You remember the time Kanye yelled at Sway because he didn't have the answers? Of course, you do! Well, meet Qri Montague, a 21-year-old, Atlanta native who unlike Sway has all the answers for you.
Questions with Qri is an advice forum that was created by Qri with the intention of helping millennials not only get answers to pressing questions but also give them the ability to be seen and not judged.
I got the chance to sit down and talk with Qri about her brand and how she has grown. She opened up to me about how answering questions have challenged her, her plans for the future, her favorite types of questions, and the one deep question that she would like an answer too.
How have answering questions helped you evolve as a person?
It’s humbled me. It reminds me that everyone has their own story and you really have to be invested in who you are. You never know what someone is going through or their question. Someone asked me about being in the military, moving out of the country, and being a foreigner- and I’ve never even thought about that! Answering questions has challenged me to really think. Now that I’m growing and people are sending more questions, people see value in my answers so I don’t want to just give them BS. I want to make sure that I’m giving them something substantial that they can take away from. It’s definitely matured me a bit, to work towards understanding people. I can’t tell people one thing and do another. I’d be a fraud and that’s my biggest fear.
Would you consider yourself an advice guru? If so, what sets you apart from the average advice guru?
Yes, I felt that answering questions came naturally. Each question that I get, I feel for the person and I’m invested in trying to come up with an answer. The answers don’t solely come from me so while I may not have the answer I’m committed to finding the answer. I openly express that. Some people have answers to their own questions, they just need an outside opinion or reassurance. Just being that voice of reason sets me apart because I’m not just trying to answer questions but actually be invested in the person. There’s a connection that’s there even though it’s anonymous. It makes me feel good that people trust me enough to sometimes reveal their identity. For me, it’s not just a question.
About her being young and offering so much advice to people.
Because I know why I’m doing it- I’m doing it to help the people in my generation. Not just to give my opinion. I feel like we don’t really have many voices of reason in society today. They [millennials and younger] need someone that’s not going to judge them and show them: hey, I’m not perfect but at least I’m trying.
Is Questions with Qri for the culture?
I guess so, I feel like everything nowadays is for the culture. I want to change the culture of people not asking questions and just going with the flow. I want to remind people to focus on themselves. People are questioning those with fame and in higher positions so much that they forget to question their own lives. I want people to really take the time to know who they are, what questions they have, and what’s bothering them. We get so distracted that we don’t even know what’s bothering us.
What are your favorite types of questions?
The sad ones, which might sound funny. They’re my favorite because there’s nothing like being reminded of who you are. I get to remind people that they’re great and let them know it’s okay to feel how they’re feeling. I’ve had people come up to me crying and thanking me. That’s what keeps me going because I was the one that used to have those questions and feel the exact way they’re feeling. To be a testimony for someone and then to have them tell me their testimony is what makes the sad questions the best. It’s so easy to ask a regular question, but for people to believe in me enough to ask me something that’s vulnerable and places them in an uncomfortable position is amazing. I pray and ask God for level thinking and a way to inspire when answering questions- while still being myself. It’s one thing to give fluff, but I still want to hold people accountable and inspire them at the same time. I try to remain humble and not get caught up in the constant need to understand. I feel a lot of people want the content but don’t have a desire to actually understand. They do it for the views versus doing it to tell a story.
How many questions do you get asked daily? As QWQ continues to grow, how will you continue to feed the desire to be as fulfilling with the answers you give as your audience increases?
It depends on the day, some days I won’t get any questions and I’ll be sad. And then on others, I’ll check and see that I have a bunch of questions. *gets excited*
As I grow, I’ve thought about look into getting an assistant. I would have to really vet that person so that they’re essentially a version of me. I do feel like I would need help as time progresses so I would definitely need someone to answer the questions and allow me to check before they get sent out. Everyone has a question, everyone has a story.
If you could ask anyone in the world a question and get a guaranteed answer, who would it be and what would the question be?
I would ask my dad why he wasn’t my dad. As I’m answering these questions, I’m learning so much about people that I don’t even know. I’m learning just a little bit of their story and if I can ask [my dad] this question, and be guaranteed an answer I would definitely ask him why he was okay with letting my mom do everything by herself. I would just want to know why he felt I didn’t need him. I could ask any celebrity a question, but I could just google their
answer.
When people hear QWQ, what do you want them to know about the brand/you? What can they expect?
They can expect safety because there aren’t many safe spaces. When they come to the events and ask me questions I would want them to associate the brand with safety, love, and support- genuine support. I try my best to be completely honest and humble. I never want to look down on people when they come to me asking questions. I want to be relatable. I want people to know that this is who I am and I’m standing in my truth and I want other people to stand in their truth. I want to be a place where people share their stories and experiences. We get so caught up in social media that we forget people actually have stories.
Qri's social media is @questionswithqri and for your question needs, you can anonymously send your questions to her on her website, www.questionswithqri.com!
Thanks for reading, and don't forget... Be great! xoxo.
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