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Fall Tradeshow Season Is Around the Corner — Are You Ready?

Fall is one of the busiest times of year for marketing teams — and trade show prep can quickly become overwhelming. From updated booth graphics and refreshed brochures to last-minute presentation decks and promo giveaways, it all adds up fast.

That’s where I come in.

At Oxyjen Design, I help marketing directors like you check things off the list — and actually feel good about what’s going out the door. I’m here to help you:

• Refresh or redesign booth graphics

• Create sell sheets, spec sheets, and handouts

• Update PowerPoint decks or product visuals

• Design swag and promo materials

• Keep everything consistent and on-brand

Whether you’re a team of one or managing multiple product lines, having a reliable outside designer can mean the difference between rushed and ready.

I worked with Mechatronic Solutions, an automation distributor in Maple Grove, MN, to design a new display for MD&M Midwest. It needed to communicate the brand clearly while highlighting their partnerships with high-tech OEMs — and it had to be installed in time for the show and an open house they were having before the event.

We created a clean, modern graphic layout that emphasized clarity, product visibility, and Mechatronic’s forward-thinking brand — all completed on a tight timeline.

Want help with something similar? Let’s talk about your upcoming events.

Because your in-house team is maxed out. And because deadlines don’t move. Hiring a creative partner gives you flexibility, professional polish, and peace of mind.

Let’s talk now to make sure you’re ready in time for your next big show.

Looking forward to helping you shine this fall.

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When the Org Chart Shifts, Creative Support Shouldn’t Suffer

Marketing department reorganizations often bring change—new roles, shifting  priorities, and sometimes, fewer internal resources. If your team is  feeling the effects of a recent restructure, this might be the perfect  time to bring in a seasoned freelance designer.

At  Oxyjen Design, I specialize in supporting Communications and Marketing  Directors during times of transition. Whether your in-house team is at  capacity or you're missing design support entirely, I step in as a  strategic partner—not just a pair of hands.

What a freelance designer brings to the table:

✅ An outside perspective. I bring fresh eyes and creative clarity to your messaging and visuals—often spotting opportunities your internal team might be too close to see.

✅ Strategic thinking. With 20+ years of experience, I help shape marketing materials that align with your business goals, not just look good.

✅ Strong listening and communication skills. I ask the right questions to uncover the real goals of your marketing initiatives—and help execute creative that actually achieves them.

✅ Brand consistency. Whether you’ve just rebranded or are working across departments, I make sure your materials stay cohesive and professional.

✅ Scalable support. Get the creative support you need—without adding headcount. I'm flexible and can ramp up or down as needed.

Bonus: I integrate easily with your existing team.
You  won’t spend weeks onboarding or trying to explain how your company works. I’m used to working with cross-functional teams and can adapt quickly to your systems and workflows.

Whether you’re rebuilding, pivoting, or just trying to maintain momentum through internal change, I can help your team stay focused, aligned, and  confident in your communications.

Below is one of the types of projects I can assist with. I co-created this Sustainability Campaign with the team at Donaldson Company to get the word out about each of the different programs they are implementing towards their impact goals. These communications keep their employees, supply chain, vendors, customers and stakeholders in the loop on their progress.

"Jen is talented, creative and responsive. She augments our team so we can achieve more – together.“ 
–Becky Cahn, Communications Director, Donaldson Company

Book a free discovery call or just reply to this email—I’d love to learn more about what’s on your plate.

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The Hidden Cost of DIY Design

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Refining Brand Communication for a SaaS Leader

At Oxyjen Design, we love helping brands craft a clear and compelling presence. A consistent brand experience builds trust, communicates professionalism, and helps your message stand out—especially in competitive industries like software and tech. When all your materials speak the same visual language, your audience knows exactly who you are, what you offer, and why it matters.

We recently partnered with Salient, a leader in business intelligence software, to enhance their marketing materials and brand consistency. This collaboration was a great opportunity to streamline their visual communications and tailor messaging to different audience segments across retail, beverage distribution, and CPG industries.

We achieved this by simplifying layouts, clarifying key messages, and designing visuals that highlight Salient’s software solutions. Case studies show step-by-step visuals that speak to their customer’s existing pain points and how Salient solves them with engaging customer testimonials, cohesive photography, and an easy to follow format. We worked together to ensure everything from brochures to their website aligned with their refreshed identity.

Salient provides cutting-edge software and consulting to top CPG companies. As their brand evolved, they needed a suite of marketing materials that aligned with their expertise and resonated with each of their target audiences.

We worked closely with Salient to develop cohesive and impactful materials, including:

• Brand Guidelines to continue consistent messaging and visuals
• Business collateral like business cards & digital letterhead
• Brochures tailored to different market segments
• Tradeshow displays to strengthen event presence for multiple target audiences
• Print ads & case studies showcasing their impact
• A website design that reflects their updated brand direction

The result? A unified and professional brand identity that reinforces Salient’s position as an industry leader. With polished materials and a cohesive look, they’re now equipped to engage their audience with confidence.

