This episode of Creative Tea Podcast brought co-hosts Ella (Matra) Napata and Steffi Reyes-Thomas together with Klifton Semo, a Brand and Creative Director based in San Diego. A San Diegan with a decade in Las Vegas and deep roots in the LA music industry, Klifton’s path into marketing started out of necessity, filling in as the go-to person for branding, logos, and video when the artists he worked with needed it. From there, a self-run agency became his crash course in business, and creative direction became his craft. In this conversation, he brings a refreshingly honest hot take on two words the industry throws around a little too loosely: “creative” and “community.”

Quick Takes

• Artist vs. Creative: Klifton draws a sharp line between the two, an artist creates out of necessity, almost like breathing, while a creative operates with intent and a goal. He’s careful not to claim the “artist” title for himself out of respect for those who’ve put in the time.
• Community Isn’t Always Community: Klifton distinguishes between genuine grassroots community-building, like a friend’s block party in City Heights, and pay-to-play events that brand themselves as “community” while pricing out up-and-coming creatives.
• Resources Change What’s Possible: He acknowledges that scarcity can fuel amazing work, but having real resources removes the pressure of survival and opens up space to create more freely.

Watch The Full Podcast Episode ft. Klifton Semo

From Music Industry Survival to Creative Direction

Klifton’s entry into marketing wasn’t a planned career move, it was a byproduct of working in the music industry and constantly being the person who could pull together branding, video, or a logo when an artist needed it. That hustle eventually led him to discover the title “Creative Director” existed for what he was already doing. A multi-year run building his own agency in San Diego became his real-world education in business, and client work in the creative space has kept him there since.

Where “Artist” Ends and “Creative” Begins

The heart of Klifton’s hot tea is a distinction he credits to a friend: an artist creates because they have to, it’s involuntary, almost instinctual, while a creative works with intention and a defined goal. He’s careful to separate himself from the “artist” category out of respect for people who’ve genuinely put in the time, and he pushes back gently on how freely the word “creative” gets applied to people who haven’t put in that same work. For him, the concern isn’t gatekeeping, it’s making sure the effort behind real artistry doesn’t get overlooked.

The Problem with “Community” as a Buzzword

Klifton’s second hot tea zeroes in on how often “community” gets used to describe events that are really just parties with a ticket price. He draws a contrast between that kind of branding and the real, on-the-ground work of people building genuine community, pointing to a friend’s block party in City Heights as an example of what that actually looks like. His concern is accessibility: when “community” events require buying in, they quietly exclude the just-starting-out creatives who need that access the most. Steffi mentions true community, should be free and should make even the person quietly standing in the corner feel welcome.

Resources, Scarcity, and Creative Freedom

Klifton closes with a reflection on the role resources play in creative work. While he acknowledges that scarcity can push people toward remarkable creativity, he’s honest that it’s simply easier to create when you’re not worrying about how to pay your bills. It’s a nod to the tension many working creatives feel between hustle and stability, and a reminder that access to resources shapes what people are able to make.

Be Part of the Creative Tea Podcast

If you’re in San Diego, keep an eye out for the next Creative Tea Podcast, recorded live during The Consultancy Community Co-working event or Founders Cafe!