Rosita Murrillo shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Rosita, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I like to keep the first 90 minutes of my day quiet and intentional. I usually start by making fresh-squeezed juice and taking a few minutes to tend to my houseplants. Once I’ve had that calm start, I shift into work mode—checking emails, organizing my schedule, and planning upcoming shoots.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello, I’m Rosita Murrillo — a powerhouse visual storyteller and branding expert with over a decade of experience capturing fashion, beauty, and small businesses. I’m the founder of Creative Collaboration Studios, a branding and media studio dedicated to helping local businesses craft compelling multimedia marketing assets that truly drive growth.
What makes our work unique is our commitment to authenticity. We don’t just take photos or shoot videos, we capture the heart of brands. That means highlighting the passion behind their work, the personality of their team, and the genuine connections they build with their customers. Our approach to branding photography goes beyond staged visuals; it’s about telling the real business stories and the energy that makes them thrive.
Our mission is simple: to provide authentic, accessible branding for small businesses that deserve to be seen. And our vision is a more equitable creative economy, where every small business has access to the tools, support, and community they need to grow, thrive, and uplift others.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Like many people, I’d have to say my mom. She saw me clearly long before I fully saw myself. She always took the time to understand who I was and made sure I was in environments where my talents could grow. I remember starting my first year of college convinced I was going to be a computer engineer like my uncle. Spoiler alert: that wasn’t my path. When I told my mom I wanted to drop the course, she didn’t hesitate — she already had the photography program pulled up and ready for me to register. She knew where my heart was before I did. I was an artist trying to fit myself into the conventional 9–5 life, but that simply doesn’t work for creative people and she saw that long before I was ready to admit it
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that has held me back the most is the fear of the unknown — especially as someone who’s naturally a planner. Not knowing what’s ahead can feel unsettling. But running my business has taught me that you can only prepare for so much. Some things you simply have to experience in order to learn from them. When I first started, I wouldn’t schedule a shoot unless every single detail was planned out perfectly. Now, I’ve learned to trust the process. As long as I have the location, the clothing, and the model, I know we can figure out the rest creatively in the moment. Don’t get me wrong, there will always be a mood board and a shoot plan before any shoot, but I’ve learned to embrace flexibility instead of letting fear stop me.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
An important truth I believe in that everyone doesn’t agrees with is that we should never negotiate someone’s humanity. Once we start doing that, it becomes a slippery slope. Every person deserves safety, opportunity, access, support, and love. That belief is at the core of why I do what I do. I saw a real gap in small businesses lacking access, opportunity, and support because quality marketing often feels out of reach financially. My work is about making marketing content more accessible so their stories and visions can be seen.
I also don’t subscribe to the idea that someone else’s success takes away from my own. If I win, my community wins and because I pour back into what was poured into me. That’s never a loss; it’s always a positive.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I used my time to create real social impact — whether through my creative work or my advocacy. I believe we’re all given gifts to make a difference while we’re here, and the greatest impacts aren’t always measured in money. They’re measured in time, support, love, mentorship, and the ways we choose to show up for others. That’s the legacy I hope to leave behind.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.creativecollabstudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecreativecollabstudios/
