Occupation: Vice President of Crawford Aggregate Industries
Husband: Jeremy Raffray
Children: Landon, 5, and Grace Ann, 4
Hobbies: Volunteering at Attic Trash and Treasure and public relations
Diana Raffray knows how to throw a party. As a mother of two and a business owner, Diana started the Modern Debutante as a creative outlet to bring beautiful floral installations into elegant event spaces. She believes that Modern Debutante installations elevate traditional spaces and bring their atmosphere to life. Recently, Diana decided to part with her inventory but has still kept the name of her business as the jumping-off point for her next new adventure in the future. While owning The Modern Debutante and working full-time, Diana also serves on the board of Attic Trash and Treasure. She believes that you do not have to just be one thing in this life–there is so much more out there to explore for yourself.
WHAT’S IMPORTANT IN EACH PROJECT WHEN IT COMES TO CREATING AND CRAFTING NEW IDEAS FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
DIANA: Being myself and being unique. I like to find what makes me excited and emulate that. If I like something, then it’s easy to get others excited about it, too.
WHAT IS IT LIKE OWNING A BUSINESS?
DIANA: I knew I always wanted a business, but I didn’t know how I was going to make it happen. In 2021, I formed the LLC, but thought, “What am I going to do now?” I researched on Facebook and Instagram, and looked for ideas for my business. “What’s different?” I love events and event planning, so I thought of creating a flower wall for events. To me, luck is the combination of hard work and timing. A business is most valuable in the center of this lifetime. This is a very valuable asset. If someone wants to acquire a business from me, I let it go. To me, it has value financially.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE DAY?
DIANA: Picking up my kids from school. We’re all so happy to see each other.
WHAT DOES A NORMAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
DIANA: We get up with the kids and get them to school. My husband and I go for a walk and get the blood flowing. We come back and get coffee and each goes to our offices. We have lenient schedules, so we don’t have to get to our workspaces until 10 a.m. or so. Since I work for a family business, our culture is “Do whatever you need to do to get your work done.” I am usually done at the office around 2:30 p.m. or 3 p.m. Then, we pick the kids up from school together and spend the afternoon with them. We try our best to limit screen time and instead ride bikes together as a family. Once the kids go to bed, I go down the TikTok, Instagram business rabbit hole. This is when I really start focusing on my business.
WHAT’S A COMMON CHARACTERISTIC IN YOUR WORK ETHIC AND PARENTING?
DIANA: Teaching the people around you how to do their job. If you own a business, you have to hire people. You can’t do it alone. You need to know what you want and communicate that. With children, you have to communicate with them about priorities and agendas. While both are similar, one is more softer and motherly, while the other is more affirmative. It’s really just a mix of communication and delegation.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE JOYS AND CHALLENGES OF BEING A MOM?
DIANA: The joy is getting to see how quickly they learn. The challenge is how fast they learn.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PARENTING STYLE?
DIANA: I am pretty laid back. I very much want to create the attitude of “You can always talk to me” and “There’s nothing that you can do or say that will take my love away.”
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO AS A FAMILY?
DIANA: We like to go on little excursions. Recently, we got back from the Houston Rodeo. We love to also visit Gulf Shores! It’s easy to bring our kids, and we’ve been enjoying building memories with them.
HOW ARE YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN ALIKE AND DIFFERENT?
DIANA: We’re alike in that we’re both funny. We like to make each other laugh. Different in the way we grew up. My kids, and so many kids their age, are very used to technology and use their parents’ phones for fun time or screen time.
WHAT’S SOMETHING YOUR CHILDREN HAVE TAUGHT YOU ABOUT YOURSELF?
DIANA: They have taught me so much. I guess they teach me that I am in charge. They’re fully reliant on me and I’ve learned that I fully love taking care of them. Before you’re a parent, you may ask, “Can I do this?” You were made to do it.
WHAT’S ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE VACATION SPOTS?
DIANA: Pensacola Beach or Panama City Beach.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DATE NIGHT WITH YOUR HUSBAND?
DIANA: Our favorite date night is going to Houmas House Estate and Garden. It’s so whimsical and nice, and the food is amazing.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS ONE OF THE KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL PARENTING?
DIANA: The key is resilience, in knowing that there will be both good and bad days. Give yourself a chance to make mistakes, and a chance to correct them. This is a long game. We’re in this for life.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR OTHER PARENTS?
DIANA: Spend as much time with your kids as you possibly can. One thing that I love about creating my business is that I can balance my time spent planning and time with my kids. I created something, let it go, and created an even better family life.
ANY ADVICE FOR ENTREPRENEURS JUST GETTING STARTED?
DIANA: Just do it. The second that you second guess yourself, someone is going to come up with a similar idea and run with it. You’ll regret not making it happen. So, make it happen.
Quick Q&A…
My favorite TV show is…The Real Housewives.
I can’t stop watching…TikToks about AI and crypto.
I love singing along to…The Trolls soundtrack. Rap music.
I always feel my best when I…put on a nice dress and go somewhere with friends or family.
My favorite dessert is…brownies.
My favorite food is…tacos.
My favorite holiday is…4th of July.
My guilty pleasure is…buying clothes online.
My favorite book is…How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
