Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaraven Gilbert
Hi Aaraven, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In the eighth grade at a small private school in Antioch, Tennessee, I made a promise to my parents that would set the tone for my entire life: I would earn a basketball scholarship and spare them the burden of college tuition. This wasn’t just a childhood dream—it was the first expression of a determined spirit that would define my future.
At Lighthouse Christian School, I didn’t just play basketball; I orchestrated my own success. Between winning state championships, I created my own highlight films and reached out to coaches directly. This wasn’t just about securing a scholarship—it was about taking control of my destiny, a trait that would become my hallmark in the years to come.
My dedication paid off, leading me to Atlanta, where I excelled in both basketball and track. But life had other plans. As 2020 dawned and COVID-19 swept across the world, my carefully laid plans for medical school began to unravel. Yet, in true fashion, I didn’t retreat—I adapted.
Working as an emergency department technician during the pandemic’s darkest days, I found myself in the trenches of healthcare, working 50-60 hour weeks without proper PPE. Despite the measly $12.50 hourly wage, I discovered something precious: the joy of helping others in their most vulnerable moments. But bills needed paying, and that’s when my entrepreneurial spirit took flight.
With just $50 and a weekend’s worth of preparation, my partner Desirae and I launched Everclean Solutions LLC. Our first cleaning job in a high-rise Atlanta apartment was just the beginning. We didn’t just clean houses—we built a system, developed protocols, and created a brand known for its thoroughness and efficiency. When marketing challenges arose, instead of accepting defeat, we saw an opportunity.
Our frustration of spending thousands on ineffective marketing became the catalyst for Sixthhouse Media Company, which evolved into Opulence Groupe. We took our hard-learned lessons and transformed them into a marketing agency specifically designed to serve ultra-high-net-worth individuals and businesses, providing the very solutions we once struggled to find.
But success in business wasn’t enough. My dream of becoming a physician and serving others remained. This led to the creation of Opulence Groupe Limited, a non-profit organization that embodies my deepest values. Through this foundation, I work to ensure that young athletes and artists never have to choose between their passions and their potential.
Today, I stand as a testament to what happens when ambition meets purpose. From the basketball courts of Lighthouse Christian to the boardrooms of Opulence Groupe, my journey isn’t just about personal success—it’s about creating opportunities for others. That eighth-grade girl who promised to earn a scholarship didn’t just fulfill her promise; I built a legacy of service, proving that the greatest achievements come from helping others achieve their dreams.
My story isn’t just about what I’ve accomplished—it’s about what I’ve enabled others to accomplish. Through each venture, from Everclean Solutions to Opulence Groupe Limited, I’ve maintained the heart of a servant leader, proving that success isn’t measured by what you gain, but by what you give back.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road at all. As a young, female business owner, I’ve faced numerous significant challenges along the way:
Running a business with limited knowledge and resources was perhaps our first major hurdle. Everything had to be learned on the fly – from basic operations to complex business processes. Add to this the fact that we were trying to navigate adulthood during a pandemic while simultaneously building a business, and the challenges began to multiply quickly.
Funding was a particularly steep obstacle. In the beginning, I couldn’t secure any business loans, which forced me to learn about building business credit from scratch. Even after understanding the process, accessing funding remained difficult. We got lucky when Home Depot approved us for a commercial account, which became a lifeline for acquiring necessary supplies.
Being young and female in the business world presented its own set of challenges. I’ve faced countless moments of doubt from others, particularly when dealing with larger, established businesses. They often viewed me as either incompetent or naive, and never hesitated to remind me how “new” I was to the industry.
Even after creating Opulence Groupe and developing impressive strategies and processes, we continued to face skepticism. People would praise our work but struggle to believe that someone like me could develop such comprehensive solutions. Desirae and I spent countless days and nights working to ensure our work would speak for itself, hoping to overcome these preconceptions through sheer excellence.
The challenges haven’t stopped with our newest venture, Opulence Groupe Limited. We still struggle with obtaining funding, but thankfully, our reputation has begun to precede us, which has helped open some doors. It’s been a testament to the fact that consistency and quality work eventually shine through, even when faced with initial doubts and obstacles.
We’ve been impressed with Opulence Groupe Limited, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At Opulence Groupe, we’ve carved out a unique space in the marketing industry by specializing in tailored solutions for ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWI) and businesses across multiple sectors. Our expertise spans across hospitality, private travel, luxury acquisitions, and numerous other industries, but what truly sets us apart is our distinctive perspective on market strategy.
