New Savorista branding launches today!

 
 
 

Is there joy in your journey?

Or are you trying to cram too much into every day with the help of too much caffeine?

At Savorista, we want to help you find your proverbial North Star so that, rather than fueling busyness and overcommitment, coffee can take its rightful place in your life as something that lights your way. We’re proud to craft exceptional decaf and low-calf coffee that helps you lighten your load, find better balance, be more mindful, and... LIVE A LIFE WORTH SAVORING

 
 

Kait Brown knows exactly how you feel.


She felt the same way once, before she went on the adventure of a lifetime, learned how to live a caffeine-conscious life, and created her own life worth savoring.

Before she founded Savorista with her now-husband Daniel, Kait was guzzling coffee on her way to work, drinking more coffee to get her through the afternoon, working until 2 o’clock in the morning, and getting no sleep because she’d drunk so much coffee during the day. And, as if that weren’t stressful enough, her father was diagnosed with cancer, and she never got to see Daniel, who’d recently moved to Chicago to be with her. 

As everything she cared about started crumbling around her, Kait felt jittery, anxious, and close to collapse. She knew she should give up coffee, but it seemed like a horrible idea. She loved the flavor of coffee. She loved the ritual of coffee. And she loved her relationships that were built around coffee. Worst of all, she’d never even tasted a decaf that, quite frankly, didn’t suck.  That’s when she started to wonder, what if?. What if you could actually craft really good decaf? 

A year and a half later, Kait was caffeine-free and feeling better, and she knew she was ready for something...more. So, she and Daniel packed their bags, put everything in storage, and took off for a coffee quest in South America. They traveled  through Colombia, Kenya, Rwanda and Ethiopia, where they met with growers and decaffeinators, talked to producers and exporters, and tasted hundreds of coffees in blind taste tests. When the coffee they loved most out of sixteen turned out to be decaf, they realized decaf could be delicious. And with each day that passed, they discovered that their backpacks were a metaphor for the life they were living together—a life where THEY, not external factors and pressures, determined what they would carry on their journey. With their newfound clarity leading the way, they got engaged in Ethiopia, made amazing connections with exceptional growers, and focused on starting a world-class, caffeine-conscious coffee business

Today, Kait and Daniel are committed to helping others find their True North by encouraging them to use coffee to slow down, become more caffeine conscious, figure out what belongs in their own backpacks, and lead a life of joy. 

 

“I highly recommend Slagle Design and Verb Garden. Jeremy and Chris are fantastic to work with. They are creative, thoughtful and great listeners. Together they massively upgraded our visual branding and our strategic messaging. They listened to who we were, how we saw ourselves, and what we liked from a design perspective. We truly felt like we were on a tandem bike, working together towards a fantastic outcome. They built upon who we are, keeping the good stuff (like a particular slogan), refining some pieces (particular concepts) and reimagining others all together (like our logo and About Us copy). I'm thrilled that we chose to work with Slagle, as our visual brand through our logo and packaging now feels like a national premium coffee company. I'm looking forward to rolling out our brand!”

Kait Brown, Founder, CEO and Chief Coffee Lover, Savorista - Caffeine Conscious Coffee

 

Creative Strategy Partner: Verb Garden Inc

Location photos by Folchi Creative

Website design and development by Basis

Slagle Design wins five awards at Creative Best 2020

 

Slagle Design is honored to have our work selected for this year’s Columbus Society of Communication Arts Creative Best competition!

Special thanks to our clients and creative partners who shared the journey with us!

Identity Systems

Best of Category

Preservation Parks of Delaware County

Client:
Preservation Parks of Delaware County

Identity Systems

Award of Merit

The Aviator Flight System

Client:
Aviator Flight Sytem

Creative Partner:
Laura Rees

Illustration

Award of Excellence

Hip Hooray, Hippo

Client:
Happy Cargo Books

Creative Partner:
Beth Stafford

Motion

Best of Category

The Scotts Way Animation Series

Client:
Scotts/Miracle-Gro

Creative Partner:
Joey Judkins
JJ Motion Studio

Animation

Award of Merit

Miracle-Gro, Miraculous Gardening

Client:
Scotts/Miracle-Gro

Creative Partner:
Joey Judkins
JJ Motion Studio

 

New work: Preservation Parks of Delaware County

 

Slagle Design is grateful for the opportunity to work with the amazing team at Preservation Parks of Delaware County. This collaborative process went from brand strategy, through multiple logo concepts, refinement and application.

“We are excited to share our new logo. It will differentiate Preservation Parks in a county that is fortunate to be home to state parks, a popular Columbus Metro Park, and other local community parks. Each step in the process was done with intent and with the goal on being good stewards to our natural and financial resources.”

–Tom Curtin, Executive Director of Preservation Parks

The creation of the new logo was not only to differentiate Preservation Parks, but to continue to communicate Preservation Parks’ mission to Delaware County residents. “To protect and conserve the natural and historic features of Delaware County and to inspire outdoor exploration and learning.”

