We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alicia Navarrette a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Alicia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Being an independent creative studio owner is a huge risk in and of itself. The market is over saturated and now inundated with generative content. When I started my studio I was mid-career and midway through grad school studying design. My previous experience had been in marketing and arts non-profit research and development. The degree program I chose was half MBA and half MFA with a heavy dose of systems thinking and design facilitation.

Many of the people we interacted with were from local tech startups or creative agencies. The one thing they had in common was that their revenue was coming from Nike, Intel, Adidas, Columbia sportswear, and other local giants. While other members of my cohort were enamored and impressed with these companies, I really wasn’t interested. I was hungry for change and knew that it wasn’t working with large entities. I started to focus on startups themselves and local small businesses that made an impact or had a mission that benefited the local community.

I didn’t see a niche for myself in a traditional employment framework, so I built a business plan and went to work. I attracted other business owners that were on the edge of innovative technology and finely honed luxury craftsmanship. Most folks start off in an agency and then set off on their own studio. I took the risk and jumped right in to starting my own business, SESH Creative.

Alicia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

At SESH we work with early stage and established businesses to create strategies, brand identity, and marketing assets. What makes us unique is the ecosystem we cultivate with our clients, research insights, and community building.

In 2017 we created CHEECHABLE, a newsletter that grew into an independent media publisher. It was a great way for us to model the lifestyles and solutions from our client work and house research insights from our design process. Since its inception we have grown into an audience of 500K+ independent creatives and entrepreneurs. In 2024 we started publishing long form content in the television show Cheechable LIVN and launched Cheechable Press to publish books on art, activism, and industry.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

When you are a risk taker you can expect to pivot, maybe even a lot. Sometimes it can hurt because you’ve invested resources or you really love a concept. One thing that has always been proven by a pivot is when you remove a block more opportunities flow through.

I have been down my fair share of rabbit holes with clients and potential projects. Most of them work out, but some just weren’t meant to be. And that’s ok! It is always better to cut your losses (which are always lessons) and move in a better direction.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

When we introduced the newsletter, Cheechable, to our offerings we became a resource for our community of business owners. This built trust in our community that we can provide support in dynamic ways. A couple of years after launching, we started hosting in person events that were fun and casual, and always promoted networking and business development for clients. When people saw a true resource that delivers tangible value we saw our network grow exponentially.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Cheechable.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheechable_world/profilecard/?igsh=Y3BjNTF2NnowaHEy
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicianavarrette?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@cheechablelive?si=3n7y7b4RO_rBdA9-

Image Credits

Cheechable