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Welcome to Creatives Anonymous, a weekly newsletter that explores what it means to be a modern-day creative through essays, interviews, and commentary.

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How many times have you had an inkling to do something? 

But it felt more than an inkling. It’s more like a push. An urge. You can’t explain it, but it’s just there. 

It pushes you to act on an idea, move across state lines, or do something completely impulsive. 

To any logical person, you can’t explain the rationale behind it. You just know in your gut that it’s something you have to do. 

They say (“they” being the people on the internet) that when you feel that urge to do something, it’s because you’re meant to do it and gain something from it. The most common one I’ve heard is that if a place calls you, something is waiting for you there. 

Our intuition is a powerful force. It transcends logic in every sense of the word. It makes decisions for us before we can understand them. 

That’s why it feels like gut decisions are really impulsive. 

We don’t have to weigh the pros/cons because our brains have already played out all the scenarios without us even realizing it, so it appears that we make the decision faster. 

As creatives, we don’t listen to our gut enough. We tend to ignore it in favor of logic, but our intuition usually knows what’s best for us even if we don’t recognize it yet.

I can’t tell you how often I’ve ignored the feeling in my gut and immediately regretted it. 

Yet, more often than not, the decisions we make based on a “gut feeling” are the best we can make. 

Today’s guest is one of my business friends (Peers? Colleagues? Still trying to find the right word since you don’t really have “coworkers” as a solo), Kristina Bleiler. 

Kristina is a brand designer and DIY brand educator. She is the founder of Gem Creative Co., where she helps businesses and DIY-ing entrepreneurs hone in on their brand identity, develop a signature aesthetic, and build a cohesive digital presence that transcends trends.

(Fun fact: All the refreshed branding you see on my socials and website I DIY’d after learning how to in her Brand Ed course. 10/10 recommend.) 

You’re a brand designer and DIY educator. Can you talk a bit more about your background and the path that led you to where you are now?

My career has turned out to be nothing like I thought it would, but I love letting life surprise me. After getting my BFA in Visual Communication Design in 2017, learning allll the intricacies of Adobe programs, I thought Canva would be a threat to my job. I would have been shocked to find out I'd be teaching people how to DIY their branding now. I also totally didn't see myself having my own business, but after 5 years of doing branding for a non-profit and freelancing on the side, I gained confidence in my ideas & creative direction skills. The desire to do my own thing grew until I couldn't ignore it anymore—and now I get to support brands online, from anywhere, at all different stages!

Your signature branding process is unique in that you find the “hidden gems” and put them front and center in your clients' branding. Can you share what that process is like—how you identify them and translate that into visuals? 

Branding is far more rewarding for soloprenuer business owners when it's tied to something personal, intrinsic, and natural to you—rather than trying to fit a vibe that we think makes us look legit. Especially when we're newer to the scene, we want to feel accepted and to prove our professionalism. So we try to keep up with other cool people out there, chase trends on Pinterest, and never quite know for sure how to settle. But when we draw inspiration from within ourselves and our businesses, we can lean into the natural impact we're already making. That's where the hidden gems are, and that's what I aim to bring to light through branding.

What are some of your other hobbies and interests and how do they show up in your work? 

Thrifting is the ultimate embodiment of finding the hidden gems. I love sharing about when I find something on-brand out in the wild, and getting creative with my outfits (which are becoming mostly jewel-toned). I absolutely love exploring my city and finding the hidden gem spots around town. Especially when traveling, I'll take photos of literally anything that could inspire my creative design projects, color palettes, fonts, etc. I spend more than enough time sitting at my desk all day, and love the opportunity to see something interesting out & about!

You talk a lot about creative concepts in your content–play, curiosity, removing creative blocks, etc. What are some of your personal creativity philosophies and how do you apply them to your work and in your life?

Aside from my main mantra of always seeking out the hidden gems, I'm a firm believer that creativity cannot happen in a silo. When I'm exposing myself to other creative peers beyond my industry, exploring new spaces, and studying the art within music, TV, movies, podcasts, etc, my own creativity grows. If there's no creative input re-energizing me, I can't sustain the creative output. I also really appreciate getting constructive feedback, even if it can feel a little uncomfortable sometimes. I'm better for it, and would not be the creative person I am now if it weren't for the creative mentor figures who saw more in me than I could see in myself throughout my career.

What’s one creative project that you’re working on now?

I'm working on ways to bring my deeper personal stories & expressions online a bit more. Substack & Youtube may be part of that evolution. But at the moment, I'm finding ways to weave this into my next Instagram posts and email newsletter. Coming soon, I'll be sharing a bit about "Signs you've changed, and when it might be time for your brand to change with you"... something like that!

What’s one piece of advice you have for any fellow creative? 

Trust the ideas that excite you the most. Lean into that inner nudge, even if the idea feels a little "out there." It could end up surprising you and inspiring others along with you. It could become something you become known for. Or, you might decide to go in a different direction afterwards, and that's okay too because at least you practiced following that instinct and learned new insights from the experience. Don't ignore the excitement just because it seems impractical or different compared to what others are doing.

You can learn more about Kristina by visiting her website and following her on Instagram and Threads at @gemcreativeco. 

Creative Corner

• 🎞️ What I’m Consuming: A Complete Unknown, the Bob Dylan biopic

• 💡 What I’m Loving: Cherry blossom season here in Seattle. Everything looks so ethereal

• 🎨 What I’m Working On: Editing photos I took of the cherry blossoms at the UW Quad last weekend

• 💭 Weekly Musing:

Thank you 💕

If you liked this newsletter, I’d love it if you could forward it to someone who you think would like it, too!

I’m so grateful for all of your support!

Alexa Phillips is a writer, brand strategist, and multi-passionate creative. She is the founder of Bright Eyes Creative, a Seattle-based brand marketing consultancy and media company that helps founder-led consumer brands and creatives become tastemakers with content-driven brand experiences & media.

Where to find me:

• Learn more about my services 

• Listen to my recent podcast episodes.

• Follow along as I build Culture Slant, a new magazine + podcast at the intersection of brand, marketing, media, culture, commerce, and technology.

• Join Write Club, free weekly 90-minute co-writing sessions dedicated to helping you knock out all the content you have to write for your business.

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