"Working with Oxyjen Design was seamless. Jen understood our brand vision and helped translate it into compelling marketing materials that truly resonate with each audience."
–Jim McDermott, SVP, Client Services at Salient

Let’s create something unified and impactful together. Consistency across all your materials gives you a clearer message and helps build brand credibility and trust. If you are feeling like your marketing materials might need a fresh set of eyes, book a call for a brand audit – let’s get your brand back in alignment!

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What Slipcovers Can Teach Us About Marketing & Sustainability

I’ve always been drawn to Shabby Chic—the soft, lived-in feel, the imperfections that make things feel real, and most of all, the sustainability built into the design. Slipcovered sofas aren’t just beautiful; they’re practical. Instead of tossing a couch when life gets messy, you refresh it. You update it. You make it last.

The same is true for branding and marketing. A strong brand doesn’t need to be scrapped every few years—it needs thoughtful updates, fresh messaging, and a little strategic care to stay relevant. Sustainability in marketing isn’t just about eco-conscious choices (though that’s important too); it’s about longevity. A brand with a strong foundation can evolve without losing its essence—just like my beloved Room & Board sofa that has seen me through different stages of life with just a change of a slipcover.

So, if your brand feels like it’s seen better days, maybe it doesn’t need a complete overhaul—maybe it just needs a refresh. Let’s chat about how we can keep your brand strong, adaptable, and built to last.

Here’s a look at a recent before and after refresh I created for Michel Sales Agency:

Your brand exists in more places than just your website and logo. Every email attachment, proposal, and letter you send is an extension of your company’s identity. But surprisingly, many companies don’t have a simple digital letterhead in place.

I’ve noticed this gap with several of my clients lately, so I created something to help: a free, customizable digital letterhead template.

✔️ Professional & polished for external communications
✔️ Easy to use in Word, Google Docs, or PDFs
✔️ Keeps your brand consistent across every touchpoint

It’s a small change that makes a big difference—just like refreshing a sofa with a new slipcover instead of replacing it.

I’m excited to share that my free, customizable digital letterhead template, is now featured in The Women-Owned Business Vault! This curated collectionincludes 15+ free expert tools designed to help business owners like you.

Here are a few of the powerful resources available:
💡 Business Naming Workbook – Brainstorm the perfect name for your brand
💻 Website Accessibility Guide – Ensure your website is ADA-compliant
📣 3 Free Content Ideas Every Week for a Year – Never run out of content ideas
📊 The Launch Checklist – Plan your next business launch with confidence
📅 Vacation Checklist for Business Owners – Step away from your business stress-free

🔗 Access the Vault below!

*This collection is available only until March 31, 2025, so grab your free tools while you can and give your brand an effortless refresh!

Click here to get access to the vault! 

I love seeing how small updates can breathe new life into a brand (or even a well-loved sofa!).

So tell me—if you could refresh one thing about your brand today, what would it be? A logo tweak? A website update? A new set of brand photos?

Reach out and let me know! I’d love to hear what’s on your mind.

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Stylescape Secrets: Elevate Your Brand!

Harness The Oxyjen Process for branding success

Recently, I participated in a writing exercise where we were asked to describe a time we were "under a spell." It took me back to a past relationship—one that, in hindsight, taught me a lot about what I didn’t want. That process of learning through experience, has shaped who I am today. And, oddly enough, it’s also shaped the way I run my business.

Early on as I was starting out, I didn’t have a structured process for working with clients. I let projects meander, often driven by the client’s indecision rather than a clear direction. One experience stands out—a project with a market researcher who needed a logo. We went through endless revisions, but nothing stuck. Looking back, the problem was clear: she didn’t have a defined vision, and we had no process to guide us.

I never made that mistake again.

Now, every project follows a clear, strategic framework, ensuring we stay on track, save time, and create branding that truly resonates. And at the heart of that process is something called a Stylescape.

Never heard of it? Let me explain.

A Stylescape is a curated visual direction that pulls together everything we’ve learned in our discovery process—your brand’s personality, audience insights, and competitive landscape. It’s a key step in aligning on your brand’s aesthetic before diving into logo design and marketing assets. No more endless revisions or second-guessing! Instead, we co-create a vision that feels right before we execute.

