Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaci Lund.
Jaci, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Well, it’s something of a circuitous route. I actually got my start in design as a fluke. In high school, I was accidentally placed in an advanced art class with no prior experience and I loved it. But I had no idea that you could have a career being creative. So I embarked on four fun-filled years at Michigan State as a seemingly much more practical communications major, followed by two years in Atlanta at a traditional desk job. At this point, I was desperate for a creative outlet.
After spending time enjoying Atlanta’s burgeoning restaurant scene, I set my goals on getting out from behind a desk and designing for the hospitality industry. Luckily, I discovered the Creative Circus, and while I didn’t even know how to turn on a Mac on my first day, for two years I was surrounded by talented weirdos just like me and fell in love with graphic design and branding.
Then, just about five years ago, and after just about five years as a designer and creative director in the industry, I started Treebird Branding at my kitchen table. My neighbor’s roosters could be heard crowing on client calls and I spent most days working in my pajamas. Luckily, that only lasted about a year before I hired my first employees and we moved to our first office. Now we’re in what I think is an incredibly cool space on Ellsworth Industrial, and we’re a team of eight working on some of the most interesting restaurants, retail spaces, luxury apartments, and small businesses in the city and Southeast.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Yes and no. Some things have been surprisingly easy. When I first launched Treebird Branding, I had clients coming out of the woodwork to support my new endeavor because so many of them had made a similar leap in their careers. I had clients ordering work I know they didn’t even really need just to make sure I was busy. That’s something I wish I would have known before starting, as it would have saved me a lot of anxiety.
Our current space on the Westside is our 4th office in less than five years. All the moving has been difficult and quite trying, but landing here has made it all worth it. Of course, as a small business owner you’re always worried about invoices not being paid on time, staff morale and turnover, client retention, drumming up a new business, and never truly having a day off. But I think most small business owners would agree that it all comes with the territory of being your own boss and living out your vision in the world. For me, it’s been a very fulfilling challenge, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Treebird Branding – what should we know?
Treebird Branding specializes in the strategy, design, and delivery of coherent and compelling branding. We primarily focus on restaurants, multi-family residences, and retail in the lifestyle industries, but we also work with plenty of small business owners who are just getting their own big ideas off the ground. We’re true partners—not a vendor—and we like to form long-term relationships with our clients. Since we’re small, we’re very agile and can accommodate our clients’ needs in ways they appreciate.
Another thing that sets us apart is our range and our individuated approach to every client. Once we create a look or an aesthetic for one client, we take great pains to never repeat it for anyone else. That’s actually quite a big pet peeve of mine that I see too often—appliqueing an established look and feel across a whole spectrum of clients, sometimes who are in the same industry. And while we always keep up to date on the leading edge of design, we tend to focus on more classic approaches to ensure that our clients aren’t seen as flash-in-the-pan trend-chasers. Our work is built to last, so a client isn’t faced with a re-brand every three years to stay relevant and not look outdated.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1425 Ellsworth Industrial Blvd. #36
Atlanta, GA 30318 - Website: www.treebirdbranding.com
- Phone: 404 433 6858
- Email: info@treebirdbranding.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treebirdbranding/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TreebirdBranding/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TreebirdBrand
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/TreebirdBrand/
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
