Feb Update • Feb 2024

On tap:
​Client Love

Case Study - Black Mountain Renovation + Design

John Presenting at Craft Your Commerce Workshops

AIGA Creative Hangouts

Finding the way in Person

Mega Networking

Playlist

Client Love

You never know how the interaction you are having today will come back to you in a decade.
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Recently I've been on site with a new client running discovery and strategy workshops. I worked with this client about 10 years ago when I was part of the leadership team at a local sign shop. He's followed me ever since then, after I struck out on my own and through some other employment gigs and acquisitions.
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We first talked about working together to rebrand his business 1st Choice Service Group, almost a year ago. Now we're in the midst of it and what an amazing team and culture they have. It's always really special to be working with my ideal clients on clarifying their ideal clients.

I'm grateful I get to work with business leaders that share values around integrity, care and excellence and to get such positive feedback from them on the process. In the photo above we're kicking things off with a connecting activity using Climer Cards. Made by my friend and Asheville local Amy Climer.
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Who's next?

Reach Out

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Case Study: Black Mountain Renovation + Design

When Kendra, co-founder of a thriving handyman business nestled in the heart of Black Mountain, NC, reached out to us, her message resonated with ambition and foresight.

For nearly five years, Kendra and her husband Mark had built a reputable handyman service. Yet, their vision didn’t stop there. Aiming to expand into a market opportunity in general contracting and remodeling, they dreamed of creating an umbrella company to house their growing portfolio of services.

However, their current “Black Mountain Handyman” brand, was strong for a particular market niche. But that brand identity design didn’t quite capture the expanded authority and trust needed to encompass their broadening horizons. That's where we came in...

Read More

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Presenting at Craft Your Commerce Spring Series.

I'm excited to be presenting two workshops at the Craft Your Commerce’s Spring Series: The Entrepreneur’s Toolkit! This immersive series is tailor-made for creative business owners, offering a comprehensive exploration of essential tools to enhance the operations of your business.
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I'll be presenting AI for Creatives and Sales for Introverted Creatives. Join us for a season of growth and innovation. There are a couple other AIGA past board members presenting as well. And AIGA AVL members can get FREE access to the whole series.

Learn More

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Request your free copy of the Summit Seeker Strategy Workbook Ready to see how you can incorporate physical branding into your next experience? Our new DIY tool is ready! Download yours here. Free Download

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​Speaking of AIGA....

As current President of our local chapter I'm excited to share more about AIGA AVL as well. We're a local chapter of a national organization, The Professional Association for Design. We welcome not only designers but design adjacent creatives as well (photographers, marketers, copyrighters, illustrators, makers, etc...) Come join our monthly gathering: Creative Hangouts - a combination social and panel discussion on a relevant topic.

🎨 Topic This Month: Systems that Changed your Workflow
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​Let's talk efficiency, inspiration, and organization! This month, we're discussing systems that changed your workflow.
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​Join us at Mojo Event Hall, 81 S. Broadway St., downtown Asheville, every third Thursday for a stimulating evening that merges networking with insightful discussion.

Event Details:

🗓️ Date: March 21, 2024

📍 Location: Mojo Event Hall

⏰ Time: 5:30 - 7:30 PM

💲 Cost: Free for Members, $5 for Non-Members
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The Evening's Flow:

First Hour: Mingle, network, and connect with fellow creatives.

Second Hour: Dive into a moderated panel discussion

Whether you're navigating the waters of a creative career, juggling artistic passions with professional demands, or simply seeking inspiration from like-minded individuals, this event is for you.
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Moderated by:
Amanda Wilde
Panelists: Jonathan Ross, Johnathon Strube, and Thomas Maher

Sponsored by Mojo Coworking, these hangouts are not just events; they're a lifeline to connect, grow, and find your unique equilibrium in the creative world.

🔗 Learn more and join the conversation at www.asheville.aiga.org
🔗 Explore coworking and meeting options at www.mojocoworking.com

Beverages will be provided by Devil's Foot & Buchi (by FedUp Foods)
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Free for members. To learn more about membership and to join visit https://www.aiga.org/membership-community/aiga-membership​
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​Not a member? No big deal. A $5 donation gets you in and supports our mission. ​
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Join Us

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Finding the way in Person

We're excited to be continuing collaborating with JM Teague Engineering & Planning on a county wayfinding sign design project for the Person County, NC TDA. With two decades in the sign industry, John brings insights to custom wayfinding solutions to compliment the extensive expertise of JM Teague. Result: Dream team collaboration!

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This, combined with our strategy-first approach, sets us apart. In a digital age, we thrive on the tangible. We spent a couple days in Person County County, co-facilitating a workshop with J.M. Teague. We've been working with the client and stakeholders on draft sign designs and all things wayfinding. We're now moving on to creating a draft sign standards manual.

Explore Capabilities

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Mega Networking

We're gearing up to be table hosts at this spring's Asheville Chamber Mega Networking event.
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This sold out event is held just twice a year. Mega Networking's structured, "round robin" approach allows attendees to make valuable connections in a small group. Each person has a chance to share about their business. Attendees rotate from table to table, you'll interact with almost everyone there, allowing them to make numerous connections in just one morning.
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We're looking forward to holding down one of the tables at this event!

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Let's Jam!

As usual, we keep pumping out a monthly playlist of tunes that are keeping us motivated as we work on building brands and helping clients seize opportunities. Click below for our current playlists. This cover art for the March playlist was made in ChatGPT Plus with Dall-e using an iterative prompting method.
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What are you listening to right now? Reply back and let us know. We might add it to a future playlist.

Play