Before we dive into design, we take a deep breath and dig into the foundation:

• Building strong relationships and understanding your brand’s core values
• Researching your target audience and competitors
• Defining your goals and how they translate to your brand identity

This is where the magic happens! We develop a strategy that gives your brand life:

• Creating a Stylescape to visualize different directions that your brand’s look could take, typically showing general brand direction & attributes, ideal user persona, example identity items with font and color palette options
• Designing a logo that authentically reflects your company’s vision
• Developing messaging that speaks to your mission and values

With a clear direction, we bring your brand to life and share it with the world:

• Designing business cards, letterhead, and other identity pieces
• Creating marketing and promotional materials
• Developing a website and social media assets for a strong digital presence
• Educating you on sustainable marketing strategies to keep your brand aligned with your values

Here’s an example of a Stylescape I created for Heartland Equity Partners. They specialize in helping business owners in the manufacturing industry when it’s time to sell or transition their business, but the clear distinction with Heartland is that it will not be sold to someone that will dismantle it for profit and dissolve the business. Think of it as an ethical equity firm that plans for the continuation of legacy businesses. Here’s one iteration we created during the process.

Ready to breathe new life into your brand?

Let’s talk! Schedule a call and let’s bring clarity, strategy, and creativity to your brand’s next chapter.

March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the achievements of women across industries. What better way to honor this than by learning from and supporting women entrepreneurs?

The Women-Owned Business Vault is Live starting today!

For a limited time, you can access 15+ free business resources created by women entrepreneurs. Whether you need help with branding, marketing, business strategy, or leadership, this curated collection has something for you!

I’m proud to contribute The Digital Letterhead Template to this powerful resource hub.

A few of the other must-have tools you’ll find inside:
✅ The Ultimate Guide to SDGs – Make sustainability a priority
✅ Create Engaging B-Roll for Social Media – Elevate your video content
✅ Talk to Your Team, Not at Them – A communication guide for leaders
✅ Conscious Connections Address Book – Organize and grow your network
✅ Color Psychology 101 – Build a brand color palette with confidence

🔗 Sign up and grab your free resources today! This expires March 31st

https://nadimarketing.com/the-women-owned-business-vault/

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Cheers to 2024: A Year to Celebrate and Look Ahead!

Now that 2024 has come to a close, I can’t help but reflect on what an incredible year it’s been at Oxyjen Design. This year marked a time of growth, connection, and inspiration—all fueled by your trust and collaboration.

Here’s a quick snapshot of 2024: 

What’s next? 2025 promises to be even bigger! I’m thrilled to unveil a special 20th-anniversary logo and a brand-new website this year to mark this milestone. These updates reflect the journey so far and the bold direction ahead. Stay tuned—there’s so much more to come!

Thank you for being part of this journey. Whether you partnered with Oxyjen Design this year or cheered us on from the sidelines, your support means the world. Here's to a new year filled with creativity, sustainability, and success for us all.

Cheers to 20 years!
Jen Leonardson
Founder, Oxyjen Design

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Two Conferences, a Speaking Panel and a Bowling Alley?

No, this is not the beginning of a bad joke…

After a whirlwind of conferences, panels, …and a bowling alley in the basement of the hotel (yes, you read that right), I've finally had a chance to reflect on an eventful October. From San Diego’s Global Summit hosted by 1% for the Planet®, where I had the honor of speaking on a panel, to a local Minneapolis conference focused on Fractional work, it’s been a month packed with insights. Here’s my recap, along with a few key takeaways.

The  conference itself was one of the warmest, most welcoming gatherings I’ve attended. As you may know, 1% for the Planet is a nonprofit founded by Patagonia’s Yvon Chouinard and Craig Mathews of Blue Ribbon Flies. The idea is simple but powerful: businesses pledge to donate 1% of their annual sales to environmental causes, helping make a tangible impact on the planet.

The panel I was on was called, Infusing your 1% for the Planet Commitment into Your Marketing Strategy and I focused on how brands can seamlessly weave the 1% logo and messaging into their design, creating a genuine  alignment between values and visuals.

A  big thank-you goes to my fellow panelists: Michelle Mayther of The  Green Marketing Academy, Courtney Hume from Dandelion Branding, and Erika Nadi from Nadi Marketing. It was a fun exchange, and I left with a  few new ideas for myself!

The 1% team truly went all out, from an opening celebration at Pure Project North Park Brewery to two full days at the Natural History Museum (or  “The Nat” as the locals call it) in Balboa Park, complete with dinosaur skeletons towering over us. Meeting other businesses and environmental advocates was a reminder of why I joined 1% for the Planet last year; it was energizing to connect with people who share a commitment to environmental impact.

One of my favorite moments was a session by Ron Finley, also known as the  “Gangsta Gardener,” who shared this inspiring message: “Don’t wait for  the perfect moment; take the moment and make it perfect” (a quote by  Zoey Sayward). It resonated with me and reminded me that we shouldn’t hold back our marketing until it feels “perfect”—just get it out there  and let it grow. (That’s what I’m doing with this newsletter!)

From  San Diego, I returned to Minneapolis for the FRAK conference. Curious  about the buzz around fractional work, I soon realized I’ve been doing  this all along as a Fractional Creative Director, guiding clients on a  project-by-project basis to strengthen their branding and marketing.

