The chapter of my life where travel journalism entered the chat began in the spring of 2022, and there was […]
Travel writing attracts people who love movement, storytelling, and curiosity. What it doesn’t always prepare them for is the reality […]
Brunch & Budget
Pockets Change
See Change Financial
Website Design & Strategy
Digital Marketing
Email Marketing (Newsletters)
Copywriting
Graphic Design
SC Creative Group (freelance)
From 2017 to 2021, I worked alongside the passionate team behind several brands to lead their website, email, and brand design strategy. What started as a 5-month marketing management project for one brand (covering brand asset consulting, advertising & social campaigns, social media and website design and strategy), expanded into 3-years of on-going collaboration across three brands in the financial education space.
The network of brands included: Brunch & Budget, affordable financial planning for people of color; Pockets Change, an organization that builds intergenerational financial resilience with students, families, and educators through hip-hop pedagogy; and See Change Financial, a radical financial community for creators of color who are taking control of their finances as a liberatory catalyst to lead value-filled lives.
During our 3-year client/consultant relationship, our work together supported the increased visibility and brand amplification they sought to achieve in unifying their brand message, mission, and visual identity.
We redesigned the site architecture, layout, copy, and visuals of each brand, creating an engaging, ever-updated online presence that kept each community informed and engaged. I also led the creation and implementation of marketing management systems including newsletter and social media content planning, design, and scheduling.
By helping Pam, Dyalekt, and Andrea (the creators) spend less time on promoting their business, they were able to lean into more programming and serving more educators, young adults, parents, and youth. In addition to re-purposing their decade-plus history of financial planning wisdom via their Brunch & Budget podcast, I also made sure during our time working together that they leveraged all opportunities to raise awareness, dollars (fundraising), and impact through storytelling.
One of the biggest achievements of supporting their brand growth goals came through a fundraising campaign for Pockets Change. After implementing a new donor engagement strategy and amplifying the initiative across platforms and partner networks at my recommendation, I helped the organization raise $19,000 in November 2021.
[Graphic Design] Social Media Content Management
During the era of social highlights via quote cards and brand-forward graphics and insights, I designed a set of social media templates for the team’s internal use. These templates helped onboard their interns into social media management while I supported by spearheaded strategy and copy for social and email behind the scenes.
Pockets Change Website Revamp Preview (2019)
Brunch & Budget Website Revamp Preview (2018)
Greenlight
Creative Strategy
Experiential Marketing
Copywriting
Fizz (Atlanta, Georgia)
Greenlight is a financial technology company on a mission to raise financially smart kids. Through its debit card for kids and application subscription, the company makes it easier for parents to teach their kids about money management while giving them a parent-monitored space to learning about things like saving, stocks, and direct deposits. The “all-in-one money app for families,” Greenlight gives kids independence while giving parents peace of mind.
The fintech company contracted Fizz, a word-of-mouth marketing agency based in Atlanta, to help expand brand awareness as it sought to increase users and identify ways to penetrate the market on a national scale for the first time.
As a contracted strategist, I worked alongside the in-house agency team to develop a robust creative WOM marketing strategy that included more than a dozen experiential digital and live brand activations. The goal of the overall strategy was to identify niche sectors within the broader target demographic and pinpoint opportunities (events, life moments, everyday activities, etc.) that would allow the brand to organically make life a little easier – as on-the-go parents and schedule-stacked kids – creating a chance to get curious and engage with GL market managers about the brand.
Working alongside the in-house strategy and design teams, my role was to develop word-of-mouth-marketing concepts into detailed experiences. This included researching a calendar of brand-aligned community and sporting events, developing a go-to-market plan for each concept, and presenting relevant branded swag ideas along with identifying vendors, costs, specs requirements, etc. to pass along to the project manager for execution.
The link below is a preview of one of the concepts I spearheaded the research, copywriting, and strategy development on. This concept was part of a larger word-of-mouth marketing strategy deck.
