Community Highlights: Meet Karoll Echeverri & Brittany Cobb of Meraki Creative Agency

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karoll Echeverri & Brittany Cobb. Them and their team share their story with us below:

Karoll founded Meraki Creative Agency back in 2018 as a Marketing business. She wanted to be able to offer more than conventional marketing, so she dove into learning more about guerrilla marketing and the aesthetics of color. The combination of these two ideas led to a community experiment that had a huge impact here in Fayetteville.

In early 2019, after weeks of planning, prep, and approvals, this art installation took an empty alleyway and transformed it with colorful, painted walls and bright, upside-down hanging umbrellas. For as long as it was displayed, it was constantly busy with photographers, passers-by, and kids. It was a turning point and a lesson to show just how color, urban design, and art can affect a city and push its economic development.

In early 2020, a graphic designer reached out after tagging Meraki in one of her photos from the alley. It turns out the invitation company she’d worked at for the last 12 years was struggling due to the effects of COVID and she wasn’t sure she’d be there much longer.

This is how Karoll and Brittany “virtually” met. They clicked immediately and after just two in-person meetings, decided to partner up and rebrand Meraki as a creative agency rather than a marketing company.

As Karoll and Brittany got to know one another, they discovered many similarities in their creative goals. Karoll was very interested in working with different mediums; balloons in particular. They had a way of capturing her imagination and creativity, but there was never really a way to incorporate them into her work with conventional marketing.

Brittany is an artist and crafter at heart and had dreams of owning her own stationery business. So with those goals combined, they jumped in and began creating what Meraki is today. From an upstairs office on the main street in downtown Fayetteville, they were lucky enough to find a small shop space downstairs that they moved into a couple of months later.

Within a year, they’d outgrown the space and are now in a bigger shop (but still almost bursting at the seams) with more room to create.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As with most small businesses, we face the challenge of creating growth and finding ways to work better and smarter.

At this point, we consider ourselves so blessed to have found something we truly believe in and love doing every day. Because of this, it’s easier when the days get longer or when certain projects seem to challenge us more than others.

Most recently, it’s been challenging to keep focused on what we want to do vs what is needed for our shop to grow. So putting that entrepreneurial heart and spirit ahead has been fundamental.

We want to continue to outgrow our small business owner mindset and become leaders who will be able to leave a story and a legacy to our kids. Being mothers to young kids and running a business is not for the faint-hearted!

As you know, we’re big fans of Meraki Creative Agency. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
On the surface, our business is a mix of all things pretty and colorful.

We sell cute gifts, design custom party decor, and share happy things. Recently, we’ve been diving into more large-scale art installations that include (even bigger) custom balloon garlands, murals, and public art. We’ve also launched a wholesale line of stationery that can be found in boutiques and retail shops in NC and beyond.

Behind all of that, our intent with it all is to bring about an appreciation for our surroundings. We’re always searching for ways to impact the community and create positivity with art and color. Everything we do is in abundance, and with the desire to “bring joy”.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
Karoll: My favorite childhood memory is Summers at my grandmother’s house. She taught me what joy and unconditional love are. She was the best example to follow.

Brittany: My favorite childhood memory is playing tennis. I have always been shy and introverted, and as a kid, I wasn’t much into sports or clubs.

Around age 10, my mom put me in tennis lessons and I was lucky enough to have an amazing coach. As I improved and began playing in tournaments, it really gave me such a confidence boost. I ended up playing through High School and in College on a D2 Florida team.

Pricing:

• Small Balloon Garland, 5-6ft – $165
• Large Balloon Garland, 10-14ft – $365+
• Personalized Helium Balloon Bundle, $75
• Balloon Wall, $550+

Contact Info:

• Website: www.yourlittlejoyshop.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/merakicreativefay
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/merakicreativefay
• Other: https://yourlittlejoyshopbymerakicreativeagency.faire.com/

Image Credits
Kristin Guynn Photography, Emily Wood Photography, and Sky Line Event