hey hi, I’m chereen!

A creative biz bestie, outdoorsy knitter, food-loving traveler, and winter-loving Sagittarius.

I help multi-passionate creatives and values-led biz owners rewild life and business through slow, intentional growth, creative community, and everyday adventure.

What started as a small knitting side hustle has grown into a creative ecosystem of cozy handmade goods, adventurous creative retreats, a YouTube channel Smeeny in the Wild, and a community of other woman-led business who are ditching the hustle, prioritizing life, and making an impact.

CHEREEN LEONG SCHWARZ

Founder. Maker. Adventurer.

Before Smeeny Made Wild became this creative community, I was a kid growing up along the Pacific coastline and redwoods of Northern California who loved playing in the dirt, hiking, and camping. My connection to nature only deepened when I spent two seasons living and working in Yellowstone National Park. That experience changed everything.

After those seasons in park, my (now) husband and I thought we’d be ski bums for a winter and moved to the small ski town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. What we thought would be one winter has become over 12 years of skiing, hiking, biking, rafting, and spending as much time as possible outside with our dog, Arya!

I taught myself to knit with a pair of thrift store needles and a couple YouTube videos. That simple hobby lit a spark. What started as a “little side hustle” became the beginning of a life I never could have predicted. I left my career as a restaurant chef, took a job on a local farm, and traded burnout for building something rooted in freedom, creativity, and the outdoors.

Now I help other creatives do the same.

Today, Smeeny Made Wild is more than a brand—it’s a thriving community of adventurous creatives, makers, and small business owners who care about the planet and want to do things differently. We’re rewilding life and business by slowing down, reconnecting with ourselves, nature, creativity, and the things that truly matter.

Through immersive group experiences, mentorship, and online resources, I help you rewild your business so you can grow something sustainable and wildly true to who you are.

You don’t have to figure it out alone. Whether you’re in the dreaming phase or knee-deep in the messy middle, I’m here to journey alongside you with strategy, intentional guidance, and space to breathe.

Let’s trade burnout for something better—something impactful, creative, and wildly you.

Thank you for being a part of my story.

join a CREATIVE RETREAT!

You don’t need another course…you need space to reconnect.

My not-retreat retreats are designed for adventurous, purpose-driven creatives craving adventure, connection, and clarity, in life and in business.

Surrounded by nature, creativity, and a like-hearted crew of small biz owners, you’ll walk away reconnected to your purpose and ready to build something aligned, intentional, and wildly you.

SHOP my HANDMADE KNITS

Handcrafted and handmade goods, to get you outside

Shop knit beanies, adventure goods, knitting patterns, and gift cards.

YOUTUBE: SMEENY IN THE WILD

Creative Business Advice and Vlogs

Welcome to my little corner of YouTube…Smeeny in the Wild…where we talk all things aligned business, intentional living, creative adventures, and building a life outside the hustle. Whether I’m filming from the trail, my studio, or another country, this is where I share behind-the-scenes, biz wisdom, and stories to spark your next big idea.