One  memorable session came from Dr. Amber L. Wright of Words Well Said. She  explored ways to bring your authentic self into your marketing by  leaning into unique personality traits (whether that’s your astrological  sign, Myers-Briggs type, or enneagram). This approach resonated with  me, and it aligns with how I support my clients. For instance, as a  Libra – the scales of justice sign representing equilibrium –, I bring a  calm, balanced approach that helps clients feel at ease. When they’re  overwhelmed by marketing decisions, I’m there to lighten the load with  thoughtful questions, attention to detail, and, as of 2025, it will be  20 years of design experience to guide them. My clients appreciate the  thoughtful, harmonious results that set their brand apart while staying  aligned with their values.

Thanks for following along! There’s much more to come, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with you in the next OxyNotes.

And if you want a copy of the slide deck from the speaking panel, just reply to this message and I’ll send it along.

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Can Design Change the World?

Can design change the world? It’s a big question, I know. But if you ask me, the answer is a resounding yes. Design isn’t only about making things look nice—it’s about creating experiences that empower, educate, and drive change. Recently, I spoke at the 1% for the Planet® Global Summit on how brands can truly infuse their purpose into their marketing. One key takeaway: design matters.

Design is all around us. It makes up the signs we follow, the brands we love, and the messages that move us. It’s woven into the fabric of daily life, from the colors that catch our eye to the stories that inspire us. It has the unique ability to speak to our emotions, shift our perspectives, and spark action. I think it can also be used to make a larger difference in the world.

I believe there are two ways design can make a lasting impact: by changing the ways we think and by influencing the ways we act. This is why I’m so passionate about the work we do here at Oxyjen Design. When design reflects our values and invites positive change, it doesn’t just support business goals—it has the power to make a real difference in the lives of people in our communities.

I recently celebrated my birthday in October, and I’d love your help in giving back to some incredible nonprofits that mean a lot to me—both in my work with 1% for the Planet and beyond. Reply to this email with the nonprofit you’d like to support, and I’ll donate to each one that’s selected.

Here’s a little bit about each of these inspiring organizations:

Minnesota Land Trust
Dedicated to preserving Minnesota’s natural beauty, the Minnesota Land Trust collaborates with landowners and partners to protect land and restore habitats. Their work ensures the scenic, environmental, and recreational value of our cherished landscapes for generations to come.

charity: water
This nonprofit is on a mission to bring clean, safe drinking water to people in need across the globe. charity: water has funded over 154,000 water projects in 29 countries, ultimately transforming the lives of more than 18.6 million people. Every dollar brings us closer to a world where everyone has access to clean water.

Threshold to New Life
Based right here in the Twin Cities, Threshold to New Life provides grants to families in urgent need of housing support, keeping them in stable, safe homes. They provided assistance for housing for 635 families in 2023 alone.

Thank you for joining me to make an impact. Together, let’s continue making design work for good—and maybe help change the world along the way.

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The Moment I Knew I Loved Design: Lessons from Design School

I always enjoy September and the back-to-school season. The leaves start changing, and the air gets crisper (even though it’s been unseasonably warm in Minnesota). This time of year always brings me back to my college days — specifically, the day I knew I wanted to be a designer.

Flashback to 1989

It was a sunny, spring day in Moorhead, Minnesota. I was in my graphic design class in college. I had just finished up a final project: a branding project of choice. Mine was a health club concept. To my surprise, my favorite professor, Dr. Boggs, called out my project in front of the whole class. He thought I had nailed the research, concept, and idea and shared it as an example. This was the moment I knew I wanted to be working in a creative field as a designer.

A Professor Who Made a Difference

I really admired Dr. Boggs. He was funny, always cracking jokes in class, but he also expected the most out of his students. His leadership helped me create better work and refine my craft with each project. His critiques and feedback on my work were also helpful, and that is still a part of the process in my client work today. I learned early on to have a thick skin in this business and that feedback is not negative but a way to continually make the work better.

My College Projects

I truly enjoyed completing each of my assignments. Back then, most of these were hand drawn with pencil, ink, and paint. Without the use of the technology we have access to today, this provided me with the building blocks needed to create design concepts and solutions from scratch as well as the space needed to slow down and take my time. I believe this is still necessary for great design today.

Here are some portfolio slides from a few of my college projects, from left to right, top to bottom:

1. A drawing of a something in the room, in this case a light fixture, with different color treatments
2. A logo for an architecture firm called Quadrata
3. Two lowercase letters “d” and “g” interposed in an interesting way
4. Mock-up book cover design for The Color Purple
5. Two words using a font and placement to create meaning visually
6. An abstract line drawing showing texture

Did you have a college professor or teacher who inspired you to do your best work? Reach out and share your story — I would love to hear it!

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