Meet Irianna Keith | Owner & Founder of Irie’s Teaching Binders

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

Hi Irianna, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

To be honest, I did not have any thought process at all. It was a spur-of-the-moment situation. I had no intention of starting a business. My goal was to create an educational tool for my godson, who has autism. According to his speech therapist, he wouldn’t be able to speak until he’s in high school. After hearing that, I told myself, “I want to create an educational tool that is designed specifically for him.” After creating the binder, I posted it on my social media platforms, showing people my work. Many people became interested, and that’s how my business started up. My company’s dedication is making learning enjoyable. Our binders caters to children aged 1 to 11 years old and offer hands-on learning experiences. We have two languages available: English and Spanish. We hand-make and personalize each binder for every child based on their request. Parents or guardians can construct their child’s binder by selecting from a selection of activities we provide. These binders are ideal for children because of their versatility, allowing them to be used anywhere at any time. In the future, we plan to offer more languages and binders for middle and high school students. I have to thank God for giving me this incredible idea. Without him, this wouldn’t have been possible. Helping all children through my binders is something I find joy in.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

Apart from my business, I am a graduate of Prairie View A&M University, which is one of the best HBCUs in Texas. In the fall of 2022, I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and finished in three years. I began working for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, a month after graduating. I am currently involved in the LBF project for the Pardons of the Parole Board. Within a year of joining Texas Department of Criminal Justice, I earned two promotions.The milestones I have achieved has not been easy. Faced many setbacks, hardships, and disappointing moments in the last five years of my life. However, though everything, I still desired more for myself. Whatever life throws my way, I’m determined not to give up and to keep going. I know people are going to wonder how can she run a small business while working full time. I have done it before. Although it’s tough and challenging, the job gets done. During college, I worked full-time while attending classes full-time. There’s nothing I cannot do without my lord and savior. He gives me strength to conquer all things. Remember to always put God first and everything will fall into its rightful place.

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 I had to choose the first thing, I will take a friend to eat seafood. Houston has so many spots to choose from. My favorite seafood spot right now is Kray Cray Cajun. I’ll add spa day, painting with the twist, and a nice winery to the itinerary. It’s so many fun things in Houston. How can you not try to explore everything? I’ve been in Houston since the age of six years old, and I still haven’t visited everything inside of this big city.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

To begin with, I want to thank God, my heavenly father, for always being present every step of the way. I am grateful to my mother and sister for their constant support. By staying up late nights to improve this business and continuing to assist me in improving Irie’s Teaching Binder daily. I want to express my gratitude to those who have lifted me up in prayer, my pastor, and my church family. The people who invest in me, my customers who purchase a binder or recommend someone to my business. I want to express my gratitude to the people who consistently like, comment, or share my business posts on social media. As a business owner, I don’t ask for much. Therefore, I express my appreciation to anyone who supports Irie’s Teaching Binders. We would like to extend a big thank you to every one of you!

Website: https://linktr.ee/irieteachbinder

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_u/irieteachingbinders

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irianna-i-keith-4b82831bb

Facebook: Irie’s Teaching Binders https://m.facebook.com/makeupbyiriannakeith/

Image Credits
A tremendous shout out to Jayven Jean-Louis (Lou) he’s a fellow panther, and a good friend of mines. He does all of my professional photography. His Instagram account can be found at @trilltint. Check out his work and reserve him for your upcoming photoshoot. PVAMU produces productive people. I thank my university for molding me into the young woman I am today.