Building on Success: EveryDay Creative Launches its Fourth Cohort in Sacramento

Earlier this month, the fourth EveryDay Creative cohort kicked off with a two-day launch event to welcome 17 new founders representing a wide spectrum of creative practices, from filmmaking to entertainment, designing, making and storytelling. Developed in collaboration between Creative Startups, CLTRE, and the City of Sacramento’s Office of Arts and Culture, the program celebrates the creatives whose work shapes the city’s rhythm, identity, and future.

​​Since 2022, EveryDay Creative has evolved into one of Sacramento’s most energizing entry points for creative businesses. Over six weeks, the founders will dive into the practical realities of running a creative venture: developing business models, building funding strategies, refining marketing approaches, and managing operations. They’ll be guided by mentors who’ve been there, who understand the tension between artistry and running a business practice. They’ll forge connections with peers across industries who understand the ambition, experimentation, and grit required to succeed in a city like Sacramento.

“This program is about equipping founders to own their futures,” said Creative Startups Executive Director, Brianna Figueroa. “The creative economy doesn’t need rescuing; it needs recognition. When you bring structure, tools, and networks to creatives who are already innovating in their communities, the results are transformative.”

The 17 businesses making up this fall’s cohort exemplify the metamorphic power of Sacramento’s creatives. They include:

• The Frontal Lobe (Hospitality, Community Organizing)

• Neue Earth LP (TV, Film)

• Safe Black Space (Community Healing)

• I Color Inside The Lines For A Living (Fashion, Graphic Design)

• Julian Sandpaper (Design, Manufacturing, Art)

• ReBirth (Architectural Design)

• Just Cultured (Cosmetology, Community space)

• Unity Lewis (Arts and Entertainment)

• Elefun Space (Architecture and Interior Design)

• Aaron Winters (Graphic Design, Illustration)

• Ginger Solis (Metalwork, Blacksmithing)

• Tiranjini Pillai (Illustrator, Artist, Animation)

• My Bottle Buddies (Entertainment, Event Planning)

• Leon Willis Jr (Graffiti Artist, Community Muralist)

• Bonnie Vuittonet (Podcast, Self Help)

• Forge Studio (Creative Design, Fabrication)

• EcoPress Sacramento (Sustainable Fashion)

Each founder brings a distinct perspective, yet together they reveal how Sacramento’s creative economy operates as an ecosystem: artists, makers and creators producing tangible work, generating jobs, building community spaces, and contributing to cultural vitality. Their businesses don’t exist in isolation but are instead part of a network of innovation. Their interconnectedness is underscored by Creative Startup’s recent report, Sprout to Growth: Potential Pathways for Growing Sacramento’s Creative Economy, which highlights the importance of nurturing diverse creative businesses.

California’s creative economy mirrors this same dynamic on a large scale. Roughly 1.8 Million jobs in film, design, arts, publishing, and other creative practices support economic growth while reinforcing a sense of place and generating nearly $20 Billion in tax revenue. To further strengthen these vital industries, Creative Startups is working with the California State Treasurer’s Office to develop the Creative Finance Network, a statewide initiative meant to expand access to growth capital for creative businesses, artists, and cultural institutions.

That focus on sustainable, accessible, and community-driven growth has guided Creative Startups for over a decade. We’ve had the honor of working with over 700 creatives across 19 countries, and our alumni are proof that artists and creators are powerful economic drivers, building businesses that grow revenue and community well-being. Read more about our work in our 10 Year Retrospective.

Our mission to develop curriculum, networks, and financial pathways for artists and entrepreneurs continues to evolve, and we’re excited for a new initiative currently under construction meant to respond to the changing needs of creatives in building their livelihoods (more on this soon).

As the fourth EveryDay Creative cohort continues their six-week journey, they are putting into practice the tools, networks, and guidance that have supported hundreds of founders over the past decade. Sacramento is invited to witness their creativity and growth at the culminating Pitch Night event at the end of November, where the 17 founders will showcase their businesses, share their progress, and connect with mentors, peers, and the wider community. Stay tuned for more details on Pitch Night and how you can join us to celebrate Sacramento’s next wave of creative innovators.

Creative Startups, based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has a proven track record developing economic strategies and programs leading to measurable economic growth in the creative industries. At the forefront of the creative economy for 15 years, Creative Startups develops strategic plans for regional governments, supplies in-depth economic analyses of assets and market opportunities, supports cultural and Tribal institutions, and develops and delivers innovative programs for creative entrepreneurs and artists. Through their work across New Mexico, the USA, and the world, Creative Startups has developed a comprehensive understanding of the technologies and trends driving the remarkable expansion of creative industries.