We had the good fortune of connecting with Rachel Santos and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachel, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Since I was in college I have always been passionate about photography and writing. I studied and received a degree in Mass Communications/Journalism and even volunteered as an editor and photographer for the school newspaper during my first two years there. I share this quick little background story because I feel like it’s what ultimately paved the way for me to start my own business several years later. In April of 2016, I attended my very first Blogger meetup where they talked about the emotional life of a blogger and the obstacles one faces as personal brands as well as how to overcome them by paving their own path to success. Not only did I get to learn and gain some new insights on blogging but I also got to meet and network with other bloggers and that really got me excited and open to the idea of starting a blog. My thought process behind starting my own business shortly after that first meetup was that since I loved writing and photography as well as exploring my city and discovering new restaurants, events, and fun things to do why don’t I just start my own blog because after all I am super passionate about all of these things and because I ultimately wanted to become a knowledgeable guide to Miami locals. So it was in July of 2016 where I launched my blog business and lifestyle brand, The Cultured Local.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
For as long as I can remember I have always been a creative person since I was a little girl. One thing I clearly remember when I was younger is creating my very own arts & crafts at home without even looking at a website for inspiration/ideas or getting help and instructions from my parents. Fast forward growing up I came to develop a love and passion for photography and writing as well as for blogging and all things related to social media. When I launched my blog and social media channels one of the things I have always strived for is to create and publish the best work possible. Even up to this day I make sure that all of my content and work that I put out on the web is high quality as well as visually pleasing and aesthetic as possible. I believe that what sets me apart from others aside from my lifestyle content is that I try to be as genuine, honest, relatable, and real as possible with my followers/audience and develop a relationship with them as well. Plus, I don’t normally like to post the same trending content that most people do but instead try to come up with my very own unique idea and creative approach whether it’s for a project, activity, campaign, or overall content for my website/social media.

Something that I am very proud of aside from all of the incredible brands and events that I had the privilege and opportunity of working with the past few years is that I have never given up even with all of the constant changes taking place in the digital world and challenges that come with being a blogger and content creator. Social Media and Blogging takes a lot of time, hard work, effort, and dedication and it’s definitely not as easy as it seems since you have to wear so many hats and learn many different skill sets such as photography, videography, how to market and pitch yourself to brands, negotiate your rates, etc. but an important lesson that I’ve learned as a creative is to never give up especially if it’s something that you are passionate about. Something else that I highly recommend aside from pushing forward and never giving up is to take essential breaks when needed for the sake of your mental health and to prevent burnout as well. What I would want the world to know about me and my brand is that I love my beautiful city of Miami and I am super passionate about documenting and sharing all of my finds with locals and even those visiting Miami of everything that the city has to offer from restaurants to events to things to do and more! My ultimate goal is to serve as a knowledgeable guide to locals and encourage them to get out of their house, explore, and try new things/places because there is honestly always something happening in South Florida or a new place and destination just a few hours away to check out!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

If my best friend was visiting the area I would definitely say that Calle Ocho & Wynwood are two areas to check out without a doubt. Even though these are two very popular tourist areas they have so much to offer including great places to eat, live music, plenty of art, shopping, and most importantly culture.

Calle Ocho is known as Miami’s Vibrant and most Iconic Cuban Street and there you can find some of the most delicious authentic Cuban restaurants such as the very popular Versailles which is a South Florida staple that serves traditional Cuban dishes along with Sanguich that has some of the best Cuban sandwiches in town. You can also find Azucar there which is the cutest little Cuban ice cream shop that serves some unique signature flavors such as Abuela Maria & Cafe Con Leche.

Some great bars to check out in Calle Ocho are Ball & Chain which has live music all day and night as well as some of the best mojitos in town and CubaOcho which is part performing arts center, part art gallery, part event space, and part bar! Aside from drinking and dining you can get also visit cigar shops, observe locals playing a game of dominoes, grab some souvenirs, take a walking tour, and enjoy plenty of cuban art and culture.

Another great and popular spot that I would recommend to my best friend is Wynwood. It’s better known as Miami’s Art District and it consists of several streets filled with art galleries, coffee shops, craft breweries, and plenty of restaurants and eateries to choose from. What I love about this vibrant art district is that there is always an event happening there and new hot restaurant opening up there. It’s the perfect place to walk around with friends, check out some funky art, take some photos, and grab a drink and bite to eat.

A top coffee shop to try there is Panther Coffee and a great spot to grab some lunch or dinner especially on Tuesdays is Coyo Taco. Other great food spots include Bakan, KYU, Kush, and The Mad Butcher. Plus, they also have two really neat food halls: Oasis and 1-800-Lucky and plenty of spots to satisfy your sweet tooth like The Salty Donut, Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop, Dasher & Crank, and a lot more!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to give some credit and recognition to my husband who has been my number one supporter since day one that I launched my business. Not only has he helped me (and continues to help me) with photo and video content creation but in many ways he is like my personal manager and mentor who is always helping me shift my mindset into a more positive one and making sure that I am optimizing my time and staying on top of important tasks so we can essentially meet our goals. Without his help, support, love, and encouragement I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today and while I still have a lot more to learn and accomplish and plenty of room to grow I am very glad and thankful to have him by my side as a supporter even in moments where I feel like giving up or and when something is difficult and/or challenging to me.

Website: https://www.theculturedlocal.com

Instagram: instagram.com/culturedlocal

Facebook: facebook.com/culturedlocal

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