Our Creative Process

We live in a time where technology has allowed us to transcend physical limitations. If you want to make music, you can record a song in your bedroom and upload it to the cloud. If you want to be a writer, you can publish your work online. You don’t have to wait for the perfect time or circumstance - where you are now is a good place to start.

While reading this, you may think we only get to say all these things because we got lucky. Some people work hard all their lives and all they hear is silence. Luck and privilege do have a role. Some people have more resources at their disposal - but still, everyone can learn. If you dismiss the possibility then you fail by default because you didn’t even try.

For the ones who keep asking questions and finding ways to make things better, we would like to share our process with you. 

Travel

It may come as a surprise, but the two of us still have day jobs. We just make sure to shake up our routines once in a while. A good and long bus ride often helps us think and come up with new ideas.

Before you can create something that gives value to other people, you must first switch off your auto-pilot and experience things. You don’t have to go far away to learn and meet yourself. Learn to be intentional with how you move, and how you choose who and what you spend time with.

Observe 

When we’re together, we breeze through many crazy ideas. We know we can’t do everything. But what we can do is find common threads between the things we like and are curious about.

Rach: Whether I’m in the city or in the outdoors, I try to focus on the little details. I like to keep an eye out for different colors and textures, visual or auditory. I take photos and capture sounds with my phone and use them as references whenever I create work.

Ayen: For me, what I enjoy most is writing. Whenever we have a new project, I read books, listen to podcasts, and engage in meaningful conversations to practice my love for words. 

Look around. Pay attention to how you are feeling. Write down the things that excite you and even the things that don’t. Browse the screenshots on your phone. Keep a record of what you talk about with your friends, then keep digging for more threads.  

Share Ideas

Our ideas often come from inside of us, and what sparks them is when we let others in.

When we have a new project, we start a poll among our friends, asking them what color and feature they prefer. We test out our workshops during social dinners. We don’t wait for the plan to be finished, we seek advice along the way. Schedule sharing time when you’re 30, 60, and 90% done.

Do the Work

Art doesn’t happen overnight. An idea might come in a second, but the work behind any meaningful endeavor requires a process. This is not a race, be patient.

We try to experience every aspect of our business, not just the exciting creative parts, but also fulfilling orders, doing deliveries, and filing receipts. Doing a bit of everything, before you find someone who can do it better, will help you appreciate your work and the people who are willing to be part of it.

Just Post

If you’ve bought one of our products or joined one of our trips, you will know that our work is personal and imperfect. There are typos we wish to fix, itineraries that didn’t go according to plan. But If you want others to be changed because of your art, then you need to muster the courage to show it.

Commit to a deadline. Publish the blog you’ve kept in your notes for months. Join that bake sale even when you feel like you’re missing an ingredient. Start making art before you’re ready. Trust that your tribe will be beside you, cheering you on.

We might not have the exact answers, since your life is different from ours. But by sharing a few things that worked for us, we hope it may help you figure out your own path.