THE IDEA
The Creative Directory began as more than just an idea. It was a passion project that came out of necessity when I realized that creativity was absent from my adult life. This directly contrasted with how many creative craft kits I completed and art classes I had taken as a child.
It was apparent that many people craved connection, creativity, and community. Living in NYC, I noticed the incredible potential of the city’s creative landscape, but the challenges of navigating it continued to arise. It was disorienting-there were countless amazing art classes, event spaces, and creative activities, but no single place to discover them all.
That’s when the seed of The Creative Directory was planted: a platform to connect people with creative spaces, events, and opportunities, and ultimately foster a community where creativity thrives.
The Research
I started by immersing myself in NYC’s creative ecosystem. I interviewed artists, studio owners, and local business owners to understand their needs and challenges in running their businesses. I also talked to busy professionals looking for ways to explore their creativity and build connections. These conversations helped me identify a key gap: the lack of a centralized platform for discovering and booking creative experiences.
I wanted to create a resource for people who love exploring their creative side but don’t have the time to dig through endless options. I also wanted to shine a light on small businesses and local artists who are doing amazing work but don’t always get the visibility they deserve. That’s how the idea for The Creative Directory was born.
The first iteration of our website that launched in June 2024 got over 500+ visitors on the first day
Launch
The Creative Directory officially launched in June 2024. Since then, it has grown into a website and media platform that connects people to creative activities, event spaces, and local businesses in NYC. Here are some of the exciting milestones:
📍Over 93 NYC-based creative businesses spotlighted on the map ranging from galleries, third places, and workshops.
📍3,500+ views of the map and counting with 750 active website visitors!
📍A 75% open rate for the monthly newsletter, which curates top creative events, workshops, and classes.
Click play to start the video and to see our Holiday Edition digest!
The Creative Digest: Substack Newletter
One of the most exciting elements of The Creative Directory has been our Substack newsletter. This monthly newsletter is where we bring together the best of what NYC’s creative community has to offer.
🗞️Monthly Musings: Personal reflections on creativity, community, and the joy of making things.
🗞️Events and Workshops: A curated list of art classes, meetups, and creative happenings across the city.
🗞️Holiday Gift Guides: During the holidays, we publish thoughtful gift guides highlighting handmade goods and experiences from local artists and makers.
CREATIVITY CHANGEMAKERS: BIZ SPOTLIGHT
We highlight the artists, small business owners, and innovators who are shaping NYC’s creative community and inspiring others to explore their own creative potential.
🎙️To bring these stories to life, we film and interview changemakers in their spaces. We've been to an artist’s studio, a bustling workshop, or a cozy café during an event.
🎙️We capture behind-the-scenes video footage, authentic moments of creation, and personal insights about their journeys.
🎙️This content becomes part of our Instagram and TikTok, where we showcase not just their work but the passion and people behind it.
Meagan Mahaffy, founder of art gurl, is our latest Creative Changemaker and is kicking butt and building community with mindful "bad" art classes!
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Every week, we put a list of creative happenings and events from the businesses listed on our map for visibility!
COFOUNDER PHOTOSHOOT
In July 2024, my cofounder Connie and I had a photoshoot for The Creative Directory with my cofounder and her friend Hayley, a talented filmmaker and creative force in the industry. As we grew, we realized we needed more creative owned media to be able to tell our story.
We set the location in a few spots around LA: the flower market, Barnsdall Art Park, Downtown LA, and Gallery Row. The day was filled with laughter, collaboration, and creativity as we worked to showcase the essence of The Creative Directory.
Hayley’s ability to tell a story through her lens added depth and authenticity to every shot. It was a special experience to have someone from the creative industry help bring our vision to life in such a powerful way.
DESIGN THINKING FOR MOBILE APP
In my design process for the Creative Directory and Akin (mobile app), I used Miro for design thinking to map out ideas and prioritize features based on research and feedback from both creativity seekers and business owners.
I broke everything down into Priority 0 and Priority 1 categories.
Priority 0 includes the most critical features that directly impact user experience and business success. These are the things that creativity seekers absolutely need to discover events or classes easily and that business owners require to manage their listings effectively. I base these priorities on research and feedback, making sure I’m addressing the pain points of both audiences right away.
Priority 1 features are still important but not as urgent. They are features that can enhance the user experience but aren't essential for the initial launch. These could be things like advanced search options, additional community-building tools, or extra customization for business owners.
By continuously gathering feedback from both groups, I can ensure the platform evolves in a way that serves their needs while staying aligned with the project’s goals.
As we built our paper prototype, we created a feature build and wishlist to imagine what our user experience would be like for our customers.
LOW-FIDELITY PROTOTYPING
For the Creative Directory and Akin platform, I used low-fidelity prototyping on Figma to quickly block the features in a layout and to test them with users.
I started with simple wireframes to map out the structure and flow, focusing more on functionality than design details. This allowed me to gather feedback early from users, make adjustments, and refine the concepts before investing too much time or resources into more polished versions.
It’s a great way to keep things flexible and efficient while making sure the final product works for users.
HIGH-FIDELITY PROTOTYPING
After gathering extensive user feedback and refining the core features, I move into high-fidelity prototyping, where I start to block out the brand identity for both the Creative Directory and Akin platform.
This stage focuses on bringing the vision to life with detailed visuals, including colors, typography, and UI elements that reflect the platform's personality and appeal to both creativity seekers and business owners. I used the feedback from earlier stages to ensure the design aligns with user needs while also creating a cohesive, polished look that feels professional and engaging.
High-fidelity prototypes helped me visualize the final user experience and fine-tune every detail before development begins.