While many agencies view their work through a purely corporate lens, we pride ourselves on our ability to see both sides of the equation. We understand that successful marketing isn’t just about business metrics—it’s about the consumer experience. This dual perspective allows us to create strategies that not only achieve business objectives but also genuinely resonate with target audiences.
Our approach to client relationships is deeply rooted in holistic analysis and authentic engagement. When a client reaches out to us, we don’t simply offer a standard solution. Instead, we take the time to thoroughly understand their unique situation, providing honest, straightforward assessments and ensuring they have clear options moving forward—whether they ultimately choose to work with us or not. This commitment to transparency and genuine guidance has become one of our hallmark characteristics in the industry.
What truly distinguishes Opulence Groupe, however, is our unwavering dedication to community impact through our non-profit arm, Opulence Groupe Limited. This isn’t just another corporate social responsibility initiative—it’s the heartbeat of our entire organization. We’ve made it our mission to not just promise community support but to deliver tangible results. The ability to create real impact in our local communities while growing our business has been one of our greatest achievements.
Our clients and partners, whether engaging with our marketing agency or our non-profit foundation, can expect thoughtful, consumer-centric strategies delivered with unwavering integrity. We believe that success in business should always translate to positive community impact, and this philosophy guides every decision we make and every strategy we develop.
The fusion of our marketing expertise with our commitment to community service through Opulence Groupe Limited creates a unique value proposition. We’re not just helping businesses grow—we’re fostering a model where commercial success and community impact go hand in hand. This dual mission sets us apart in the industry and drives us to continuously innovate and improve our services while never losing sight of our core purpose: to make a meaningful difference in both business and society.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Having worked with UHNWI clients, I’ve learned that generic approaches simply don’t work. This principle will expand across all marketing sectors. The future won’t just be about segmentation—it will be about creating uniquely tailored experiences for each client. The strategies we’ve developed at Opulence Groupe, focusing on individual client needs and perspectives, will become industry standard rather than exception.
Through our journey from Everclean Solutions to Opulence Groupe, we’ve learned that seeing things from both the business and consumer perspective is crucial. The next decade will see a dramatic shift away from corporate-centric marketing toward truly human-centered approaches. The challenges we faced as young, female business owners taught us the value of authenticity, and the market is increasingly demanding this genuine connection.
Working with high-net-worth individuals has given us unique insight into the importance of privacy and trust. As digital platforms evolve and data privacy concerns grow, marketing will need to become more sophisticated in how it balances personalization with privacy. The discrete, tailored approaches we’ve developed for our luxury clients will become more relevant across all market segments.
Through Opulence Groupe Limited, we’ve seen firsthand how business success and community impact can align. The future of marketing won’t just be about ROI and conversion rates—it will be about measurable community impact. Companies will need to demonstrate genuine social value, not just financial returns. The model we’ve built, where commercial success fuels community initiatives, will become increasingly common.
Our experience in luxury marketing has shown that the most effective strategies blend traditional relationship-building with digital innovation. The future won’t be about choosing between digital and traditional marketing—it will be about seamlessly integrating both. The holistic approach we’ve developed at Opulence Groupe, considering all aspects of client needs, will become essential across the industry.
Having started with limited resources and building our way up, we’ve learned that adaptability and specialized expertise are crucial. The future will see the end of generalist marketing agencies. Instead, firms will need to develop deep expertise in specific niches, much like how we’ve specialized in UHNWI clients and their unique needs.
While artificial intelligence and automation will continue to advance, our experience with high-net-worth clients has shown that human understanding and intuition remain irreplaceable. The future will be about finding the right balance between technological efficiency and human insight—something we’ve always prioritized in our strategic approaches.
The lesson we learned through building our reputation—that consistent quality work eventually speaks for itself—will become increasingly relevant. The future of marketing will prioritize building lasting relationships over quick campaign wins, much like how we’ve approached our client relationships at Opulence Groupe.
Just as we’ve made community impact central to our business through Opulence Groupe Limited, environmental and social sustainability will become core components of marketing strategy. Companies will need to demonstrate genuine commitment to sustainability, not just through campaigns but through actionable initiatives.
Our practice of providing honest guidance to all potential clients, whether they work with us or not, will become more common. The future of marketing will be about educating and empowering clients rather than just selling to them. This shift will require marketers to develop deeper expertise and maintain higher standards of transparency.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://opulencegroupe.com/opulence.eq/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/opulencegroupe?igsh=cmthZDlyM3czOGR1&utm_source=qr
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/opulence.eq/profilecard/?igsh=N2Y0ajU1N2c3MW02
