Testimonials

The Creative Collective for us has been sort of a creative lifeline. We are busy parents with two young kids. We have a fastly growing company. And when I have an idea and I need feedback or I really wanna make it happen, I know that I can contact John or anyone else from the team and get that immediate support.

” I join Creative Collective in 2018 because I was looking for a networking organization that understood what it takes to be a creative business person. It was a real relief to be in a community where people not only understood what I do but what it takes to do what I do.” – Cynthia August Images

“Because my business straddles between creative and professional, the ongoing advocacy that the Collective does to bring the creative economy to the table has boosted my business in the traditional establishments, and it’s already starting to pay off.” – VRtical Media

“I have been a member since 2018. For me it’s been phenomenal to collaborate with the other members… and for the Collective to share my work and my message on their social channels” – Boston Portrait Artist

“I’ve already met so many people and partnered with (fellow members) Lynn Music Foundation and Chagall Performing Arts Center… I’m excited to be a part of everything” – Martime Music Studio

“I love meeting local artists to feature in my shop and all of the great events (The Collective) has. We have worked with a lot of great vendors and small businesses we met through the Creative Collective” – Moody’s Home & Gifts

The reason I will always be a member is because of that flexibility. Creators don’t always know what path their projects or business are going to take. That’s why it’s creative: it’s looking at a blank space in the universe and saying “I think I can do better” – O’Keeffe Creative

I joined the Creative Collective because it was exactly what I was looking for as a small business. It was a organization. That sole purpose was to get small businesses and put them put them together. Not only did they put us together but they are helping facilitate ways that we can help one another. And they can help us out. It’s it’s a great opportunity for any and every small business to at least check it out to meet other businesses. To see other opportunities. We were found grant funding through connections that we made through grid collective, and we found a lot of really cool small businesses in the entire North Shore that we didn’t know existed before that it’s just been great since we started. The Castle

Salem Pantry joined the Creative Collective because we would love to make connections with the entire Salem and greater North North Shore Community, sharing our mission with other people and including other people in what we do.

Hi, I’m Meg Nichols with Painted Lady Signs Company, and I’ve been a creative collective member for three years just about now. I have found so much value in being a member; it literally, as an organization, helped me go from “what the heck am I doing” to being a full-fledged entrepreneur full time, self-employed human being, and it’s really helped me feel supported. I’ve learned so much I’ve met so many people who have helped me business-wise and even just feeling integrated into my community in Salem and beyond. I’ve just never been part of an organization like this, and I couldn’t be happier to be part of it. So it’s been an incredible blessing in my life. 

Hi, I’m Hannah Kurman Martino. I’m with Allstates Business Solutions.. But I’ve been with Creative Collective for about three over three years as a paying member but I’ve been around a little bit longer than that. I love this staff they helped put on a bunch of events that we as members can be a part of they work with other business associations. But its the vibe of the people of the business people like me.. you have artists, you have the nonprofit organizations you have all sorts of strange weirdos like me all in the same room, Creative Collective helps connect people in that and that’s really important to me.

Hi, I’m Madeline Lopez owner and operator for insurance LLC, a member of Creative Collective I became a member of Creative Collective because I do feel that in my position in my industry, we can create platforms and policies specific to every individual or business owner needs. Creative Collective actually helped me in my industry by introducing me to nonprofits introducing me to business owners introducing me to organizations that have complicated situations that they don’t know what their insurance needs are. becoming a member of Creative Collective has really grown my business has helped me help others and give back in specific industries. 4 Inurance LLC

I decided to join the Creative Collective because I think it’s one of the best tools to be in a community with other people that own businesses, small businesses, local businesses, and to cconnect with the same issues and the same problems that we have. And I think the Collective provides a lot of support, maybe even more than other kinds of groups that do the same and I just love it. I think all the creativity and connected community created around the Collective. It’s great. I appreciate it every time and I do not regret joining and I’m actually pushing people all the time to join because I do think it’s a great tool for business owners. Especially small business owners to have and I really appreciate that you guys are here for us. Unpacked Living

Hi, I’m Linda Mullen from Grace and Diggs.. I have been a member of Creative Collective Collective for a few years. I forget when it even started it but it’s been a phenomenal organization to be a part of. I’ve loved the people I met. I can trace a direct path to some really great projects that I’ve had that began with my connections at Creative Collective and so it’s been a great way to network and also to make great friends. And just to be part of a community that understands creativity and a creative life and…. Money!!! Let’s not forget how much my business has thrived because of the connections I have made.

