Today we’d like to introduce you to Antoinette Cheek.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Antoinette. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I come from a corporate background managing the communications for executives and VPs at companies like Pepsi and GE. I reflect fondly on the amazing opportunity I had to travel to 24 countries and so see how intricately brands and influencers are made to be represented on a global scale. I also noticed a true representation gap for women and minorities. I knew that one day I wanted to bring that big brand aesthetic and execution to women-owned small businesses.
I started working with a great friend in a very niche creative agency that serviced photographers and fitness companies, where I designed websites. My partner and clients were amazing; We had great success, but I was still compelled to serve women with their entrepreneurial endeavors.
I had the great fortune of meeting women in my professional life that made the decision to start The CreateHER life an easy one – when the time became right. That time came in 2016 when I launched The CreateHER Life with my then client, now Principal Content Creator, Ashley Littles.
Since 2016, we have partnered with 72 women-owned (and a few men-owned) businesses, conferences, and initiatives and positioned CHL as a collective of women creatives that are masters, trendsetters, influencers, decision makers and leaders.
Our services cover all aspects of the creative process from ideation to design to marketing and management.
I couldn’t be prouder of the work we do every day to put steam behind women’s ideas and businesses and that is something CHL will never stop doing.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Ha! Is any upward climb smooth? But seriously, I have had great experiences of seeing clients light up with passion and purpose when they see their ideas manifest into products, services, and events that impact others.
As an entrepreneur, burn out is real and it forces you to create boundaries between work and life. When work becomes life, you miss the best parts of living, even when you love what you do.
So I have learned when to pass on clients that don’t align with who we are as a brand, when to step away and catch a flight, when to set my phone to Do Not Disturb, and when to burn the midnight oil to restore a client’s faith in service-based providers after they’ve been burned by someone else.
Balance is a struggle, but Peace is non-negotiable.
The CreateHer Life – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are a creative agency and collective that brands and launches women-led businesses, projects, and events. As a collective, we open the door for women creatives to work on accounts in capacities where they are passionate and masterful. Our services include ideation, branding, web, graphics, and packaging design, copywriting and content management, conference production, photography, and social media styling.
We are most proud of being able to help women at every phase in life live their dreams as entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs, which are women who integrate their side businesses or passion projects into their established career.
What sets us apart is that we focus intently on creating her life–providing her with the same resources and process that is often restricted to huge corporations.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is the result of ideation, preparation, flexibility, and execution. To take it a step further is using that model to then create space for others to do the same.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thecreateherlife.com
- Email: greetings@thecreateherlife.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/thecreateherlife
- Facebook: facebook.com/thecreateherlife
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
