We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Eileen Asher. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Eileen below.

Eileen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear your thoughts about making remote work effective.

My business actually has been virtual since its’ inception! I work with clients across the state and even grew to across the country, so I was already familiar with virtual consultations and meetings by the time that the whole world went remote. I find that remote work is more inclusive to folks who can’t travel easily or need additional supports in meetings and it makes it even easier to communicate and even focus on the actual work.

Occasionally, I do miss the “water-cooler moments”, but this is why I make in-person networking such a priority. I still need that personal connection, but I find that I can get more done in a shorter amount of time if I’m not worrying about bouncing between locations. I find that I can meet clients where their at over remote work a lot easier too. It’s so easy to hop on a Zoom call and talk things out with a partner or client and work through any problems that may arise.

Eileen, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Eileen Asher and I am a graphic designer and digital marketer for nonprofits and social enterprises. I bring agency-level design quality to nonprofits within their budgets. I specialize in branding and identity design for organizations starting from scratch to established nonprofits looking to rebrand.

My design process takes an inclusive approach using inclusive language in messaging and accessible elements within brand identities. I believe that all businesses and organizations need to embrace inclusive and accessible practices, not only for their own bottom line, but because it is the right thing to do. These practices need to be woven into all aspects of what a nonprofit is because they are meant to serve everyone, right down to the brand the nonprofit it built on.

I believe all businesses have a responsibility to support the community around it and I take that seriously in my mission as a creative business owner. In my free time, I donate my time and skills to nonprofit organizations in Columbus, Ohio that support causes like education, youth development, arts, and disability rights.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Bringing my authentic self to networking events really built my reputation as an honest and creative designer. I talk openly at networking events about my social anxieties, mental illnesses, and struggle with public speaking (despite being in public-facing positions often). I love being able to be human and honest with folks I meet at networking events, which allows connections to feel more comfortable with me as a designer that can understand their nonprofit’s needs.

I decided a long time ago that pretending to be a different version of me at networking events felt a lot like lying. I can’t bring the best services to nonprofits if I’m focusing on lying and pretending to be someone I’m not. So when folks meet me at networking events, they’re meeting the authentic me! No filters, no editing: we’re all human and I love working with people that can relate to that!

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

Often times when I’m getting to know an organization to brand it, it’s not uncommon that I don’t become friends with the people in that organization. We’re all serving our communities so it’s a great way to get to know someone. So when I start becoming friends with a client, I go to the fundraising events. I share the posts they share on social media. I donate to their causes. Because I show that same loyalty to my clients, they keep coming back with more projects or if they don’t have anything at the moment, I get my best referrals from them too!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://eileenasher.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creative_eileen_asher/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creative.eileen.asher
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileen-asher/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRBHaYdRAkpZUOhSBO3hF6Q

Image Credits
Headshot: Moments by Anne