consulting |

I have always been somewhat proud — that’s not quite the right word — of the fact that over 25 years of designing marketing materials for clients, I have NEVER advertised. I think it’s less pride than it is reassurance that my skills and talents are valued and worthwhile and not having to advertise is just a key performance indicator (KPI in the business world).

*Front of the business card for Palisades Farmers Market in Washington D.C.*

*Back of the business card for Palisades Farmers Market in Washington D.C.*

During my 6 years of consulting and humanitarian work, I didn’t design much of anything (although those skills did come in handy many times – particularly using MailChimp to send a regional newsletter but I digress…). Occasionally random strangers would still approach me via email or my website about design work. Most of the time, I’ve had to ignore those requests but I had some free time yesterday when an easy request arrived in my in-box and I learned a few things about myself:

I was giddily happy to be doing any kind of design work again. I just love to CREATE whether it’s a small business card or an entire marketing plan or confidence in a colleague or friend…creation is my “thing.”
Software is the same, but with wonderful upgrades — and believe it or not I kept up my Adobe subscription for 6 years while barely using it (now that’s a commitment to software you love).
I’ll never get used to switching from Mac to PC back to Mac again — muscle memory from years of shortcuts and keyboard strokes do NOT translate to the right buttons! I’ll get there…still loving my new MacBook…but probably just in time to get back to Windows 10 and a PC (which I despised at first but quickly came to love). I joke that we’re a non-denominational platform family — we like to use ALLLLLLL the devices available to improve our lives.

This new client found me via a simple Google search for “ticket business card” and came across this old post from 2013. Wow! That’s reassuring because even though I thought my skills were a bit rusty — and I’m sure they are — good design is timeless. I may not have the drawing skills I’d like but I can set up a typographical hierarchy like nobody’s business…and it was good to know I’ve still got it, it just takes a little longer than six years ago!

One of my freelance clients over the years has been Delasco — a fantastic company with fantastic employees. Did you know that they are the world’s largest dermatologic supplier? Not only have I done over a decade’s worth of their annual 250+ page, full-color catalog (from 1997 through 2010), I have helped them with many marketing and communications projects ranging from boxes and info sheets to forms, catalogs, ads and banners. They have been such a good client over the years that it would take hundreds – possibly thousands – of posts to show everything I’ve done for them. Some of the best moments, though, were found in developing life-long friendships with some amazing people (you know who you are!). Freelance work doesn’t have to be solitary — with clients like these, work can be uplifting and downright fun. The particular direct mailer above was used to announce their booth at an AAD meeting in New Orleans. It was a highly successful piece with a blue metallic PMS used for most of the background and the mailing side which I have yet to scan in and post.

Tag Archives: consulting

What I Designed Today: Farmers Market Business Cards

(Not So) Recent Design Work: Tradeshow Direct Mail Card for Delasco