Behind the Brand: Alisha Lubben of Imeru Creative
Born out of the creativity and community from a local Fort Collins brewery and rooted in the lush Chilean landscape, Imeru Creative is an innovative collective dedicated to constructing intentional content. Fun fact, the name “Imeru” was inspired by Jimmy Chin's and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi's documentary film "Meru.” This intention-based marketing company, which launched in 2018, captures visually appealing imagery and content that sparks a serious case of wanderlust. We caught up with Founder, Brand Strategist and Expat Alisha Lubben to talk about running a business in another country and learning the language, biggest learning lessons and who she wants to have dinner with.
Indie Creative: You packed your bags and moved to Chile AND started your own company. What led you to make such a bold move?
Alisha: I fell in love! I visited Chile for the first time in 2012, and, after exploring the mountains and beaches and the city of Santiago, I was completely enamored and promised myself that I would move to Chile one day. After hiking in Chilean Patagonia in 2014, I knew without a doubt that I would call South America home. Chile boasts remarkable diverse landscapes, affordable living, robust natural resources, and compelling destinations; it also continues to rise in global competitiveness and leads the Latin American market in technology, social and economic mobility, innovation, among other areas. As a native English speaker, there is ample opportunity in marketing, public relations, and assisting Chilean SMEs who seek to enter the US market.
Indie Creative: What's the inspiration behind Imeru Creative? In other words, what’s your elevator pitch?
Alisha: Imeru Creative was inspired by my time spent working with the Maxline Brewing family. The owners, Cathy and Kevin, were generous in their allotment of creative freedom, and I thrived in that liberating environment. When venturing off to pursue my endeavors, I committed to integrating into my brand the same commitment to community, fun, culture, and genuineness that the Maxline Brewing team cultivated. I founded Imeru Creative to design responsible content made to improve viewers' lives in some way, whether through humor, knowledge, or appealing visuals. Folks should feel happy and inspired when interacting with social media, which led to the logo. I mean, what person doesn't get stoked to break open a colorful, prize-filled piñata? We function as a collective. Many of my friends are brilliant journalists, marketers, and photographers, so I built Imeru Creative as a platform for collaboration that they can jump in and out of as they please.
Indie Creative: Do you work with clients outside of Chile? If so, what's it like to have a business with international clients?
Alisha: I work with full-time clients in Chile while contracting with companies in the US - I enjoy the balance! With my US clients, I can operate confidently in English with an understanding of the market. My Chilean clients provide a constant challenge and learning opportunity when using Spanish, and I can study a new market.
Indie Creative: If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
Alisha: John D. Rockefeller - questionable ethics, undeniable business savvy. This guy could be the target of media hellfire, in the midst of a monumental negotiation, or on the brink of losing everything in a risky business deal, and he would stay as cool as a cucumber. His emotional intelligence has always inspired me. Rockefeller was invariably a few steps ahead and built his empire from scratch. His philanthropy had a significant impact on medicine, education, and scientific research, although his motivation was questionable.
Indie Creative: Professionally, what tools, mentors, tactics do you immerse yourself with?
Alisha: I've recently been able to tap into a growth mindset and replace unhealthy habits with practices that positively affect my professional and personal outlook. I've traded late nights for early mornings, Netflix for podcasts, Instagram scrolling for reading, and have committed to taking weekly Spanish and Farsi lessons. These additions have inspired new projects while allowing me to build uninterrupted. I found many gold nuggets in Tim Ferriss' book "Tribe of Mentors" and in "The Laws of Human Nature" by Robert Greene.
Indie Creative: What's the biggest learning from starting your own business?
Alisha: Over the past two years, I have benefitted from improving my energy management. When I began my career, I worked continuously and deceived myself into thinking that I had a strong work ethic. What I actually had was anxiety and depression that I would try to cover up with endless workdays, a crowded planner, and the unwillingness to say "no".
Creating a business structure of my own allowed for independence and helped create some personal space. I painfully practiced slowing down and being alone with my thoughts. Over a few months, I discovered how to recognize and utilize my flow state days while allowing myself to read, observe, and introspect during less motivated days.
Indie Creative: Who is your spirit animal?
Alisha: Creed Bratton
The Behind the Brand series pays homage to the creative minds that make up our collective of inspiring brands and collaborators. These hustlers, game changers and innovators are often behind the scenes bring their brands to life—one tweet, one story, one photograph at a time.