We were lucky to catch up with Miriam Calleja recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Miriam, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I’ve been hosting creative writing workshops for over ten years, and throughout this time, I’ve received comments that made me realize I wasn’t just creating space for writing prose and poetry, but I was also giving people permission to be creative in a safe and supportive environment. I wanted to hone in on this superpower and make the most of this side effect of my methods, and so CreativeWork LLC was born —a space where I could flex my creativity muscle to help teams make the most of their purpose, motivation, and problem-solving skills.

Miriam, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

CreativeWork.ink designs bespoke creativity workshops for teams. By building problem-solving skills through immersion in creative exercises, teams can be better prepared for change and equipped to address issues that crop up. I run these workshops by getting to know the team and the pain points of their profession, as well as any issues they might currently be facing. Each exercise has a specific aim, which I also elaborate on during my time with them. Additionally, I offer guidance on practicing these exercises regularly to foster creativity and enhance the team’s resilience.

As the workshop leader, I am proud of my many years working in creativity, in particular with writing and in collaboration with artists in other fields. I am a writer and artist, as well as a retired pharmacist. My background in healthcare has taught me a great deal about human nature, and I have certainly put this knowledge to good use during my workshops. I am an intuitive teacher who believes in practice and enhancement of one’s skills. I also love to encourage teams to get to know each other in ways that can teach them how to work better together. My aim is to infuse joy and inspire purpose, and to let creativity enhance lives.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

It was humbling to keep realizing that I am the product that I’m selling. This means that I need to be performing at my best every single time, because my business depends on my reputation and will grow successfully by word of mouth. Does it mean that I need to work hard? Yes. I love what I do, but I don’t necessarily have the energy 100% of the time. Some sessions exhaust me. And so, I have learned how to gear myself up, how to continuously educate myself to be better prepared, how to prepare mentally and physically for challenges and unexpected moments. It is a lot of work but I’m willing to do it because I think that this is how I best serve my community.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Various!
Courses and books by Stefan Mumaw, such as Caffeine for the CreativeTeam
Anne Ditmeyer – Overrride
Amie McNee – We Need Your Art

They all offer practical advice, ideas, positivity, creative ways of looking at the everyday, encouragement, silliness, and fun. My one true love remains poetry, a place where I learn so much about humanity and what divides or connects us.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://creativework.ink/
• Instagram: @creativework.ink
• Other: [email protected]

Image Credits

Feature Picture H.M. Cotton