about the creator
my story
come on in! make yourself at home, girl.
I’m Micaela. Virtual adventure buddy. Soul-led business sidekick. And the creative bestie SO freaking excited to transform your big ideas into a visual reality that empowers the freedom-fulfilling lifestyle of your dreams.
So, how exactly did a shy small-town girl
find herself halfway across the world
(flying totally solo and returning with little more than $7 to her name)?
I’ll be honest:
For most of my life, travel wasn’t even a blip on my radar.
My world revolved around family, sheep, horses, and sports. I spent my summers on the show circuit and by the time I graduated college, the furthest I’d ever been was a flight to Texas to show at the Miniature Horse World Championship (yeah, it’s a real thing, and I’m a World Champion! No big deal.)
Then my senior year spring break threw me a curveball in the form of a bunch of Europeans who had me spellbound with their stories and adventurous spirits.
In just a few conversations, my world grew. And for the first time ever, my small town felt...well, small. But the world was big – and it was time for me to explore it.
my baby!
It was just one month across the pond…
But those few short weeks touring Europe shifted something in my soul so deeply that my life journey was transformed from that point on.
I returned home (with a full soul and an empty bank account) to freelance at an incredible design agency in Ohio. But the long workdays did little to smother the spark that had been lit inside me. And so, I began to imagine a future where I could follow my heart, get lost and find myself in the beauty of adventure.
(Starting to sound a little familiar, girl? 😉)
Trusting my instincts, I stuffed my car with what little belongings I owned, and drove to the West Coast, determined to design my new life. I had no job, no money, and no real plan. But I had two things that would guarantee I’d always land on my feet:
my passion for creating
AND My longing to wander
And, so, my design business was born.
Back then, being a solopreneur wasn’t a common thing yet.
And even as I collaborated with agencies and freelance clients alike, I didn’t realize that what I was doing was working remotely.
Then, one day, it hit me: “If I can work from home…why can’t I work from anywhere in the world?”
And the answer was that I could. So I did. I put my life in storage and set out on my grandest solo adventure thus far: Exploring the world while I grew my design business.
And, honestly, girl, I expected to last six months. Max. I was an entrepreneurial backpacker, running a six-figure business from my hostel bunk bed, and creating for my clients late into the night so I could spend my days wandering each new location I was in.
It was wild. It was wonderful.
It was wild.
It was wonderful.
and every single moment
was pure freaking magic!
Three years (yep, three years) later, I returned to sunny San Diego, this time with a full soul and a full bank account, too.
Since that first adventure,
I’ve traveled and worked in
over 60+ countries
(with my seventh continent lined up this year!)
My passport is popping at the seams, packed with memories like running with the bulls, scuba diving, base jumping, opening a co-working space in Nicaragua and collaborating with clients from all walks of life.
And after all those years of travel, all I could think was, “I want everyone to experience freedom like this.”
I want you to:
Make friends and connect with humans from all over the world.
Fall in love with new cultures and see the world through wonder-struck eyes.
Watch the sunset and see the stars from the other side of the globe.
Go exploring – without worrying about having to race home to work.
Create your dream business, life and lifestyle while you wander.
Make friends and connect with humans from all over the world.
Fall in love with new cultures and see the world through wonder-struck eyes.
Watch the sunset and see the stars from the other side of the globe.
Go exploring – without worrying about having to race home to work.
Create your dream business, life and lifestyle while you wander.
Because you know you’re not here for the ordinary.
You don’t want to live for the weekends or hold out for your holidays.
Instead, you’re ready to climb mountains – literally and figuratively. And, hey, maybe move some too!
You want to get lost and find yourself in faraway lands. And you want to create your best damn life – one unforgettable adventure at a time.
which probably looks
a little something like,
Savoring every magical shade of the sunset from the back of your campervan.
Escaping the big city and retreating to the mountains to camp under the starry skies.
Traveling the globe exploring new places while you rediscover your sense of awe-struck wonder for the world.
Happily exploring concrete jungles and tropical jungles alike.
…All while choosing when, where and how you work.
I get it.
And I’ve got you.
Micaela acts as that creative CO-VISIONARY
that every brand deserves.
She really LISTENS to you & what you envision for your brand. She acts as that creative CO-VISIONARY that every brand deserves. Her style is UNDENIABLY unique, bold, fun, & adventurous. Seriously Micaela is a magic worker. She's been an instrumental piece in making my brand STAND-OUT. Now I feel much more excited to be VISIBLE & SELL MORE! Micaela was 100% the perfect person to spark this new wave of momentum for me in my business. I can't wait to continue showcasing my brand for the whole world to see.
You can genuinely tell that SHE CARES about you beyond the business relationship. In all honesty, working with her was a no-brainer. I trusted her with my vision & she OVER-DELIVERED! If you're looking for the most creative, supportive, & boldy adventurous designer to truly make your brand come to life, then MICAELA IS YOUR GIRL. Seriously, look no further.
