I’ve run my design studio for 15+ years. I work with clients to create new branding—or polish up their existing branding—to attract their ideal customers, investors, or partners. (If you’re like, “uh, what do you mean by branding?” read this.)
Sometimes a large corporation like Netflix books me for a focused project, but my sweet spot is working with small to medium-sized businesses. They’re my favorite because they’re really pumped about what they do.
Some clients are starting with nothing because they’re a new business. There’s no logo, visual theme, or brand story yet. They want to invest in a great foundation upfront, rather than DIY-ing it for a few years.
Other clients have been in business for decades. Their look has become dated, or it was designed for a different audience, so it’s not connecting. Or maybe their materials are all over the place—nothing is consistent so they don’t seem credible.
I figure out what makes each client special. Then we design a more compelling identity that helps get that story across to their audience.
I view identity design as solving a puzzle, and I love a challenge. Your brand’s visual theme, logo, and messaging need to contribute to your business success, not just beautify the universe. I like distilling complex ideas into clarity.
Appealing patterns can strike a chord with customers and make them fall in love with a product. The same quest for clarity in my brand identities comes through in my occasional surface design work: simple, and bold.
I’m a Minnesota native with a B.S. in Design Communication from the University of Minnesota. As a newly-minted designer, I worked in a corporate in-house creative department. Then spent several years at a Chicago design firm and started my own studio in 2007.
Currently I live in northern Kentucky—a walk across the Ohio River from downtown Cincinnati, a hidden gem of the midwest. Although I’d take a good tater tot hotdish over Cincinnati chili, I can’t complain. (Which is Minnesotan for “It’s fantastic!”)
If you’re a student or just curious about what it’s like to work as a designer, check out my interview page. If you’re a fellow creative, submit your info so we can collaborate sometime.
For client inquiries, get in touch!
A little side project is my annual Oscar bingo game. For over a decade I’ve been customizing silly printable bingo cards to play along with each year’s telecast. My Oscar bingo game has been mentioned by People Magazine and The Today Show. Oscar bingo is always free, so sign up here and I’ll send you next year’s edition. If you like poking fun at clichés, you might also enjoy Hallmark Christmas Movie bingo.
For seven years I wrote the design and craft blog How About Orange. A Bloggie web awards finalist most years, the site received up to a million visits a month. I archived it in 2014. It’s a relic from the early days of blogging and lives on, thanks to Blogspot’s free hosting.