MAKE FIRST IMPRESSIONS THAT LAST

We help B2B businesses, nonprofits, and startups who need unforgettable branding, websites, and marketing communications.

If you’re striving to connect well with your audience and motivate them to engage, we can help.

elephant (they never forget) | © Can Stock Photo / fouroaks

Just getting started?

Let’s create or flesh out your product roadmap and/or launch plan, and start building the print and digital assets you need for internal and external communications. We love startups and can get things moving quickly!

Want to grow?

Let’s review your current marketing, check out what your key competitors are doing, and identify opportunties to improve.

Working seamlessly with your team or as a fully outsourced marketing department, Garnet Creative will engage your community and drive results.

WEBSITES

LIGHT Awards responsive website
LIGHT Awards responsive website
LIGHT Awards responsive website
LIGHT Awards responsive website
home page-Elizabeth Sandel, MD

A Compelling Story for Funders and Collaborators

Chameleon Biosciences >
  • This biotech start-up invited Garnet Creative to redesign their website so it can better support their growth, helping them gain traction with investors and build a following of interested scientists and others.

Response to a Challenging Time

The Small Business School Challenge >
  • Garnet was approached to help this non-profit-in-formation quickly develop a compelling online presence that would help them support the unprecedented needs of small businesses and business students during the pandemic.
  • Though SBSC had run a successful pilot challenge with a minimal web presence, they now needed to take the whole operation to a new level. We worked together to craft a complete online story to attract participants, mentors, and sponsors, and a unified resource for applications, donations, and other program communication.

Evolving Towards a User-Centric Design

Krause Center for Innovation at Foothill College
  • Garnet inherited this website with a jumbled code base and outdated design and content
  • we first brought the content up to date and installed software to facilitate code cleanup and improved readability in key content areas; this also made the site easier for the team to edit
  • we then swapped out the underlying theme, further refined styles, and began an ongoing process of implementing architectural changes that improve (without disrupting) the user and internal team experiences

From Founder’s Passion to Teacher Dreams Come True

LIGHT Awards Program >
  • from the very beginning, created identity, messages and website
  • also developed website for Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation, the sponsoring organization
  • client since 2013, print and web design work
  • relaunched with new site design 2016;
    revised in 2019 with video project led by Garnet Creative

A Confident Tone for Clients & Referrals

Peer, Gan & Gisler Law Offices >
  • client since 2011
  • relaunched with modernized site design 2016

Virtual Gallery for a Traveling Artist

Timothy Hinchliff, Artist >
  • technology includes custom post types for ease of updating, and search facets for improved user experience
  • site launched in 2017

Fan Site that Lets the Artwork Shine

Robin Manelis Colored Pencil Artist >
  • launched identity and website in 2017
  • client since 2010, for variety of other print and digital design projects

Energy to Grow an Event

Spirit of the Flame Challenge >
  • extensive print and web design work
  • client since 2012

Speaking Your Language: from the US to Japan

GSSG Solar >
  • new!  multilingual implementation, English and 日本語
  • client requested austere, B/W design
  • created original 2013 and new 2017 sites

Other Recent Clients (2020+)

Home---Craig-Communications
parnell home and directory pages

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Codeshelf Image

 

Vibrant Retelling of Their Story

Black Pine Circle School >
  • designed to keep visitors engaged longer and lead them to contact Admissions
  • rebuilt website from scratch, with fresh content, look, and site structure; emphasizes key differentiators
  • also created compatible Upper and Lower School “Look Book” collateral (Garnet solo)

Differentiating a Commodity Vendor as a Strategic Partner

Encore Glass >
  • redesigned website within existing CMS constraints, with new approach to storytelling
  • variety of print and digital design projects

Outsourced Startup Marketing (That Turns on a Dime)

Codeshelf
  • website, web app, print, video, tradeshow and other projects
  • many site iterations over the 3-year life of this startup

PRINT

ALearn 2016 Annual Report
American Community Today (cover)
Dreams of the Jewish Future (cover)
Justice at Last Services Flyer
ALearn 2016 Annual Report
ALearn 2016 Annual Report
Encore Glass Enclosure Card for Sample Shipments

ENVIRONMENTAL

in partnership with Abolitionist Mom

The Disrupt Sex Trafficking campaign has had over 1500 placements on trains, buses, bus shelters, or billboards in San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda and San Diego counties, and was displayed outside Governor Brown’s office in January 2018. The poster campaign has been adopted by 9 counties in a variety of states and is still expanding. This artwork is available for government agencies, schools and community organizations. Raising awareness prevents sexual exploitation. Please help get the word out!  Contact the campaign >

LOGO/IDENTITY

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"Karen is fantastic to work with. She has a good sense of business and design and gets into the details of your product/service to become a true thought partner. "

Ravi Bhaskaran
Managing Partner, Fog City Capital
(CEO, CodeShelf)

"We are so delighted with how it [our website] came together. Karen was amazing: she is a stellar problem solver and has an admirable approach to getting it done!!:"

Susan Leshner
Business Manager, Dewdrop Flower Farm

"Karen was amazing to work with. She took the time to understand what I was looking for and to help me understand the various considerations for each option. Including potential cost, time investment and much more… Her wisdom is a gift and I enjoyed every minute of learning from her."

Debbie Cannon
Vice President/COO
Academy for Grassroots Organizations

"When you hire Karen, you are hiring much more than a graphic designer. Karen understands all facets of business and applies it to your marketing."

Allan Himmelstein
Sales Coach AZ

"Karen was able to work with a team to create a unified vision, and truly create an original and meaningful on-line presence for us. "

John Carlstroem, Head of School
Black Pine Circle School

"In addition to being a talented designer, she clearly articulates the rationale for different design approaches. She definitely delivered more than I expected."

Liz Steblay
ProKo Consulting

"I wouldn't hesitate to use her again for a project, and give her my highest recommendation."

Karen Leshner, Founder
Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation

"Karen was able to help me develop a clearly articulated vision and a realistic multi-year plan. We had a successful launch event which Karen carefully planned and executed."

Kimberly Leight, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Founder, House of Light

"Karen is multi-talented, turning out beautiful work in record time. She's thoroughly professional, has an eagle eye and understands how design elements can work to draw eyes to your product, brand and message."

Corey Fischer
Actor, Playwright, Director, Consultant and Creative Coach

Focus on the rest of your business, while we sweat the (marketing) details!

Find out what Garnet Creative can do for you.