[Word-of-Mouth Strategy Concept] Greenlight ‘Very Invested Parents’ Strategy
Jim Ellis Automotive Group
Event Planning & Management
Vendor Procurement & Management
Budget Management
Copywriting
Design
Jim Ellis Automotive Advertising Agency
One of the joys of maintaining great professional relationships is being able to work with old employers on new initiatives. Jim Ellis Automotive Group is Atlanta, Georgia’s largest family-owned automotive group.
While the company’s marketing manager was out on maternity leave, I was tapped to step into her role. As the interim marketing manager, one of my responsibilities was to lead and execute the grand opening celebration of the automotive group’s 18th dealership – Jim Ellis Toyota of McDonough Grand Opening – a newly remodeled 57,000 square foot facility.
This project was exciting for a few reasons. Namely, the ability to lean into the breadth of my expertise. During this project, I led every aspect of the event, from securing vendors and media communications to run-of-show planning, invitations, and on-site management.
On Tuesday, May 21, 2019, Jim Ellis Automotive Group celebrated the official grand opening of Jim Ellis Toyota of McDonough. By all accounts, the affair was a successful introduction of the trusted Jim Ellis brand to Atlanta metro’s Southern region.
The event was well-regarded by those in attendance including Jim Ellis Automotive’s President, Jimmy Ellis, special guest executives from Toyota HQ, and – most importantly – the dedicated dealership staff, family, and friends. Special guests included Jim McEachern (Vice President, Southeast Toyota Field Operations) and Billy Copeland (Mayor of McDonough, GA).
The dealership’s acquisition and grand opening received media coverage locally and in notable national outlets including Business Insider and Auto Remarketing.
This project is a great example of my ability to work across teams, using my diverse background to easily navigate multiple corporate brand standards and guidelines, coordinate design projects, draft promotional and media-related communications, manage vendors (catering, event decor, entertainment, photo/video) and budgets, handle experiential logistics, and oversee on-site execution.
[Blog Post/Press Relase] Jim Ellis Automotive Group Acquires Toyota of McDonough
[Blog Post/Press Relase] Jim Ellis Automotive Celebrates the Official Grand Opening of Jim Ellis Toyota of McDonough
Jim Ellis Automotive Group
Event Planning & Management
Vendor Procurement & Management
Budget Management
Copywriting
Design
Jim Ellis Automotive Advertising Agency
One of the joys of maintaining great professional relationships is being able to work with old employers on new initiatives. Jim Ellis Automotive Group is Atlanta, Georgia’s largest family-owned automotive group.
While the company’s marketing manager was out on maternity leave, I was tapped to step into her role. As the interim marketing manager, one of my responsibilities was to lead and execute the grand opening celebration of the automotive group’s 18th dealership – Jim Ellis Toyota of McDonough Grand Opening – a newly remodeled 57,000 square foot facility.
This project was exciting for a few reasons. Namely, the ability to lean into the breadth of my expertise. During this project, I led every aspect of the event, from securing vendors and media communications to run-of-show planning, invitations, and on-site management.
On Tuesday, May 21, 2019, Jim Ellis Automotive Group celebrated the official grand opening of Jim Ellis Toyota of McDonough. By all accounts, the affair was a successful introduction of the trusted Jim Ellis brand to Atlanta metro’s Southern region.
The event was well-regarded by those in attendance including Jim Ellis Automotive’s President, Jimmy Ellis, special guest executives from Toyota HQ, and – most importantly – the dedicated dealership staff, family, and friends. Special guests included Jim McEachern (Vice President, Southeast Toyota Field Operations) and Billy Copeland (Mayor of McDonough, GA).
The dealership’s acquisition and grand opening received media coverage locally and in notable national outlets including Business Insider and Auto Remarketing.
This project is a great example of my ability to work across teams, using my diverse background to easily navigate multiple corporate brand standards and guidelines, coordinate design projects, draft promotional and media-related communications, manage vendors (catering, event decor, entertainment, photo/video) and budgets, handle experiential logistics, and oversee on-site execution.
[Blog Post/Press Relase] Jim Ellis Automotive Group Acquires Toyota of McDonough
[Blog Post/Press Relase] Jim Ellis Automotive Celebrates the Official Grand Opening of Jim Ellis Toyota of McDonough
