Funto Fasunwon a creative entrepreneur and subject of the shoot poses for a portrait during a styled creative session for a client.

In a city like Lethbridge, where creativity often must be built by recognition from the very start, collaboration has become a significant part of growth.

MangoSalt studios, a creative studio in Lethbridge, is an example of that intentional effort using partnerships and collaboration with other local businesses in town to build stories, expand their portfolio and create a space for creativity in the community.

MangoSalt studios was founded by Funto Fasunwon and built around the idea that creativity is stronger when it is shared and done by a team of diverse skills. While she studied finance and is currently working full-time in banking, making her a career girl on weekdays and a creative on weekends. “After graduating from the University of Lethbridge, I got my grad job at CIBC but still had the drive for the creative world,” says Fasunwon.

Fasunwon began developing the studio to bring different creatives in the city together, turn different ideas into visual storytelling and create a hive of creative community. For Funto, the creative studio was more than a side project; it felt more like a dying expression of creativity that was eager to burst open and find its place. “When I first got the idea to start a creative agency, I was skeptical, but my passion for creativity was way bolder,” she says, “I had friends in the creative field and pulled them into the plan.”

It’s an effort to keep pursuing creativity while balancing the structure of a 9-5 career in finance, and that balance has also shaped the way MangoSalt has grown. Instead of starting with major contracts that grab high visibility, it has built its name through smaller local collaborations, local partnerships, and portfolio growth work.

One of those collaborative partnerships is with Charis Essence, owned by Teniola Coker. Through their collaborations, both businesses have been able to contribute to their own different strengths, with MangoSalt studios through creative direction and storytelling, and Charis Essence through beauty artistry and its brand identity. “When I started the make-up business, I knew I needed a form of online presence, and MangoSalt studios reached out to me for an offer, and that’s how this partnership started,” Coker says. The partnership is valuable because both businesses are still in their early stages, and allowing them to grow together through strong creative and production skills.

Their collaborative partnership has reflected a broader reality for many entrepreneurs in Lethbridge’s creative circle. For photographers, makeup artists, videographers, cinematographers, stylists and other visual brands, collaboration is often one of the most practical ways to gain experience, recognition, create stronger work and build large-scale visibility from scratch. 

In smaller cities like Lethbridge, where creative industries may not have the same reach as they do in other larger cities, local businesses often leverage one another to keep moving forward.

MangoSalt is part of a wider network, and it doesn’t happen in isolation, but alongside other creative businesses and local entrepreneurs in town that are also trying to establish themselves, and that process has not been without challenges. Fasunwon says, “When MangoSalt started, I knew I needed capital, but most importantly, a team that was ready to collaborate even when money wasn’t involved yet.”

This has required personal investment, time and consistency, especially while managing a career in finance during the weekdays. In a city where creative work can sometimes feel overlooked and unrecognized, the continued creation has meant pushing forward even before a stage is given.

Collaboration remains the main idea of the creative studio’s vision. Rather than seeing creative work as something done just alone, MangoSalt has been built around the idea of shared effort and teamwork of diverse skill sets and businesses in town. Through local partnerships like Charis Essence, modelling agencies and Alfia make-up studios, they’ve been able to reach a certain target audience, grow their portfolio, build a community and also their credibility.

As MangoSalt continues to develop, its story reflects more than just the journey of one business, but also points to broader businesses in town, many entrepreneurs building their brands through collaborative efforts, creativity and community support. This vision continues to shape both the stories being told and the way it grows.