Cecilia Camacho you can say that has dedicated his entire professional life to creativity. There has always been a part creative in what she has done, and when she was hiding among large corporations and office jobs, she sought asylum in her own shelter, Cecile Collage, the most artistic part of his projects. Then came the big leap: leaving the stability of a permanent position to launch into creating CC/Studio and CC/MagazineThe Montreal International Jazz Festival was to blame. She traveled alone to cover it as a journalist, and came back with sharp intuition and forces Ready to try. Her will to fight led her to take the big leap into entrepreneurship, and although this word is associated with fear and obstacles, Cecilia summoned the courage of an entrepreneurial warrior and launched into creating her projects. Today, she can say that things have turned out well for her, and when she needs a push, Ilia concealer and RMS blush, two staples from her Laconicum selection, give her the courage to continue. Yes, blush has that power.
We spoke with Cecilia Camacho, founder of CC/Studio and CC/Magazine
Seeing how you started, we have to ask you this: when starting out, do you have to get going or is it better to jump in all at once?
The most important thing, at least from my point of view, is to know if you are an autonomous person.And by this, I mean being aware of your personality. Because I know of people who, by nature, haven't handled self-sufficiency, multitasking, proactivity, or frustration well, and have become discouraged or simply realized they prefer to work for others. Neither of these two options is better than the other. You just have to know yourself to decide to launch into entrepreneurship.
From there, It is important to have a plan, one that is flexible, since the paths of the self-employed are inscrutable... And it is also very important to have a vision, a strategy, clear objectives and to establish an action plan.: both to create the business and to communicate and sell it.
My experience tells me that in addition to being prepared, it is It is very important to be resilient to cope with the uncertainty, changes and surprises that come with being self-employed, and also to be passionate about your project.Desire is essential. At least in my case, it's my driving force. Doing things with enthusiasm isn't a guarantee of success, but it's a great motivator that brings out the best in you and, consequently, ensures that the results will follow.
That said, I'll stick with "getting going" hahaha.
"The most important thing, at least from my point of view, is knowing if you are a self-sufficient person [...]. You simply have to know yourself to decide to take the plunge and start your own business."
You started Cecile Collage, which you say is your haven for your creativity. Does creativity need refuges in this fast-paced world?
Creativity is something intrinsic in me, but it is true that when I refer to something more artistic, my alter ego automatically appears. CecileCollageIt's the refuge I go to to let go, escape and do what I've been doing since I was a child, which is making collages.. I mainly make collages that stand out because I use a lot of words, as I like that when someone faces one of them they feel that the collage “speaks” to them.There are many hidden messages and meanings in all of them, which invite reflection.
And as for the relationship between the speed at which the world is moving and creativity, I believe that more than ever we must foster it, both personally and professionally, and furthermore, make it the hallmark of any business. Because creativity is what differentiates us from each other and that is what makes us unique..
How did this artistic project come about?
From a very young age, thanks to my mother, I attended extracurricular painting, drawing, and art classes in general. And in my home, reading, crafts, and anything related to creativity were highly encouraged. In fact, my mother was very good at all kinds of crafts. She had a natural talent. So Let's say that my childhood shaped my way of relating to art, and perhaps that's why it has been and is so present in my life.
Currently, I have to admit that I have the collages in standby, but I know I'll get back to them as soon as I can because they make me very happy.
"I think more than ever we should encourage it [creativity], both personally and professionally, and also make it the hallmark of any business."
And how did CC/Studio come about?
When I decided to start my own business 6 years ago, I decided to keep the naming for which she was known: The Girl with the Bangs (the name of my blog). And for the first four years, I kept at it. The brands that approached me knew me by that name, and it was much easier for me to start my entrepreneurial journey.
However, after a while, and especially since I worked mainly with foreign clients, I realized that it was unpronounceable for them and that I no longer identified with it. I considered a new branding and a new range of services, which gave way to the birth of CC/studio - studio specialized in strategic consulting, curation and content generation, and 360º communication for brands lifestyle - already CC/magazine - independent online magazine, specialized in art, design, culture, hotspots, trends, innovation and travel -.
In your project, it's essential to stay on top of trends, even anticipate them. How do you survive the constant flow of information and the need to always be first?
It's true that the speed and sheer amount of information we all generate and consume makes it difficult to select what truly matters and contributes. But that's precisely where we (CC/studio · CC/magazine) We add value. We are experts in tracking current and future consumer trends, and we act as a radar for our clients.This means we collect and analyze a wealth of information from multiple sources to understand and tactically anticipate the movements of different markets.
As for "always being first," I don't think that should be the goal. This only creates fear of being surpassed by the competition. It's about offering differential value, being authentic, and truly contributing.
Markets are increasingly crowded with brands. Their idiosyncrasies and way of doing things are what differentiate them from the rest. The "how" is the key to attracting your audience. And that "how" translates into your brand image, your tone and style of communication, your customer service, the aesthetics of your stores/websites/social media, your strategy… It is a set of things and betting on details to stand out, be seen and be attractive to our target.
You don't just spot trends, you also generate content for CC/Magazine, your publishing project. What's different about your online magazine? How do you select and share information to further your contribution?
CC/magazine is an independent online magazine. One of our pillars is that “we are more about the good than the new.” Although We write about current or trending topics, always prioritizing the quality of what we review. For this reason, and to give you some examples, we can write an article about an artist who was famous years ago, but who inspires us greatly and we admire a lot, or even recommend a restaurant that opened 4 years ago, but which we still find sublime... It defines us. Content curation is vital and we only share what truly inspires us.
