Chapter 1 | The meet ups.

The Creative growth club
May 29
3 min read

These days, everyone wants to be an influencer. We see creators like Monet McMichael and Alix Earle going on brand trips, receiving dreamy PR packages, buying homes, and walking runways in Paris. It’s inspiring — but also, kind of intimidating.

If you’re just starting out, content creation can be scary, especially when you're doing it solo. People tell me all the time, "I hate taking photos in public, I feel so weird when people stare at me." I get it. I felt the same way. That’s actually why I created The Creative Growth Club.

When I moved to Charleston, I didn’t know anyone. A whole year went by, and I had made zero friends. I stayed home, missing out on all the beautiful things Charleston has to offer. Taking photos on my apartment staircase was fine for a while, but it wasn’t helping me grow. So I decided to do something different. I started reaching out to small businesses to ask if I could create content for them. I had major imposter syndrome, but I knew I could deliver quality work — and finally, I got a yes.

As I planned the content for that partnership, I realized it would be so much easier if I had help. Shooting content alone was tough. But where do you even find support when the influencer space can feel so secretive and cliquey?

After searching high and low for creator meetups and finding nothing, I posted in a few Charleston Facebook groups asking if anyone wanted to meet up regularly and shoot content together. I honestly wasn’t expecting much.

To my surprise, I got tons of responses.

Our first meetup was just me and one other creator — the lovely Quan. Meeting her felt like reconnecting with an old friend. We had brunch at Dulce, filmed restaurant review reels, shared content strategy tips, and even had our own photoshoot. I left that day feeling recharged and inspired.

That night, I knew I had to keep going. I brainstormed some Instagram names to organize the group, and just like that, The Creative Growth Club was born.

Since then, everything has grown faster than I could’ve imagined. I went from having zero creative friends to a group of amazing women who meet up, shoot content, support each other's platforms, and even help me with business shoots around the city. Sharing my journey on TikTok and Instagram led to messages from creators across the country who felt inspired to start their own meetups — some even asking if I’d come to their city.

Our Charleston group has kept growing. We were invited to a Charleston influencer Christmas party within a month of launching, which felt like a huge win.

One of our goals at The Creative Growth Club has always been to give smaller creators the same visibility and opportunities as larger influencers — to work with brands, be invited to events, and feel seen. That first invite validated everything we’ve been working toward.

Since then, we've hosted our first event — the Icebreaker Brunch — at Ritual Rooftop & Bar.** It was an intimate gathering of five incredible creators, coming together for real conversations, great food, and a rooftop photoshoot surprise I gifted to each of them. It was the start of something special, and now, we're planning to host these brunches monthly for smaller groups who are craving meaningful connections.

We’re not stopping there. We will be announced our next event — a Sip & Create session at a local coffee shop (you heard it first) where creators can build community, shoot content, and leave with resources to grow their platforms and confidence.

The Creative Growth Club is more than just content meetups. As we grow, each member grows with us — and the opportunities to connect, collaborate, and support one another are endless.

If you're a creator and you’ve been craving genuine connections, creative friends, or just a little support on your journey — don’t wait. Start reaching out, start connecting, and find your creative crew.