 

Not another “water and trees” logo

When it comes to parks logos, the world has too many “water and trees” logos. Just do a search for “metro parks logos” and you’ll see what we mean. We set out to create something as different and memorable as the experiences you’re likely to have at PPDC’s beautiful locations.

Recognizable at 45 miles per hour

A constant goal throughout the process was to create a logo that would stand out along a country road to drivers moving at speeds of 45 mph or more. The bright colors and bold type help the logo “pop” when surrounded by trees and natural settings. The colors also represent the sense of adventure and opportunities available to their constituents.

Stewards of the land and the logo

The new logo for PPDC is flexible and designed to be used in various sizes, orientations, and limited color options. PPDC is tax-payer funded by the residents of Delaware County and we set out to ensure PPDC would be good stewards of their money when it comes to brand implementation as they are for the land that they preserve and care for.

A Focus on flora and fauna

Wildlife preservation and natural surroundings are equally important when it comes to what visitors expect when they explore the parks. We set out from the beginning to ensure that we showed both aspects in a unique and unexpected way.

 

“Jeremy always went above and beyond in our quest for a new logo! He listened to our entire team, he did his research and designed an amazing logo for Preservation Parks. He found a way to differentiate our growing park district from others and to put our mission in motion. Thank you, Jeremy!”

–Beth Mccollam, Marketing and Communications Manager

 
 
 

Foxes are:

Unexpected

You forget all of the times you’ve spotted a deer or bird, but you never forget the times you have seen a fox in the wild. We are all about memorable and unexpected experiences.

Relateable

Humans have a natural connection with canines that we don’t have with other wild animals. Like humans, foxes are nurturing parents to their pups. Unlike wolves, they don’t live in packs, they live in small families called “leashes.”

Playful

Foxes are known to frolic and play. We want people to come to our parks and do the same.

Smart

The red fox is known to be an animal of intelligence and fortitude. This coincides with our love for learning and public educational opportunities.

Solitary

Despite their ability to thrive in towns and rural settings, foxes like to keep to themselves and avoid loud, active places. They “escape the busyness.”

 

Jeremy and Beth Join Jordan Raynor on the Call to Mastery Podcast

 

I have been a fan or Jordan’s writing for a few years. I picked up his book, Called to Create: A Biblical Invitation to Create, Innovate, and Risk and used it for a small group study with some fellow creative entrepreneurs. It’s fantastic. His recent book, Master of One: Find and Focus on the Work You Were Created to Do, is one of my favorite books in the last couple of years. I love his heart and the way he encourages entrepreneurs, business-people, and creatives of all types to lean into their calling and recognize we are uniquely created to do the work God has called us to do, and to do it with excellence.

 
 

When he started his podcast, I couldn’t wait to listen and it does not disappoint. He interviews some pretty heavy-hitters like N.T. Wright, Carly Fiorina, Tim Keller, Noah Elias, Lou Holtz (coming soon!) and others. I sent Jordan an email, telling him about our second Kickstarter campaign for a children’s book about empathy. I knew it was a long-shot but I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask if he thought we would be a good fit for his show.

Within a couple days, I received an email inviting us to hop on a call with him to shore more about our story. He loved it and invited us to be on as guests! We are so grateful for this opportunity. Thanks jordan!

You can find out more about Jordan, The Call to Mastery Podcast, and to sign up for his free weekly email devotional (which I love) at jordanraynor.com.

Follow him on social channels here: Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

 

Recent Project: Illustrations for ScripHero

Slagle Design worked with ScriptHero to create a series of illustrations for a recent issue of their on-line publication The PostScrpt about how to shop for prescription drugs.

“Slagle Design was an absolute joy and pleasure to work with on illustrations for ScriptHero's digital magazine, The PostScript. Jeremy took my bare outline of ideas and turned it into something clever and fun and, most importantly, something that communicated the article's thesis in a clear, impactful manner.”

Justin McIntosh, ScriptHero Content Manager

Visit the site here

10 things I’ve learned over the last 10 years

 
 
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Not only are we entering a new decade on the calendar, we at Slagle Design are entering our second decade as a business. We’ve learned a lot over the years.

I started as a reluctant entrepreneur. Ten years later, I’m a different person altogether. I’ve learned hundreds of things about myself, my business and about serving others in our work. Here are some of the best things I’ve learned, in no particular order. 

 
 
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Success is less about talent and more about being a trustworthy partner.

 
 

Listening, really listening. Delivering on time and on budget. Looking out for ways to save your clients money and overhead. Getting to know them and their business so you can create great work that resonates with them as well as their loyal customers. Responding in a timely fashion. Keeping them in the loop as to what to expect next and what will happen after that. These will keep you in business and lead to referrals. It’s not enough to make pretty work if you are unable to meet and exceed the needs of your clients and ensure that you’ll be a reliable and empathetic partner.

 
 
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Treat your business like a client.