I joined Creative Collective because, as an entrepreneur, I have realized that there is so much to do in the business, making sure everything runs and getting all the pieces and details together. Especially if you’re not social, or social media savvy, or that’s not your priority, even though it is essential to learn how to acknowledge your weaknesses, delegating your weaknesses to others with strengths in that area is critical for entrepreneurial survival. So, leaning into the Creative Collective, the network that they have, the services they offer, the meetups, and just getting to mingle and be connected to like-minded entrepreneurs whose goal every day is to get up and be better at their thing than they were the day before. That’s really where the energy is. Soul City Yoga

Partnering with Creative Collective as co-organizers of the Salem Arts Festival was exactly the boost this important community event needed to take things to the next level.

The Creative Collective staff was able to bring on more sponsors and community partners than we had ever had, and make them all feel engaged in the event in a way I had never been able to do on my own. Thanks to the collective and its extensive network of business members promotional reach increased drastically thanks to both the use of their social media channels and their careful attention to improving our existing channels.

Last years festival had record-breaking numbers of attendees, of participating gallery artists, of art sold, of street fair vendors involved, and of performers paid – in fact, we were able to increase our operating income by over 50%.

I joined Creative Collective because they thought it would be a great idea to bring people in the arts and industry in one place and to bounce ideas off each other. It’s a great resource for so much more. When the pandemic hit I was trying to come up with content and Creative Collective was fantastic helping me with that. Creative Collective was a great way to make things happen that weren’t happening through the pandemic.

As a business, we see so much value in our membership for the Creative Collective everything from kind of daily marketing and social media to partnering up on big events throughout the years that we have been members.

One of the beautiful things about our membership Creative Collective is that we are able to connect with artists and musicians and all sorts of creatives to make our historic site even more inclusive and relevant here in 2021. Creative Collective was a big help for us during the pandemic and in 2020 and especially kind of in those early days of the pandemic when nobody really knew what was going to happen and all of us were so new with the technological changes. Creative Collective and especially John Andrews swooped right in and helped us to create kind of an online program. We did a happy birthday celebration with Miss Emmerton, who is portrayed by Irene Axelrod, who’s a great friend here at the house of Seven Gables.

Creative Collective has been integral to our growth and has put us in contact with grants that helped us not only survive but thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the course of the past year, we have been able to lean on the team at the Collective and our fellow members to create new partnerships and create a very steady stream of referrals. In addition to the connections, the team is always making recommendations and keeping us aware of opportunities, trainings, and resources to help us sustain and scale.

Becoming a member of the Creative Collective is one of the most nourishing things I’ve ever done for Cynthia August Images Photography. In just one year of being a Collective member I’ve received more connections, support and inspiration for my business than I have had in ten years of membership in other organizations. I attribute that to the way the CC gets to know their members and works tirelessly to ‘connect-the-dots’ for them, making opportunities for growth on a daily basis. Thanks to the CC, in just one year I’ve

• broadened my marketing sphere of influence thanks to the CC’s email list.
• discovered colleagues and made friends with a ton of happy and healthy North Shore businesses at CC social events, boosting my outreach and introducing me to my tribe.
• collaborated with other CC creatives on projects that have increased my visibility and raised my key price points.
• supported great CC projects that are energizing our local economy and strengthening our creative infrastructure.
• learned how my business can be a positive force for change and improvement in our community – and made it happen thanks to participation in events like the 2019 Arts and Culture Summit.
• expanded my business, and made a plan for the future I’m excited about!

Perhaps most importantly, participating in the Collective has helped me develop a stronger understanding of Cynthia August Images and the way it fits into the fabric of our creative community. With that clearer view, I am moving with more confidence and with a healthier business. I’m excited for 2020!

Thank you, Creative Collective!

Joining Creative Collective has been such a game-changer for me. I have gained more opportunities and expanded my network exponentially since becoming a member. Every single Creative Collective event has led me to meeting new people and building stronger relationships within the community. They have been instrumental in helping me become more knowledgeable about events & organizations happening on the North Shore, which has led to opportunities that I would not have even known existed before. The Creative Collective Team not only works extremely hard to ensure their members are actually benefiting from their memberships, but they do so with such care. They truly want to see you succeed. Joining the Collective has not meant working less hard but it has meant working smarter, within a larger network, and with the guidance & support of a pretty amazing group of people. I am grateful for all they do for me as an individual and for the community as a whole. I am proud to be part of this larger voice, helping create more space, opportunity, and value for artist & creative businesses.

The support I receive from the Creative Collective is tremendous peace of mind for me. I trust that the Collective team is aware of what I’m up to on a regular basis, and that they sincerely care about helping to get the word out. In addition, they help us all connect with one another and feel like an essential part of the region’s culture. This is all heavy duty stuff, and they do it with such love, kindness, and peace! Thanks guys!

