We got a chance to catch up with Esther Mogada, founder of Creating A Space, a business we love to champion here at Womenfolk.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your business Creating A Space?
My name is Esther Mogada and I am the person behind Creating A Space.
I am a creative based in Belfast and I have been working within the creative industry for the last 8 years.
I am half Irish and half Ugandan, born in Sudan but I grew up in Egypt. I lived in Dublin for a year and then moved back to Belfast with my family when I was 17.
It was a challenging time in my life because I had been living in a very different culture, and returning to live in Belfast was such a shock to the system.
I studied Fashion and Textiles at Ulster University for my undergraduate and went on to complete a Masters in Retail Management, Fashion And Textiles; specialising in brand development.
From there I started building my career in Belfast by trying out different business ideas and projects - so that I could discover the best fit for me, and where I belong.
I began on the journey, by co-founding a fashion streetwear brand, and that progressed to co-founding a fashion collective, where we organised underground fashion events. I dabbled in podcasting and events, while at the same time selling my own textile work. All of that led me to start Creating A Space, because I realised I needed to create a space for myself, by starting my own business.
What inspired you to start your business?
Initially, I didn’t start out with the idea of having my own business as I had begun Creating A Space with a friend.
I had just graduated from university, and I was trying to figure out which direction I wanted to take in life. To be honest, I was feeling a bit lost, as most people do when they first graduate from university. I discovered that I didn’t want to be a textile designer, and I had tried the fashion route - and realised it wasn’t where my passion lay.
In my early 20s when I was struggling to find myself, my purpose in life and questioning being in Belfast, interviewing others inspired me - and through interviewing others, I realised it was something I was good at.
I didn’t have many people around me that had the same creative vision, where we could dream big and believe that we had the potential to achieve anything we wanted.
Also, I struggled deeply with not seeing many people of colour in Belfast - and it caused a lot of conflict within me regarding my identity. Hearing interviews of people that were successful, got me through a lot of hard times in my life, and I knew that I wanted to create work that had that type of impact.
I decided to part ways with my business partner who I had started Creating A Space with, and began to run Creating A Space by myself, and threw myself into the brand and turned it into a business.
Having limited filmmaking skills, no equipment and no clients was a huge risk, but I knew that somewhere deep inside me I could make this work, and turn it into a business that I could be proud of, and that would creatively fulfil my soul.
During the pandemic, I decided to go all-in and taught myself how to be a filmmaker and slowly but surely, I started getting clients. By putting myself out there, doing every job and saying yes to every opportunity and putting the work in, my business has become a reality. It’s been an ongoing process, but thankfully I am still pushing through and have made many breakthroughs on what Creating A Space is all about and who I am here to serve.
Can you tell us about the different services you offer at Creating A Space?
With Creating A Space, I specialise in creating story-led photography and film content for businesses on their social media platforms. I work with clients and assist them to create a content system that enables them to stay on top of their game, by being consistent in a sustainable way. From there, I generate ideas and create their social media content on a monthly basis which helps businesses have a bank of content.
I find that many businesses really struggle with having a content structure which leads them to feel overwhelmed, stuck on the hamster wheel and grasping for headspace to move forward with their content.
My goal is to take the pressure off, but most importantly, inspire them to get excited about their ideas again, and fall back in love with their business.
My main job is really listening, holding space for creative ideas and encouraging people to believe that their creative dreams are possible and achievable. I love working with people that have a vision for their business - people that dream big.
It pushes me to dream big with them, and I help them to find creative ways to tell their story over and over again. That in turn builds deeper connections with their customers and target audience.
Our theme for womenfolk this year is Balance, through Creating A Space you seem to balance your commercial creative work alongside personal creative projects such as ‘How They See Us’
Can you tell us a bit about How They See Us?
How They See Us is a project that is centred around sharing stories about what people of colour (POC) go through within Northern Ireland. People that have a multicultural heritage, but identify as Irish/British or Northern Irish.
I had been wanting to create this project for many years, but after the George Floyd murder and the Black Lives Matter protests that erupted around the world in June 2020, I knew that I wanted to create something where I could contribute to the conversation, but also explore how other people of colour were feeling within a Northern Irish content.
Often you don’t get to hear the perspectives of POC in NI, because the conversation is usually about the troubles and the different community divides. I wanted to show how Northern Ireland is a diverse place, create a space for these types of conversations and show people that we have more in common than we are different.
