When Anjelika was in 1st grade, she wrote that she wanted to be an author, an artist, and someone who would save the world from pollution. As she grew up, she began to connect with creativity, the arts, and self-expression. In high school, she was in an art club, took tons of art classes, and interned with politicians. She was pursuing art with a social benefit. Currently, she is the Chief Creative Officer at Brit + Co, a lifestyle website and brand that she co-founded to help others unlock their creative confidence.
When was a time you wanted to give up, and what made you persevere through it?
I was living in New York, and I was very lost. First, I was working in an advertising agency. Then, at a creative startup with a mission, I was super passionate about it. But, the role just wasn't a fit. Even though I loved the company, it was not working. I stopped pursuing my own artwork on the side which I had always been doing. I came into a crossroads; I had to either go all-in on a job that was not really working or I needed to focus on myself. I quit my job and gave myself a timeline. I did all of my math and budgeted, so I would be able to survive for four months without an income. I wanted to try screen printing, design wedding invitations, I wanted to do event planning. I wanted to try it all and see what would create a spark for me. I would post my projects on my Tumblr blog and form meaningful connections. But I had to give myself permission to give up on one thing and give myself permission to try. It was scary to jump right in. But, I had limited responsibilities so I know I could take that risk for myself. Three months into my test-run, my husband was ready for a leap and so we drove to San Francisco. Then, I met Brit. It all worked out!
Growing up, what was an assumption you had about the world that ended up being incorrect?
A lot of people had the assumption that you really had to focus on being good at a specific thing. It's fine to be well rounded, but those will not define your career. I had this idea that eventually I had to do something real. I wanted to pursue creative projects. I wanted to bring creativity to everyone and I wanted to foster a community. But, I thought, I could not do that as a real job. However, I was wrong. I was able to make this a business. When I interview people, I am looking at their extra things: what did they do on the side. That's where you can find someone’s passions.
What advice would you give your younger self?
You can start today whatever it is you are thinking of starting in the future. It doesn't mean you need to quit your job and move across the county. It means you can start piece by piece. If it is not feasible to take the leap, think about how you can take some percentage of the leap. Also, you should really appreciate the moment you are in for what it is. It is really hard to do. But I am so glad I worked at an ad agency, even though I knew it wasn’t my forever job. But, I do not think I appreciated it while I was doing it. It is so important to think about how the present will lead you to where you have to go. Just start, do not wait, and be present.
How do you cultivate a mindset to accomplish your goals?
You have to be forgiving with yourself and cut yourself some slack. You need to not let perfection be the enemy of good. You can only do so much. You will never find more time, so you need to prioritize.
If you did not have to worry about money, how would you choose to spend your life?
I love the idea of being able to bring creative activities to underserved communities, maybe even opening a bunch of community centers where you can have DIY classes, artists-in-residence, community art shows, impactful social programs, and so on. And I love to travel, so maybe the dream is to take my family on the road and build a bunch of community art centers around the world! This would definitely combine the things that are most important to me: creativity, community-building, social impact, and travel.
What inspired you to create Brit + Co?
Obviously, it is a team effort. Brit reached out to me when she was thinking about the idea. She had this a-ha moment when she quit her job and did some creative activities for her wedding. She realized she loved making stuff and she wanted more people to have this moment of unlock. She reached out to me because I love making things! We found that people were not lacking inspiration. But, they are lacking the self-confidence, time, and permission to be creative. It was things as simple as preparing a meal and setting the table to even building the table yourself. We love the idea that you can use online tools to do offline things. We realized it was not limited to creativity and DIY projects, but it was every aspect of women's lives. We wanted to be a resource for women to understand the different things they can do from career and help. At first, I was to unlock this creative confidence in people.
What advice do you have for others who aspire to be entrepreneurs like you?
Your community is your strength. No one has to do anything all by themselves and no one should think that they have to. Everyone is ambitious and we all have so much potential. No one benefits from being an island. Talk to people, talk through your ideas. If you can describe your business idea to everyone, then you have a good idea!
