We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Cheval. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Cheval below.

Alright, Cheval thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always loved being creative and making things. I am grateful to have had held onto that passion and attraction throughout my life; even when my ability to design was restricted. One of the most important things I learned about being creative, is that you can improve upon your ability to execute an idea the more you practice. Any skill can be enhanced when it’s properly nurtured, so I really believe in continually being a student of your craft and putting in those long hours to develop. It’s also important during the inevitable setbacks in life/career to remember how far you’ve come and stay productive and creative in the unseen hours. You don’t always need to be getting credit for something (or putting it on social media) in order to enhance your skill set.

I believe it’s important to get good at making lists and staying organized. As a creator, I tend to be very messy and imaginative, but taking extra time to make sure things are properly documented and “in the right place” is really important for saving time later. I don’t believe in shortcuts when it comes to enhancing your creativity and craft, but I do believe it’s important to delegate certain things and recognize your ability to focus is a superpower. Time is your most valuable (and finite) resource, so it’s important to optimize.

I feel one of the biggest obstacles in learning new things is getting lost in what everyone else is doing. There is such a pressure to stay on trend, apply the same audio that everyone else is using, or run along on that content treadmill….BUT a lot of times, the energy is wasted and results just aren’t there. The more we see people copying each other, the more there is an opportunity to find a unique voice or stay true to your niche.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am formerly known by my birth name and as a wedding dress designer on TLC’s, “Say Yes to the Dress.” For the past 3 years, I’ve been involved in a rather restrictive lawsuit where I’ve been prevented from using my birth name in any business or commerce (or even to publicly identify) and restricted under a 5 year noncompete provision. The experience has changed the entire trajectory of my life.

Rather than waiting for circumstances to fall in my favor, I decided to change my trade and reinvent my creative expression. On August 8th, 2022, I publicly changed my name to CHEVAL and two months later, I launched a women’s specialty shoe brand under SHE IS CHEVAL. With a pop-up location in NYC and a direct-to-consumer online brand, the company has become an exciting new landscape.

I also recently launched A GIRL YOU MIGHT KNOW FOUNDATION; a 501(c)(3) that provides resources to better protect the interests of young women and creatives during the formative years of their career. While I’ve continued to fight for the right to use my birth name, my lawsuit recently made history in the second circuit with a landmark decision on social media account ownership falling under basic property law.

In a lot of ways, I’ve become an example of what not to do, but I’ve also found wisdom in a career pivot and simply finding a way forward. I really hope my story inspires others to find a unique fortitude in their setbacks and understand why it’s so important to safeguard your career/creative contributions.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I spent a lot of my career avoiding conflict and simply saying “yes to the mess”. I think part of being a good entrepreneur or business owner is learning how to be GOOD at conflict and develop a meaningful relationship with “no”. Leaning how to have the hard conversations right off the bat so you be transparent about your expectations. Learning how to embrace the awkward situations, so you can find stoicism in your response to things. All very important.

I like being really emotion in my art, but I try very hard to keep emotion out of my business.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Social media is ever evolving and can easily become a massive distraction in your creative vision. I find that more and more content is starting to look the same, which means there is real opportunity to try something different, but you certainly have to be bold to go against the masses. At its core, social media is a bit of a popularity contest with the occasional invitation of controversy/conflict peppered in). It’s important to simply harness your own space and avoid feeling pressured to overshare. It is very easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing or chasing the algorithm when so much of it is actually smoke and mirrors. I think if you can focus on finding a formula for yourself that is truly an extension of your craft, your joy, or simply who you are, social media is a nice amplifier and won’t be too overwhelming. When we attach too much expectation to what social media can do for us, it will be a disappointment…. especially in how it’s changed over the past few years.

In the case that you are a brand, the “pay to play” platform can be discouraging and a barrier to entry if you’re a small brand that isn’t heavily capitalized. In those cases, it’s always good to stay connected to your audience and engage on a personal and artistic level. The quality of your community is so much more important than the quantity.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sheischeval.com www.agirlyoumightknowfoundation.org
• Instagram: @sheischeval @allthatglittersonthegram @agirlyoumightknowfoundation
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@allthatglittersonthegram

Image Credits
@sheischeval @allthatglittersonthegram