Reflecting on 2023

With 2024 now here, we wanted to reflect on 2023 and share our goals for this year. To do this, we had AI generate some questions for us to think about and share with all of you!

Looking back on the past year, what motivated you the most?

Christina - Throughout the past year, we've done a lot of work internally. We refined our brand identity in 2021 and have been slowly updating our website, adding projects, removing older, less relevant projects, planning some merch/products, and planning ways to continue growing. It's been a slow process, so seeing everything come together is incredibly fulfilling. I leveled up my office a lot over the past year. I moved into a larger apartment with a separate office, upgraded to a standing desk, and even got a desk treadmill! I’m a sucker for counting steps, and all of this has made focusing on work a lot easier. I've prioritized my health over the past year — also spending more time biking and running, so seeing that progress motivates me to keep going.

Michael - Bills.

How did you and your partner collaborate effectively as a team, and what were some of the unique challenges and benefits of working together?

Christina - The way we work together is very fluid, and our communication (which we've worked on for years) continues to become more effortless. If I ever need feedback, a second pair of eyes, or a pep talk, Michael very willingly provides it. He is the backbone of this whole operation, continually working behind the scenes (clients mostly get to deal with me). The most unique challenge is we are both very restless people and can get bored quickly. When our restlessness overlaps, it makes it difficult to enjoy what we're currently working on. That's when we both have to get away from the computer, breathe some fresh air, or do something fun on the side like "Cinder work," creating something for ourselves.

Michael - Like Christina said, we've always worked well as a team. We enjoy researching a project, sketching out ideas, and then sharing them with each other. Our concepts always improve once we refine them together. It usually sparks a solution neither of us would have imagined individually.

One challenge of working so closely together and for so long is when we take and give criticism. Even after all these years, there are times when you have to step back and remember that it's not personal.

Can you describe any changes you made internally?

One of the most significant changes we made this past year was refining and narrowing our services. We reflected on the work we enjoyed most and removed a few services that didn't rank high enough. We completely removed web design from the list. That doesn't mean we'll say no if an opportunity arises and the project is a good fit — but it's not something we want to advertise anymore. Most of the web work that has come our way either didn't interest us or wasn't in our wheelhouse. Plus, there are so many freelance web designers out there who enjoy doing it. We prefer contracting someone to collaborate with on a larger project that may include web work.

How have you kept up with the latest design trends and technologies, and how have you incorporated them into your work?

Christina - Much of our work isn't sustainable if it's "on trend," but we must be aware of trends and trend forecasts. We do so by paying attention, observing, keeping up-to-date on rebrands, following our favorite designers and artists, staying up-to-date on relevant market research, and noting changes or updates to technology. Many major industry organizations or publications such as Adobe, Dieline, Print, Nielsen, LogoLounge, and even Forbes create reports each year that we watch for.

Michael - Luckily for us, the hardware we use doesn't change THAT much. We can do our job with a few essential tools. However, we do need to upgrade our equipment on occasion. Recently, we decided to change from a desktop/laptop setup to a laptop/monitor setup. I loved having my powerful desktop computer with multiple monitors to work on, but I needed the laptop for travel. However, laptops have become so powerful that we no longer need both. I can still have my large monitor at home and be untethered from my home office when I want. This setup is more flexible and is a better fit for us. One trend we have been paying close attention to is AI and if we have a use for it in our daily work. Recently, we had a project where Generative Expand in Photoshop allowed us to use images that had been very limiting in the past.

Can you talk about a project from the past year that you are particularly proud of and share why you believe it was successful?

Christina - Unfortunately, my favorite project I can't walk about! We contract with a few small agencies across the country and team up for specific types of projects, so we aren't able to publicly show the projects we collaborate on. The most successful part of the project was the collaboration itself. It was a brand identity and packaging project, and the discussions around the concepts, marks, and ideas were creatively fulfilling. Another project I enjoyed just as much was a promotional piece created for Mohawk Fine Paper. It’s a small promotional piece featuring a new product we hope to share soon! Any chance we can work with print (and Mohawk Fine Paper) is exciting.

Michael - I am honestly proud of everything Cinder puts out, whether that's a large branding project or a little sticker. It's still surreal to me that we started this company and have been in business for as long as we have. It's something I've wanted ever since I started learning design.

One stand-out opportunity this year was when we worked with and visited OVO, a branding agency based in Portland, Oregon. I had interned with OVO while living in Arizona 15 years ago, and they significantly influenced the designer I became. To work so closely with them all these years later was special for me. 

How have you balanced creativity and practicality in your work, and how have you ensured that your designs met your clients' needs?

Christina - We have a reasonably good balance of client work that is production-focused and client work that is more conceptually challenging. The same goes for our internal business operations-type work. There is an equal number of day-to-day business tasks. On a personal note, I'm always finding something fun to do that is creatively fulfilling, like jewelry making, clay, or tinkering with my car or bike. As far as meeting our clients' needs, we strategize with them before we even start the design work to define their goals for the project. If we meet those goals, we've done work we can be proud of.

Michael - When it comes to ensuring our clients see a return on their investment, it's important to ask a lot of questions and do our research. Every project is different, but the better we understand our client's needs, the better the outcome will be.

How did you handle difficult clients or projects, and what strategies did you use to overcome any challenges?

We're fortunate that we haven't had any tough clients over the past year! Sometimes, clients bring ideas to the table that conflict with project goals. While those conversations can be tricky, working with clients is a collaboration. We provide a service. We do our best to steer a client in the right direction, but ultimately, they make the final decision. Usually, those clients need to be reminded of the project goals and research behind the decisions made.

How have you approached branding and helped clients develop a unique visual identity for their business?

We focus a lot on the personality and character of our clients and their communities. The most unique part of a brand is the people behind it, so we aim to communicate that through the visual identity.

Looking back on the past year, how did you prioritize and manage your workload, and what strategies did you use to stay organized and efficient?

Christina - Being a partnership, communication is the best way to manage our workload. We each know the status of projects and what the other person is working on at all times. As far as software, that's something we're still trying to figure out. At the moment, we're using a combination of Trello and Toggl to manage things. We've tried several project management options, but they're either too much for our small team — or not enough. We do have a couple we still want to try out, so that'll hopefully be something we figure out in the next year.

Michael - We're constantly reviewing and refining our internal workflow. How can we be more cost-effective and efficient? Toggl has been great for tracking our time. As Christina said, we're always looking for that ever-elusive "perfect" project management software and the best way to manage our internal assets (stock photography, fonts).

What plans or goals do you have for your business and design work in the coming year?

The theme of our goals for 2024 is growth — and at the moment, the forecast is exciting (and busy!). Growing as business owners and designers, expanding our list of clients, and increasing revenue. We would also like to share consistent journal content in the new year. If we see a demand, we would also like to morph our subscriber emails into more of a newsletter to connect more with our current and past (and future) clients. In addition, we want to design and sell our own products on our website. We've been slowly making designs in the background and are excited to share them. We've already been sharing some of those designs with close friends via stickers, and can't wait to see these illustrations on other items! 

We hope you had a successful 2023 and have a great start to 2024! Cheers!