An Inspired Chat with Cheryl Bever of Albany Park, Chicago, IL

We recently had the chance to connect with Cheryl Bever and have shared our conversation below.

Cheryl, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is a normal day like for you right now?
I’m up early for that golden hour of quiet before the house stirs. If the weather cooperates, I’ll walk three miles, otherwise it’s a yoga session. After dropping my son at school, I knock out a few household tasks, not the most glamorous start, but clearing those mental tabs makes space for actual thinking.

My projects are diverse enough that I can let my energy level dictate the day’s focus. Feeling sharp and inventive? I’ll dive into concept work. Brain a little foggy? Perfect time for production tasks or client revisions. The beauty of running my own studio is I can work from a coffee shop when I need a scene change or meet friends for co-working when collaboration sounds better than solo grinding.

By early evening I’m back in family mode, making dinner, shuttling to baseball games, or catching up with friends. The flexibility works because I’m not trying to squeeze creativity into someone else’s 9-to-5.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m the founder of Tandem Creative Works, a Chicago-based design studio. I didn’t plan on becoming a designer, I kind of stumbled into it through and followed where it led.

I spent years in in-house corporate design roles learning the technical side, but the work felt transactional. What I really wanted was to understand someone’s vision and help them bring it to life. That shift happened when I started working with small businesses and entrepreneurs who were building something meaningful. The best projects weren’t the ones where I just executed instructions. They were true partnerships where my expertise met their vision and we created something neither of us could have done alone.

That’s why I named my studio Tandem. I don’t work for clients, I work with them. Like a tandem bike, we’re both pedaling, both contributing, moving toward the same destination together.

I also serve as Vice President of the Chicago Graphic Design Club, which keeps me connected to the community that energized me when I needed it most.
Outside the studio, I’m also creative, creating collage art, pressed flower art and whatever else comes to mind, cheering loudly at my son’s games, and living in a house that’s constantly buzzing with creative projects since my husband Michael is a painter. Chicago’s been home for over 25 years, and I can’t imagine working anywhere else.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My husband, Michael. He called me out when I needed it most. I had just come out of an emotionally abusive marriage, was completely burned out at work, and was spreading myself so thin trying to be everything to everyone except the people who actually mattered.
Michael didn’t sugarcoat it. He told me I was angry all the time, never fully present even when I was physically there, and seemed absolutely miserable. Then he said something that changed everything: opening my own studio wasn’t just a dream, it was a viable option. He saw a path forward when I couldn’t.
That was almost five years ago. Launching Tandem Creative Works didn’t just change my career, it gave me my life back. I haven’t been happier.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Going through an emotionally abusive relationship left scars I’m still working to heal. For a long time, I beat myself up about it, why I let it go on so long, how I allowed it to happen. But when you have a child to care for, you don’t get the luxury of falling apart. You bury the emotions and keep moving.

It’s been over 10 years, and I’m only now unpacking what I suppressed back then. I’m not healed yet, but I’m doing the work. Therapy helps. So does being married to someone who sees me clearly and calls me on my patterns before they take root.

What that experience did give me was resilience. I learned I can push through hard things, rebuild from scratch, and come out stronger on the other side. That strength carried me through launching my business, navigating the uncertainty of entrepreneurship, and trusting myself to make big decisions. The wound isn’t gone, but it taught me I’m tougher than I thought.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Absolutely. Trying to maintain two different versions of myself sounds exhausting, and honestly, I’m not that good of an actor.

Sure, I might put on a happy face in public when I’m having a rough day, that’s just basic professionalism. But I don’t have the energy to pretend to be someone I’m not. I’m direct, I say what I mean, and I don’t soften my edges to make other people comfortable. That approach doesn’t work for everyone, but it works for me and the clients I want to work with.

What you see is what you get.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Yes, always. I need to be proud of the work I put out, whether anyone else notices or not. External validation is a nice bonus, but it can’t be the reason I show up.

I’ve learned that the projects I’m most proud of aren’t always the ones that get the most attention. Sometimes it’s the quiet problem I solved elegantly, or the client who finally felt seen and understood. That internal satisfaction—knowing I did it right—matters more than applause.

That said, I’m not going to pretend praise doesn’t feel good. It does. But if I’m only doing great work when someone’s watching, I’m in the wrong business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tandemcreativeworks.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tandemcreativeworks/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylmbever/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tandemcw