July 17, 2018

Meet Trailblazer Jennifer Bianchi

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Bianchi.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jennifer. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always been creative and loved doing crafts of all kinds growing up. In high school, I took a commercial art class and really excelled. My art teacher told me that I could actually major in something similar in college called Graphic Design. I found out that ASU had one of the best design school in the country (and was far away from home AND warm all year round), so I went for it. I never doubted that I picked the right major and loved every bit of my design education. I interned at a small agency in the Valley and one of the larger advertising agencies before landing my first job out of college in the intelligence sector of the government in Virginia. There I worked in the multimedia design department creating interactive apps of analytical data for policymakers and the President. After 3 years, I missed the west and was tired of winter and the traffic so I moved back the Phoenix after landing a job with one of the big agencies in town, R&R Partners. I dove into the fast-paced agency world where I learned to juggle multiple projects and fast deadlines. I learned and grew a ton as a designer and after 2 years, moved to a smaller agency in Chandler called Commit. There, I worked as an Art Director on accounts such as The Phoenician, The Camby, Camelot Homes and more. The 9-5 work life was starting to loose its luster, so at the end of 2017, I decided to go freelance full time and launched my own business. It’s been a whirlwind of learning but it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Starting a business is a lot to take in all at once. I had to learn to be the project manager, accountant, new sales acquisitions person and more, all at one time! I’ve been fortunate enough to have a steady stream of clients through word of mouth referrals and teaming up with former co-workers. One of the best things I did was join a facebook group of fellow freelance creatives where I could ask questions and get support. That made me feel not so alone or lost every day! It’s definitely a transition to go from being around people 40 hrs a week to being home working alone all day. I would tell any young woman just starting out to ask questions early and often, gett he support you need such as a CPA and business coach, and have compassion with yourself as you learn, grow and discover. It’s definitely a journey and you have to make mistake to learn and get better. Don’t let yourself go in circles on things… ask, ask, ask!

We’d love to hear more about Sonora Leigh Creative Studio.
I specialize in branding and Squarespace design. I “hack” the Squarespace template by creating custom graphics that create a dynamic feel and layered look.

For my personal design style, I have a very simple and clean design that mixes strength and feminity. I’m also a chameleon and can design seamlessly within any brand or desired style.

What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
Have compassion for yourself. There is a lot to learn and a lot of mistakes to be made, but you need to move through all of that to get to where you want to be.

Pricing:

Branding Package – starts at $4,000
Squarespace Website – starts at $4,500
Branding + Squarespace Package – start at $8,000)
Other Design Projects – $2,500 min.

Contact Info:

Website: www.sonora-leigh.com
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonoraleighcs/
Other: https://dribbble.com/JenniferBianchi

Image Credit:
Teaspressa photography by Fawn DeViney

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