Today we’d like to introduce you to Ivy Schmidt.
Ivy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born a creative. I’ve always been drawn to authenticity and truth in the form of art. With a vivid imagination, I could easily take pen to paper to illustrate my vision, whether it be portraits of realism or within the path of creative writing. Creativity was something I held close and was often the only avenue of self-expression or autonomy that seemed obtainable. There were times when it was only the ink on that page, or the abstract in that self-portrait or poem, that I was truly able to see pieces of myself. As a proud transwoman, I can say it was only through those raw moments of expressionism that I was able to unbury the inner woman and remind myself of my own authenticity.
With previous experience working with luxury brands, I found my passion in presentation. From merchandising to quality control or expertise of product and information, your branding must remain consistent. Continuity within your business’s presentation and strategy is imperative for brand awareness and to target your clientele to achieve that desired glance of brand recognition. I became interested in graphic design as I saw peers building brands and online stores to build their own businesses during the pandemic. Seeing the value of their online presence, their products and services, sparked my creative mind. It was empowering! I then found power in expressing the value I could bring to each brand as both a creative and previous project manager. Finding social media and web design as another expression was just around the corner. I have since managed social media accounts, lead content creation, and marketing campaigns. As a queer-owned business, operated by a woman of trans experience, I hold my values and authenticity at the core of Ivy Design & Marketing. My mission is to help other business owners identify what sets them apart so they too can celebrate their authenticity.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
With every goal, there are hurtles. Whether personal or business, we are all human and can agree that obstacles come with the terrain. Some face different obstacles than their peers. Sometimes we even find that the starting point for each and every one of us is also different. I can attribute many of the obstacles I’ve faced and still do face to both cases. However, I will not forget those similar obstacles I’ve already overcome. I take pride in process and procedure, in organization and transparency. How can you be your best self if you aren’t willing to overcome? Like growing pains, I look forward to the development in my services, the quality of my products, and the strength in my partnerships. I’ll nurture those relationships because we should grow together. I want to be that resource. I want those growing pains. Ivy Design & Marketing is only as strong as the current and future partnerships I build. The quality of work and the results my clients deserve take priority. With more obstacles to come, I look forward to those growing pains, in fact they are welcome.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
First and foremost, I love to learn. I love to explore and create. And even with the imagination, I enjoy the logic and the gears turning behind it.
I enjoy getting to know individual brands and asking the questions that others don’t ask, “How do you want to be seen? What do you represent?” Our businesses are reflections and even extensions of ourselves in the digit world, “How would you like to present yourself if you could start over?”
I specialize in social media content creation, graphic design, web design, and brand management. Social media is an ever-evolving machine, between changing algorithms and new content trends. It keeps me on my toes. It presses many of us to do better and to reach farther. I am proud of the relationships I am able to develop and the simplicity I can bring to a vision that someone may not even had the vision to see, let alone the words to describe their need. Social Media pushes many of us to feel as if we can’t keep up, however, I love to learn the gritty details behind an idea’s production. Bringing a finished project to another client who put their trust behind Ivy Design & Marketing and embracing their reaction to their own idea is uplifting. It’s almost as if they surprised themselves. That feeling is a gift in itself and I love that feeling.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Social Media and Marketing is a very adaptive area. The trends change hourly, the monetary gain can often shift from one platform to the next. I intend to see the industry continue to bring more and more opportunities, more learning, and developments from self-service tools to AI products. With an interest in becoming a digital media production major, I am looking forward to continuing to grow with the internet. I intend to develop with the industry. I’m just getting started.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ivydesignandmarketing.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivydesignandmarketing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057230260726
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivyschmidt/
Image Credits
Jessica Simone