 

Show me a “cobler whose children have no shoes” and I’ll show you a cobbler who needs to take better care of his family! We are creatives who help other businesses look great and communicate effectively and yet so many designers don’t care for their own business’ communications or creative side projects. You have to list your own projects right alongside your paying work–however you track such things (I’m currently loving Asana). When the paying work slows down or you’re waiting for a client to send approval, work on that much-needed update to your website or think about creating your holiday card, even if it’s April. You’ll thank yourself in November! It’s also a great place to list ideas for side projects or personal development goals. If you add it to your list and it still sounds like a good idea when you get around to it, it probably is!

 
 
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We all get screwed by someone at some point. How we choose to respond makes all the difference. 

 
 

They will take your work and refuse to pay you for it regardless of having everything in writing. Fortunately, it has only happened a few times. I lost sleep. I got angry. I got my lawyer involved. At the end of the day, you have two choices: fight or forgive. Fighting is expensive—often times more expensive that what is owed you. Fighting requires a lot of time that you could be spending working with the clients who actually value what you do. Fighting leads to bitterness and anxiety. I have found that when there are no options left, you have to forgive and move on. This is insanely hard to do in the moment, but once you realize that it’s not about you, it’s about them, you can, over time, forgive them and turn your energy to the clients who care. This a healing process for me and I have found that every time I have forgiven, it gets easier the next time.

 
 
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Believe in your process and stand by it at all cost.

 
 

We have a tried and true process. It is designed, not to make our jobs easier, but to deliver the best possible solutions for our clients and to ensure everyone is an active participant in the creative process. Sometimes, potential clients wish to skip key parts of the process due to budget, deadlines, or simply because they don’t value certain parts. Every time I have bent over backwards and or taken a project against my better judgement, I have regretted it. Figure out your tried-and-true process and stick to it. If someone wants you to cut corners, walk away. It means they aren’t a good fit for you and it’s not fair to either party involved. Remember that a healthy relationship is a two-way street. It’s not enough for the client to choose you as a good fit for them, it’s equally important that they are a good fit for you.

 
 
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I’m far more capable than I gave myself credit for.

 
 

When I started out, I promised God (out loud) “I would not say ‘no’ to an opportunity if fear is the only reason.” Shortly thereafter I was invited to speak and present my work to design students and faculty at a university. I was terrified. The only thing I remember was getting up to speak and sitting down afterwards. I have no recollection of what I said or even if I said anything at all. Then I accepted an opportunity to speak to another group, then another. Over the years, speaking has become an opportunity I actively seek out and has given me a platform to encourage and inspire others in ways I couldn’t have imagined and has led to some great friendships.

 
 
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It’s good to be a generalist.

 

We don’t listen to people who tell us to “stay in our lane” or “you have to specialize.” If you want to add to your skill set, take a class, learn something on Skillshare, get some equipment and learn how to use it. Intern for someone who is willing to show you the ropes. I started out as a designer but I also do quite a bit of illustration and photography. Branching out and adding new skills keeps things interesting and fresh. It also gives you knowledge about how things work. So even if you end up outsourcing projects that you like to do, you have an understanding of the ins and outs so you can communicate well with your creative partners.

 
 
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Trusted, vetted, creative partners who treat your clients as well as you do are essential.

 
 

While it’s good to be a generalist, its equally important to know your boundaries. We partner with some of the smartest, most talented, most reliable people around. They are developers, writers, producers, animators, printers, and architects to name a few. Our clients love them and we couldn’t do our job without them. We trust them to work directly with out clients and often the relationships extend beyond our scope of the project. We love hearing when clients continue their relationships with our creative partners long after our part of the job is complete.

 
 
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Invest time in your website. 

 

I see it all of the time: killer social media presence with a non-existent website. We get a ton of work from our website because we have made it the primary focus of our attention. Social media platforms come and go. They change their algorithms and change the rules. They use your work to sell advertising and your information as currency. But your website is 100% under your control. Posting on your blog, keeping your portfolio up to date and making regular updates makes a huge impact on your bottom line. It’s a sandbox where you get to set the rules and build what you want without conforming to someone else’s. After all, when clients are looking for a designer, they typically search on Google, not Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

 
 
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Social media isn’t social.

 

 People will say things on-line they would never say to someone in-person. They will trash people they have never met, practice moral superiority, and add anxiety and drama to your life. Life has enough drama of its own. Be actually social, join and support local creative organizations. Attend conferences. Grab coffee with people. Have real conversations. You’ll find out that people have more in common than social media would lead you to believe, and maybe hearing from others can change your perception and even your opinion.

 
 
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Joy comes from gratitude.

 

Working for someone else and expecting a regular paycheck is very different than relying on whatever work comes your way in a given month. When I started Slagle Design 10 years ago, losing a regular paycheck and benefits was really scary. It took a good five years before I was mentally out of “scarcity mode.” Focusing on scarcity means you aren’t able to see provision when it’s staring right back at you. Gratitude is about focusing on the provision. When that mental switch flipped it changed everything. When I recognized I had little control over my workload and income and it actually gave me peace. What I can control is how much we save and how much we spend. We learned to save, save, save, during times of plenty so when the drought comes, you have plenty of margin to cover any losses.