?

I'd say when presenting, always set context at the beginning, so that your audience follows through, it could be with a story or fact. Use stories to keep your audience engaged. Use images to better illustrate what you are talking about.

Any thoughts and plans for your future?

I have got really big plans for the future, studying abroad, leading a design team or an agency, I really want to challenge myself to take up more responsibilities and leadership roles.