Regarding the way we select and offer information, the truth is that I have a huge archive, where I have a thousand and one references - photos, screenshots, ideas, phrases, book excerpts, etc. - grouped by topic. Every week we share new content on the web and through the newsletter, and much of that content is also available in the English version of the magazine. The time hasn't yet come when I've asked myself: what am I going to write about this week? I'm a voracious consumer of culture and art, so in this sense there's always something to write about. things to review and share.
Content generation is an insatiable monster: you can always say more, social media always wants more. And this has become a problem for many brands, who have decided to shut down their networks to take a break or start over, citing information overload or even ethical conflicts. As a communicator and content creator, what is your opinion on this?
It's a complicated issue, because each case would have to be assessed and the pros and cons of remaining present or opting to disappear would have to be determined. However, In the face of this type of crisis, whether for or against the networks, my response is always the same: "come back to you.". It sounds a little mystical, but it isn't [hahaha]. I mean thinking about your brand and asking yourself the right questions, regardless of how it compares to other brands, competitors, etc. That is to say: don't look outside but inside, because that's where there is more clarity and honesty. And when you find yourself at that point, It would be interesting to ask yourself these types of questions: Why do I want to have a presence on social media? What goals do I want to achieve? What do I want to use it for? How much time do I want to dedicate to it? What are my red lines? How many networks do I want and can I have a presence on? Social media doesn't have to be an obligation, but rather another communication channel to expand your brand. For this reason, the most important thing, if you decide to be on them, is to establish a content strategy and convey the essence of your brand through this communication tool. The thing about social media is followers and likes It's a different story. In fact, it's a can of worms we could open another time... If you still don't feel like it's bringing you anything good or that the effort you put into it isn't yielding the expected return, you might consider discontinuing it. But I think that, although social media has many drawbacks, if we readjust the way we view and interact with it, as well as our brand strategy and the "time/effort/results" equation, we can get a lot out of it.
"Social media doesn't have to be an obligation, but rather another communication channel for expanding your brand. For this reason, the most important thing, if you decide to be on them, is to establish a content strategy and convey the essence of your brand through this communication tool."
Where do you find the balance and stability to stay on the social media scene and stay sane?
There are Instagram experts who know the network very well and who know what you should do so that, for example, Instagram position you better and show you more times. That means using all its features, publishing at times when your audience is most present, making more videos, posting long comments, interacting with the accounts you follow X times, uploading X photos to feed and X stories, etc… Something like what happens with the SEO. But to avoid going crazy and getting caught feeding the beast, the most important thing is to set our limits and be the ones who control the network, not the other way around. That or outsource its management to another agency and focus solely on its supervision. Whatever the case, the healthiest thing is not to remain subjugated to them and to distance ourselves. Social media isn't a panacea, and life is different.
"To avoid going crazy and getting caught feeding the beast [social media], the most important thing is to set our limits and be the ones who control the network, not the other way around."
Your evolution has always involved creativity in various formats. How do you assess this journey?
7 years ago I made an exhibition that I called “Life is a collage”And the truth is, that title perfectly sums up my life journey and life in general. Because a collage is just that: a combination of different elements that together form a meaningful whole. And that's how it turned out. I have experienced many things, good and bad, I have been aware of everything, I have learned and I have enjoyed.
On the other hand, one of the things that has proven to be a constant throughout this journey is that by doing so many seemingly different things, it's been difficult for me to define myself. This has sometimes led to people misunderstanding what I do. We all, without realizing it, tend to label and be reductionist, and when we do many things and are multifaceted, confusion sometimes arises.That's why now, when they ask me, I define myself as a Strategic Consultant and Creative Director, but I emphasize that I do not like to limit myself to a single discipline. In fact, what defines us as a studio is that we manage comprehensive projects using different disciplines/media/opportunities to broaden our field of vision and offer creative solutions to our clients.
The journey began as The Girl with the Bangs. What is Cecilia Camacho like now?
It's been more than 10 years, and the truth is, a lot has happened since then, haha. The essence remains, which is my enthusiasm, energy, and desire to create and share. Oh! And the bangs, of course. They'll be with me until the end of my days. But perhaps the biggest change has been my focus. Time has given me perspective and clarity to know what I want to do and what I don't. Delving into this aspect has been fundamental for me, and I think it is for everyone. And at the beginning of a business, limits don't exist, because there are a kind of clouds hovering over your head called "fear" and "need," which prevent you from setting them, even though this may cause havoc. For all these reasons, I feel that, after all this journey, the present is a good time. Of course, there's uncertainty, but there's also experience, years of experience, many more resources than when I started, lessons learned, and the same desire to continue.
As a trend hunter, we understand that you also seek difference in your life. You've chosen Laconicum on numerous occasions. What do you find different about us?
In addition to feeling very identified with the brand, both aesthetically and with the philosophy you convey, I love the brand curation you do.And also the way you communicate about the different products. I really like the tone, because it's approachable, honest, empathetic, but also serious, in the sense that you speak with knowledge. And the "We like it for" section seems like a great idea, very useful when deciding on one product or another.
The trends you work with revolve around lifestyle, which is nothing more than well-being, a word deeply rooted in our world. How does Laconicum contribute to your well-being?
For me, wellness is a collection of things that involve taking care of myself both externally—my skin and the way I dress—and internally, through healthy eating, therapy, meditation, yoga, training, reading, writing, and traveling, which is my greatest passion. So Laconicum It helps me a lot with that first layer, which may seem superficial but is actually the prelude to everything else.
"I really like [Laconicum's] tone, because it's close, honest, empathetic, but also serious, in the sense that you speak with knowledge."
Tell us your concise selection, products you like and enjoy.
I love taking care of myself and good cosmetics. And I have to thank you for introducing me to brands that I already regularly consume, like ILIA, Pai Skincare, RMS Beauty, Sachajuan.