Laura
Working with Micaela totally exceeded my expectations. I felt that my brand was really important to her.
She literally captured all the elements of me, my brand, and the future as my brand grows. I LOVE my new branding and am so proud of it — it's so freaking aligned now! It was really such a blessing to work with her, and it's been one of the highlights of the last few months in my biz. And it's really helped clear energy for me to step into my zone of genius and not worry about designs and branding.
To anyone looking to hire a designer, Micaela is amazing and so freaking talented! I had no idea what to expect with a rebranding, but working with her made it incredibly easy. I would 1000% recommend her. She has exactly what female entrepreneurs need when working with a designer — she's thoughtful, organized, communicative, timely, and talented!
Stephanie
She absolutely lived up to my expectations as a talented designer, a true professional, and a very pleasant and positive person to work with.
I saw myself in her, so I knew she would understand my vision. I was impressed by her previous designs, her work ethic, her professionalism and her positive attitude. I loved how Micaela took time to full understand my business idea and what I wanted to get out of it.
She absolutely lived up to my expectations as a talented designer, a true professional, and a very pleasant and positive person to work with. Micaela is a talented designer with an excellent work ethic. A true professional who will work with you to create a beautiful brand for your business. She will communicate with you throughout the process and make sure that you're entirely happy with the results.
Becca
Her beautiful perspective of the world around her, and passion for her craft, are truly such rarities.
What makes Micaela stand out to me is her vision, organization, and extreme dedication to her work. I was always astounded by not only the stunning projects she would craft but the efficiency in which she would tackle them. I really appreciated her ability to just ‘get’ what I wanted. Micaela’s beautiful perspective of the world around her, and passion for her craft, are truly such rarities. With her help, we were able to expand our company into 17 new countries, opened a co-working space, and created a private island festival, all while captivating tens of thousands of new clients along the way. I would suggest that anyone considering working with Micaela can feel confident knowing they've found someone eager to connect with you and your brand whose incredible skills are guaranteed to exceed your expectations.
Regina
Her thoughtfulness, creative eye and consistent communication helped me achieve a brand I'm proud to show off to the world!
It was Micaela's impeccable eye for fun & modern branding, accompanied with her attention to detail that really shined in her style. It was clear she was in this to help her customer's find their vision, and not just get a logo and website. Throughout my journey with her, she took pride in going the extra mile to create something truly special and tailored to our vision. Jumping into an endeavor as daunting as imagining and implementing a brand, logo and website from scratch, was not without its struggles. Having a knowledgeable and experienced partner like Micaela by my side ensured the process ran that much more smoothly. For anyone out there looking to create, reimagine or simply improve their branding, I can not recommend her enough. I wasn't just content to work with Micaela. I was truly inspired by her passion and ability!
Chloe
I'm always excited when I get the projects back to see what she's turned it into with her creative eye.
Micaela is an amazing graphic designer and has been such a pleasure to work with! I've worked with her on projects throughout the past five years. She has great attention to detail and is a great listener. She's able to help brainstorm new ideas when you're not quite sure the exact direction you want to go in. I'm always excited when I get the projects back to see what she's turned it into with her creative eye. Everyone that I've recommended Micaela to has had nothing but great things to say as well! She's helped me with a variety of different types of projects including rebranding a company. The companies have always been happy with the results of her work!
Megan
At Create & Wander, I design
customized brands and websites
that:
Tell your story with spirit, soul and authenticity.
Turn your ideas into irresistible visuals that attract your dream clients.
Captivate your audience and keep them coming back for more.
Cultivate a powerful presence that gives you the confidence to take on the world.
Support your goals, income and profit with designs that convert.
Because I
believe in you.
You’ve worked your booty off to create your business.
Now it’s time to embrace the adventure, hand over the hard work and relax while I take care of creating bold, bad-ass visuals that truly convert for you.
Explore the services
a glimpse of the work we can create together!
Take a peek
inside my passport
MOST EXCITING UPCOMING TRIP?
My 7th continent - Antarctica!🐧
ONE THING I'LL NEVER DO AGAIN
Go Base Jumping. One time was one too many!😂
FAVORITE PLACE I'VE TRAVELED?
Tough one! But, probably Cape Town, South Africa🌍
how many countries have I been to?
63 countries so far!✈️
when i'm not busy designing you can find me:
Rock Climbing, Hiking and Scuba Diving!🐠
On my bucket list:
New Zealand, Galapagos, Azores, Morocco, Jordan, Van Life — and so many more!🧭
from the blog
Sofa-friendly adventures
to educate, enlighten and inspire your entrepreneurial explorations
BRANDING
what is a brand and why is having one valuable for your business?
WEB DESIGN
why a pro designer chose Showit for her site (and thinks you should, too)
BRANDING
how to create an authentic brand that feels like you
chill in the blog