Creative Collective has been a guiding light through the process of starting our business here on the Northshore. Yes, our membership has paid for itself several times over through sales at events they’ve organized, but the real value here comes indirectly. John and the crew have connected us with many critical relationships that have deepened our connection to the community and help propelled us forward in ways that I’m not sure we would have achieved otherwise. The level of care, attention, and friendship we have gained here is unique, and unlike any other collective we have seen.

The Creative Collective has been a great way to meet other business owners on the North Shore. The Collective staff is adept at facilitating networking events that feel authentic and not like traditional “networking” events I’ve been to. I also enjoy that the mission leans toward the creative and artistic communities. It’s been perfect for my organization.

Beyond Walls has been a member of the Creative Collective since shortly after our inception. Given their knowledge and tools, ‘The Collective’ was a no-brainer to raise awareness of our mission, projects, and events. Based on the strength and track record of the Creative Collective we plan to continue our membership.

In addition to our membership, for the 2018 Beyond Walls Street Art Festival we contracted with John and his team to take on an expanded role in running the festival’s social media strategy; no small feat given our growth objectives and our need to not only promote participating artists and Beyond Walls signature events, but also the events of our festival partners. In total, the 14-day festival included 7 signature events and 41 partner events. The Collective put the right channels, tactics, and tools in motion with relevant messages and the right voice going out throughout.

With art, culture, creativity, and community being central to Beyond Walls work and with The Creative Collective sharing a vision that thriving culture and creative sectors support the sustainability of communities (and frankly, make the world a better place), we are excited to continue to work and partner with The Creative Collective. I give them my highest recommendation.

Creative Collective has been essential for my business tool kit since the start. Their support and resources have guided me in making effective decisions for my company. My business membership has provided exposure to other amazing local businesses, organizations and audiences, creating opportunities for connections and collaborations that have resulted in creative partnerships, with art, culture, creativity and community as a central and shared purpose.

What is there not to love about working with Creative Collective!? I recently partnered with them on our second block party event at PEM in July. Last year we got about 1,000 people and knew that attendees would be looking for even more this year. Creative Collective put together an incredible vendor fair, featuring a large number of their business members and businesses local to the North Shore. The fair started three hours before the event and drew a crowd right away! It was the perfect addition to the block party and really emphasized the community feel we were going for. I’m pretty sure there were a good number of people who came just for the vendor fair and ended up sticking around for the block party. We had over 4,000 people attend the event and it was great to see so many happy faces, vendors included. Creative Collective did a fantastic job of recruiting the vendors, helping them set up, and making sure the vendors had a positive experience. I can always trust the Creative Collective team with any task or project, because they always deliver. Thank you John, Roby, and Kati!

Our work with Creative Collective has been a valuable resource during the 350th anniversary of The House of the Seven Gables. Our membership with the Collective has helped us with classic events like Taste of The Gables, but has also supported us with making new community connections such as the seaside yoga events with Rebel Yell Yoga. The Gables also hired the Collective as consultants to support our first-ever Gables Fest event. Without Creative Collective, we never would have been able to make connections with the unique talents that made the celebration a success. As a community we are fortunate to have a talented group of creatives working for the greater cultural good of Salem and beyond.

When developing our company, Intramersive, we were faced with the issue of finding a way to describe our work in an emerging market unfamiliar to Salem, the North Shore, and even Boston. We immediately looked to the Creative Collective for advice, and got far more than we had ever anticipated. When it came to marketing our first show, Daemonologie, Creative Collective worked tirelessly to help us get our show information out to potentially interested attendees. From attending our rehearsals to have photo shoots with our actors, to promoting us on websites, blogs, and social media to boost our credibility online – Creative Collective gave us the boost most new companies could only wish for.

With their resources, connections, creative spirit, and unwavering support, Creative Collective has been invaluable to the growth and development of the Massachusetts Poetry Festival in Salem. Their outreach is phenomenal. Poets and writers typically work alone, so the festival brings together this community for a glorious weekend of words in Salem. John Andrews and his team knows the landscape—digitally and locally. They have the strategies and skills to build and maintain a diverse and inclusive following, and to help a grassroots org like ours achieve national prominence. We wouldn’t be where we are today without the innovation and creative vision that Creative Collective brings to the table. Every. Single. Time.

I am over the moon to be a part of the Creative Collective with both my small businesses: Rebel Yell Yoga, and The Chaos Factor. My business partner, Lauren Recchia and I cannot say enough good things about the staff and the mission! We put together our first event with Creative Collective for April and the event sold out in less than 24 hours. Its so amazing to be part of a creative and supportive community!