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Jen Spinner
I am a experienced creative director with over 10 years experience serving clients across industries. You get my skills in strategy, project management, art direction, graphic design and illustration baked into everything I do. All without the agency overhead. Your project benefits from my strategic knowledge working with brands like Air Canada, Kate Spade New York, Etsy, and Human Rights Watch. My client, I-Think, was so impressed with my performance that my “expertise and collaborative spirit earned [me] the honorary title of our ‘Clarity Director.’”
Connect with Jen here…
Join us for an interview with Jen on Business MentorshipKeepin It Real
and if you’re on the move here is the podcast.
Creative Director, Jen Spinner
- Contributed By: Jen Spinner
Tell us a little something about your business...
Spinner Design is a full-service strategic design agency without the overhead. What does that mean? You get high caliber strategic design, without the huge mark-ups. My services include graphic and marketing design, branding identity and voice design, art direction, web and UX design and of course, paper sculpture design. I pride myself on deeply listening to your needs. From there, I design custom solutions tailored to solve your unique problems. For me, relationships are the most important part of what I do. I am always excited to get to know you and find out how I can help you grow your business.
When was your lightbulb moment?
I had been working in-house as an art director and graphic design in various advertising and design agencies. From the outside, the work was exciting, but I wanted work that that was more challenging. I knew I wanted to run my own business but it seemed so scary. I didn’t know where to start. I quietly put up a website of the work I was most proud of and kept on working away.
One day, I received an email from Kate Spade New York who had seen personal work on my site of paper fire escapes. They asked me to pitch on window display concepts for their Madison Ave. flagship store. I did and won the job! I created custom paper fire escapes for their windows from my studio, all while working full time at my agency job. Once that installation was installed, I flew to NYC to visit the Kate Spade New York flagship store on Madison Ave. It was such a thrill to have my work recognized in such a dramatic way!
That job made me realize that I’d be better suited as a freelancer rather than in-house. I promptly quit my full time position and started taking on freelance contracts. Now, almost 10 years later, I have grown my business to be a full service agency without the overhead. You get high caliber strategic design, without the huge mark-ups. My services include graphic and marketing design, branding identity and voice design, art direction, web and UX design and of course, paper sculpture design.
What are your three words of advice?
Relationships matter. My favourite moments in business and life are making connections. Whether that is a new client reaching with the perfect project for us to collaborate on together. Or it is a connection I made between two people who I think should meet. You truly never know where your connections will lead. So, make sure to always be kind and be yourself. The right people will remember you!
When it comes to self-promotion, don’t follow trends. It is tempting to follow what you perceive to be the “successful” path of someone else you admire. Keep in mind that what works for them may not be what’s best for you. I approach self-promotion with levity and sense of curiosity. I follow my instinct toward what I want to share and use that to guide me. This helps me to stay confident in my innate uniqueness.
Admire the beauty in your life. I use my ability to notice and appreciate beauty as a way to stay connected to myself. This can be as complex as admiring a beautiful piece of art and design. Or as simple as taking a deep breath while the sun shines on me. Use the beauty all around you to stay in the moment.
Three words of advice...
Relationships first. Be you. Admire beauty.
I am a experienced creative director with over 10 years experience serving clients across industries. You get my skills in strategy, project management, art direction, graphic design and illustration baked into everything I do. All without the agency overhead. Your project benefits from my strategic knowledge working with brands like Air Canada, Kate Spade New York, Etsy, and Human Rights Watch. My client, I-Think, was so impressed with my performance that my “expertise and collaborative spirit earned [me] the honorary title of our ‘Clarity Director.’”
Connect with Jen here…
Join us for an interview with Jen on Business MentorshipKeepin It Real
and if you’re on the move here is the podcast.
“May your legacy create a footprint of success for the next person who steps into your shoes”
