Patrice Rivers wears many hats in the world of entrepreneurship. She is currently residing in Suffolk, VA, where Virginia State University’s blue and orange bleeds through her veins, graduating from the HBCU in May 2009 in Petersburg, VA. Patrice majored in Mass Communication, where she had a minor in writing, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree. She started writing at the tender age of only nine, where creating short stories was more than just a hobby. Patrice has a very vivid and creative imagination when it comes to words. Poetry has and will always be her first love. Since she was 15, Patrice took a strong interest in writing poems. Throughout the years, writing poetry has always been a therapeutic way of expressing her true feelings. Patrice’s creativity took her all the way to publishing her first books of poetry in 2012 entitled “A Collection of God’s Word” and “Motivation,” which is a great seller. The following year her second book of poetry was published in 2013 called “Lyrical Passion Tears from my Inkwell,” where she encourages and captivates her reader’s attention through real situations and encouraging words.
Patrice has published a total of nine books, with two of them being children’s books about a little girl living with Sickle Cell Disease. As a survivor and person living with SCD herself, she wanted to create not only a children’s book but a series that will serve as an educational tool for kids and adults as well in communities. Patrice is also the proud owner of That Riverz Girl Brand, consisting of different facets such as books, published articles, interviews, blog services, and health platforms. Her blog, Versafi Blog, is a platform for men and women of diversity that are business owners, entrepreneurs, and authors. Patrice plans to take Versafi to a higher level. She plans to write more books relating to her life as well as children. She is very passionate about the writing community. She wants to expand her writing services to a small writing boutique providing services to new authors, continuous authors, brands, business owners, and entrepreneurs. This determined boss babe is nothing more than passionate, a goal digger, creative, professional, and unique with her brand. She hopes to someday expand her brand to a wider audience in the world of business.Â
Christina: What is your SwagHer? What makes Patrice, Patrice?
Patrice: My SwagHer is my creativity and my determination. What makes Patrice, Patrice is the ability to not give up even after the storm. The passion that I must be successful by creating new opportunities for myself allows me to be unique while staying focused.
Christina: When you sit down to write a poem, what is the ideal mindset you want to be in?
Patrice: Poetry, my first love! If I’m writing a poem, I have to be focused at all times. With poetry, it comes very naturally to me. I want to paint the picture with my mind first before writing it down on paper.
Christina: How old were you when your love of writing began?
Patrice: I was blessed with the gift of writing at the early age of nine. I started out writing creative short stories, and at the age of 15, I started writing poetry.Â
Christina: Please tell us a little about your poetry books, “A Collection of God’s Word,” “Motivation,” and Lyrical Passion Tears from my Inkwell.” Where can they be purchased?
Patrice: Those two books were published in 2012 and 2013, and they are both books of inspirational poetry. Both books can be purchased on Amazon through my author page at www.amazon.com/author/patricerivers.
Christina: You have sickle cell disease. Can you explain to us what that is? Is it difficult to live with?
Patrice: Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited blood disorder that attacks the red blood cells. Both parents must be carrying the Sickle Cell Trait for a child to be diagnosed with SCD. Normal blood cells are shaped like a donut, whereas sickle cells are sphere shapes or a “banana” shape. When they get stuck in the tiny blood vessels, it causes pain anywhere in the body. It can be difficult to live with, especially with people living with this disease who have frequent pain crises and are hospitalized often. If the pain is not treated properly with pain medicine or blood transfusions, one can die from it.Â
Christina: Tell us about That Riverz Girl Brand. When did you start this business? What services do you offer?
Patrice: That Riverz Gurl Brand was birthed two years ago. I was already an established author before creating this brand, but I wanted to add more to my brand besides being an author and writer. I decided to kick it up a notch by starting my own magazine and offering writing and design services. My brand consists of my books, health platform “Let’s Talk Cell Talk,” Married to Journalism Suite, and Verafi Media.
Christina: You also have a blog, Versafi Blog. What type of content do you post there?
Patrice: Versafi Media and Blog is a media platform for business owners, entrepreneurs, and authors that gives them media exposure for their brand. The blog and media platform conducts interviews and posts on entertainment news and lifestyle.Â
Christina: What does success look like to you?
Patrice: Success for me looks like a million bucks! Knowing that I am achieving all my dreams and doing what I enjoy doing is successful. When you are an entrepreneur or business owner striving for the best and aiming for greatness, you are already successful.Â
Christina: Do you have any upcoming events or projects you would like our readers to know about?
Patrice: I have my two brand new Facebook series every week called “The 411 Biz”, where I share business and marketing tips to business owners, entrepreneurs, and authors, and “Let’s Talk Cell Talk,” where I talk about Sickle Cell Disease, what it is and who it affects. Also, I plan to write my third children’s book next year that is apart of the ‘Come Learn with Patricia’ series in honor of Sickle Cell Awareness Month that will be released next September 2021.Â
Christina: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Patrice: Stay focus on your dreams, and if you are passionate about something, then do not allow anything or anyone to stop you!Â
Connect with Patrice below:
Website: www.thatriverzgurlbrandllc.comÂ
Instagram: @thatriverzgurlbrandllc and @versafimediaÂ
Facebook: RiverspatriceÂ
LinkedIn: thatriverzgurlbrand
