At some point next week I will have wrapped up an inital draft of a personal portfolio, something I haven’t done in years. I have a lot of mixed feelings, including dread, over it, but I’m pushing through and it’s coming along nicely.

I had a birthday recently and am reminded of one of my professional goals: to move away from graphic and visual design and fully into a position based in strategy and creative direction by 40. While I have definitely made progress here, it’s been slow. With only a year remaining, I realize I need to change my approach.

I’m crafting a portfolio that takes a closer look at three recent projects and the varied work required for me to complete these successfully. Sure, visual design is a part of these projects, but it’s only able to fall into place after a lot of research, strategy, and relationship building—this is what I actually love doing. Yes, I created an identity for a nonprofit this year, but I also wrote their mission statement, defined their brand’s personality, and helped them craft their values. I need a portfolio that focuses on these foundational elements first and visual design second.

I’d love to collaborate with someone for a mutual portfolio review soon. My experience is rooted in writing, graphic and visual design, marketing design, UX/UI design, some front-end development, and general micro agency things. Let’s share our goals over coffee and gather thoughtful feedback to help each other achieve them.

Reach out on Mastodon, email, or Discord, and we’ll get started—can’t wait.