I wanted to explore how people that have been born here experience feeling ‘other’ and how hard it can feel to find belonging because they don't feel accepted by society even though they have been born here & brought up within this culture.
What you hoped to achieve through the project?
I wanted to find a way to talk about race, identity and representation in a way that felt safe. To make it story-led and to share people’s lived experiences.
When it comes to talking about these subjects, there is a lot of fear around how you “should” articulate your opinions, and there is fear of saying the wrong thing or feeling like you might offend someone.
I wanted to hold space for these conversations, and just ask people about their experiences. To highlight what people go through. When you share someone’s story, it’s the vehicle to connect and show your shared humanity.
It was important for me to create it as a series and make it a social media series because I wanted to break down the different issues that people brought up. But also making it digestible for the wider public.
In a way, educate people in a subtle way where they can walk away feeling like they learned something in a safe space and spark discussions within their own communities.
What you learnt through the project?
I learned SO much in creating this project. From the filmmaking aspect right through to what I learned from the people I interviewed.
It was the first time in my life that I took complete ownership of a project from start to finish and it honestly has changed the trajectory of my life and business.
As I had mentioned earlier, I really struggled with moving to Belfast after living in Egypt and then Dublin, because I struggled to see the diversity here in Northern Ireland. I felt isolated and most of all, I walked through this world feeling like an outsider, feeling like ‘other’ and not having a place of belonging.
I had struggled with my identity, when people used to ask me where I was ‘from’, I had no idea how to answer them because I didn’t know what that meant for me. I almost wished that I was from one place, and was able to blend into society.
Creating this project connected me to others that had felt similar within themselves, and it was a healing project for me in coming to terms with who I am.
They taught me that having a multicultural background is beautiful and should be celebrated. They showed me that it’s okay to take ownership of myself and not to be small anymore.
I wanted to emphasise that we all need to be seen as individuals, and not grouped into the same category - when it comes to the labels of ‘ethnic minorities, Black, Brown’ - because that itself can lead to having our uniqueness and individuality taken away from us.
If you have any plans to develop the project or anything similar in the future?
I plan on taking this project to new heights over the next decade. I want to create about 10 seasons of How They See Us, focusing on different groups of people. I am so fascinated by how people move through this world, how they think people see them, and how they see themselves. I want to create a larger production, and my dream is to have 3-5 seasons of How They See Us featured on Netflix - so I am manifesting this into existence.
Can you tell us practically about how you balance both your commercial client work and personal creative projects?
At the start of every year, I map out each quarter and decide what I want to work on. Usually, from January to April, I am working on my business, maintaining my client work, pitching for more work and giving that my 100% full attention.
When it comes to passion projects, I carve out the time.
From May-August, I find that my client's work slows down as people are taking time off for holidays. I utilize that time to create those projects and see it as a season of just creating what's in my heart and soul.
From September to December, my client work picks up again, and I push right up until Christmas and then the cycle continues each quarter annually.
On a personal level, how important is it for you to have both these elements in your business?
It is extremely important for me to integrate this into my business because my passion projects are the things that have gotten me through the door. It helps me become a better storyteller, and where I get to develop my style of work and get recognised for these projects.
I wouldn’t be here without me following through on my passion projects and it’s a good balance to have throughout the year. I get to focus on seasons where it’s all about my clients, and then I get to focus on what creatively brings me joy and the stories I want to tell.
How else do you try to find balance in your life?
Over the last 2 years, I have really focused on building a solid routine in my life and really double down on being consistent with that. When I have a structure in place, it creates freedom in other areas of my life.
I journal and read every morning. I work out three times a week. I spend quality time with my friends and family and prioritise maintaining a healthy relationship with my fiance. All these elements help me stay grounded and elevate me within my business life.
Apart from your creative work, what brings you joy in life?
My relationships really bring me joy in life. Having deep conversations where I can connect with people and really work on myself so that I can be the best version of myself. It's important to focus on being a healthy person - physically, emotionally and spiritually.
What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
With Creating A Space, I want to work with international clients - working with brands all over the world, telling their unique stories.
I want to build my team and eventually have my own building where I can have my own space to produce all my films.
I want to do a global tour with How They See Us - and interview people of colour all over the world, and continue to tell those beautiful stories.
Most importantly, I want to be able to do this for the next 20 years of my life. I think I have finally found my calling, my purpose in life and I hope I can continue to be creatively inspired and keep learning.
Where can people find you online?
You can find me on Instagram at @creatingaspace and my website is www.creatingaspace.co
