Questions worth answering upfront.

To help you get started, this FAQ covers the most commonly asked questions by design clients — plus the questions people typically ask when researching a fractional creative director or healthcare brand designer. Good questions mean you’re taking this seriously — and so am I. Here’s what I’d tell you in a first conversation anyway, so you can walk in already knowing the shape of things. If something’s missing, take advantage of my free consult or shoot me an email.

Who Do I Help?

Who do you work with?

Mostly healthcare, medical device, wellness, mental health, faith-based, and mission-driven organizations — plus nonprofits and other greater-good-focused companies. My sweet spot is startups, growing teams, and organizations under 100 people: past the DIY stage, not ready for a full agency or a full-time hire.

What does a fractional creative director actually do for a company like that?

I step in as senior creative leadership — brand strategy, visual identity, creative direction — on a part-time, contract, or freelance basis, instead of you hiring someone full-time. For healthcare and medical device organizations especially, that means bringing 20+ years of experience (including agency Creative Director roles at The Matchstick Group and The Bosworth Group) to work that’s often technical and hard to explain, and shaping it into something people actually understand. And being fractional, you aren’t locked into long term commitments.

Do you only work with direct clients, or agencies too?

Both. I back up agencies and recruiters who need experienced creative leadership without adding headcount, and I partner directly with founders and in-house marketing teams.

Is this a full-time role I’d be hiring you into?

No — I work fractional, freelance, or on contract, remote only. Full-time employment isn’t what I’m looking for, although short term assignments with full-time hours are considered based on availability.

Where are you based, and do you work remotely?

Charleston, SC, 100% remote. I regularly work with clients in other time zones, and I’ll travel for in-person meetings or workshops as needed.

What I Actually Do

What kind of designer are you, exactly?

Predominantly, I’m a brand designer — I create brands: logos, and everything that grows out of them. As a former Creative Director, I also build the strategic thinking underneath a brand and extend it into advertising and campaigns that actually resonate with the people you’re trying to reach. From there, I execute it — turning strategy into finished, ready-to-use deliverables, in print or digital:

• Logo and visual identity systems, brand guidelines and brand books
• Campaigns across print, digital, video, outdoor, and experiential
• Presentation decks, brochures, sales enablement and annual reports
• Trade show booths and environmental/exhibit design
• Packaging, direct mail, and physical brand touchpoints
• Social and digital ad sets, program books, and event materials

If it’s a way your brand shows up in front of a person, chances are I’ve built one.

Do you build websites?

Not personally — I’m not a developer. What I do is design the brand a website is built on: the hero design, the visual system, the direction the whole site should feel like. Then I bring in a trusted partner to build it out, so you get one clear creative vision supported by two experts.

Do you handle full market research or strategic planning?

No — full-scale market plans are their own discipline, and not mine. I do have partners I can bring in when a project calls for that. My lane is brand and creative strategy: positioning, narrative, and the campaign thinking that comes after the research is done.

How We’d Work Together

What’s the process once we agree to work together?

Once we’re signed on, the first thing you’ll get from me is a list of questions. Input drives output— the more I understand about you, your audience, and what’s actually at stake, the better the work I can hand back. From there, we move through the agreed-upon rounds of the project toward completion.

If we reach the edge of the agreed scope, I’ll tell you plainly, before it’s ever a surprise on an invoice—and give you the choice to expand scope or wrap up what we’ve built. That conversation happens out loud, not quietly through billing. I am probably one of the most trustworthy, dedicated designers you’ll ever work with. Read my recommendations on LinkedIn, Alignable, and Google. I do everything I can to make sure the customer leaves satisfied.

What are your hours? Do you work with clients outside the Eastern time zone?

Officially, Monday through Friday, 9 to 5, Eastern. In practice, deadlines rearrange most plans, and I adjust as needed to hit them. I regularly work with clients in other time zones and find meeting times that work on your end, not just mine.

Are you available for in-person meetings?

I work 100% remote, based in Charleston, SC, and that’s most of how projects run. In-person meetings and workshops are absolutely on the table when it’s worth the drive — just something we plan for ahead of time, rather than a standing expectation.

Money & Paperwork

Do I need a contract?

Yes, always — for your protection and mine. Before any work begins, we sign a contract that spells out scope, timeline, and terms, so we both know exactly what’s included from day one. No guessing, no scope creep by accident.

How do you accept payment, and what are your terms?

I accept check, ACH, and major credit cards (processing fees apply). Invoice terms are generally net 14 days.

Rights & Ownership

Who owns the final work?

The short answer: you do, and it’s spelled out clearly in the contract before we ever start, so there’s no ambiguity later. I will not nickel and dime you or slap you with extra line items in this area.

I don’t know exactly what I need yet — is that a problem?

Not at all. I start with who you already are, not a menu of services — that’s usually the strongest thing you’ve got, and the hardest to see from the inside. A free consult is exactly where we figure out what’s actually needed, together, before anything’s decided.

How do I start?

Book a free 30-minute consult — no pitch, no pressure. Bring your brand challenge, and you’ll leave with a clearer read on where things stand, either way. See the Connect page for the link.

Still have a question that’s not up here? Take advantage of my free consult or send me an email.