When I face challenges, I start to look at my previous successes and my client testimonials and that always gets me to look at the bright side. I can then remind myself why I am doing what I do today because you know, in life there are always challenges. But this is what I chose. Then immediately I stop complaining and start solving.

These are the words of Ari Krzyzek, one half of a husband and wife duo who own a creative branding agency in Chicago called Chykalophia. Ari is originally from Indonesia and her husband is Polish. I immediately wanted to be invited to her house for Christmas – can you just imagine the cultural richness in her family!

Ari is such a creative powerhouse. I love the story she shares about how she almost got into the tourism industry like her entire family back in Bali. But something in her told her to reject a scholarship opportunity for a 4 year tourism related degree at the final stage of interviews and purse graphic design instead – the thing that she was most passionate about right from the get go. She took another leap of faith and moved from Bali to Chicago where she setup Chykalophia with her husband, a company that started out with humble beginnings but now has a full time staff and is looking to expand both domestically and internationally in Asia and Australia.Ari has this fantastic mindset around community and playing well in the sandbox together with other entrepreneurs. She says, “Isn’t there are enough fish in the sea? And I feel like a lot of time people are second guessing themselves. They don’t want to be a graphic designer because there’s too many people doing the same thing. But we all have very unique skills, very unique approach and very unique style on how we create and design. And trust me, there are people who are looking for exactly what you have to offer. So work collaboratively with others because you will bring something unique to the table.”

When I asked Ari where she found her support system in business, you know what she said. She said, “Google is my best friend. And before that Meetup was my buddy.” Networking events are great places to get to know people and interact with other business owners. But Ari agrees it can get overwhelming at times. In fact Ari is such a big proponent of community and the important of connections with like-minded individuals that she created a whole other business called Creative Womens Co which is a series of intimate gatherings for creative women entrepreneurs to connect with each other on a personal level, learn together and spark collaborations.

Ari has big plans for her business and her community project and it is clear that everything she does, she does with so much passion and purpose. I know you are going to enjoy getting to know this lovely lady on this episode of CulturallyOurs.

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