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

Penelope, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

My passion for communications, branding, marketing, analytics, visual design and brand creation has remained strong throughout my extensive career. I’ve had the opportunity to work on regional/nationwide/international communications, marketing, advertising, product launch and image campaigns for global brands and large corporations such as Verizon, FedEx and the American Heart Association. As a consultant, I’ve had the unique experience of helping brands come to life for a host of start-up and mid-size businesses. One of those companies is Generus. I was selected to rebrand this amazing company as they experienced exponential growth during the COVID pandemic. Their aim was to build a connected workforce through social impact as a turn-key solution for the flexible, modern virtual workplace providing personalized, relationship-building volunteering experiences that made a difference. I put my heart into this rebrand as I was moved by the CEO’s passion to give back to communities through non-profit partners. For example, she provided opportunities for professional artists, musicians, world renowned chefs and skilled artisans who were out of work due to the pandemic by hiring them to host volunteer events. The logo is one of my favorite creations and the theme is colorful and joyful. I’ve loved watching this company grow and see how they’ve secured amazing partnerships with brands like Hasbro and Hubspot. (www.generus.com)

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a creative 20-year visual communications professional with oversight in leading strategic direction and working collaboratively to influence advertising/marketing trends and translate business intent into executions. My career background includes working on regional/nationwide/international communications, marketing, advertising, product launch and image campaigns for global brands and large corporations such as Verizon, FedEx and the American Heart Association, as well as a host of start-up and mid-size businesses.

I am highly skilled in marketing, creative direction, graphic design, communications and branding.

My principal focus has always been to exceed client and employer expectations on every project by bringing brands to life. I enjoy collaborating with executive leaderships, stakeholders, clients, creative teams and production professionals to deliver communications and marketing solutions that drive web traffic, social media/consumer engagements, response rates and customer acquisition results.

I am currently working for EPIC Fuels and Signature Aviation as a Marketing Manager responsible for building and driving brand and marketing strategies for the Signature Select, EPIC Fuels and QT POD brands. My focus is on performance and continuous improvement of all marketing activities. I develop and implement lead generation campaigns and social media management, manage and execute the annual tradeshow programs, create collateral and marketing materials, support sales and business development teams and partner with licensees/franchisees to pull-through sales and marketing programs.

I am also the owner and Brand Consultant for Pixelope Design. Pixelope specializes in branding, logos, graphic design and website development. We help businesses and startups by aligning innovative marketing, omnichannel branding and modern design. We are big picture thinkers who design with a purpose. (www.pixelopedesign.com)

What do you find most rewarding about being creative?

Being able to bring someone else’s dream to life is the most rewarding aspect of being a creative. To most people, a logo may seem like just fonts and colors, but my job is to convey my client’s story with just one glance. To bring brand stories to life with a logo that grabs the attention of the intended audience and generate an instant connection is my passion.

I believe that visual communications should stand out from beginning to end with the use of smart typography, photography and custom illustrations. This is what sets clients apart from competitors and what keeps them in the mind of their customers. I love to create innovative pieces that hit all the right notes with target audiences and ideal demographics.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In February of 2020 I left my very successful career to open my own creative agency, Pixelope Design. In March of 2020, COVID happened. I felt like I had made the worst mistake of my life! But as it turns out, it was a blessing in disguise. Because of the need for most companies to have a digital footprint I had more business than I could keep up with. I had the pleasure of partnering with Executive Leaders, Public Relations, Communications, and Sales/Marketing Managers on creative projects for specific brands like Generus, SweetBeat Vodka, Seven Cognac, LegacyConnect, Interfaith Family Services, Zilis, Insightory, 1Path Solutions…the list goes on. I managed multiple client websites, published digital/print marketing materials, and built new/innovative marketing campaigns/brand initiatives providing competitive advantages and value to my consumers. Around the one-year mark I was presented with the opportunity to work with a major telecommunications conglomerate but there was a catch, they needed me full-time. I was faced with the decision to keep my dream of owning my own agency or go back to consulting with one of the largest companies in the world. Could I go from entrepreneur to employee again? The answer was yes. I stopped looking at taking a full-time role as a means to a financial end and started seeing it as an opportunity to sharpen my skills. I thought I’d be sad about stepping away from my business (though I continue to keep a handful of clients), but the truth is, it was time for something new. I’ve since moved on from that consulting project into a new adventure in the aviation sector — and I couldn’t be happier. Doors keep opening because of my networking and I still get to work on passionate projects through Pixelope so I feel like I have the best of both worlds.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.pixelopedesign.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pixelopedesign/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PixelopeDesign
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pennypitts/

Image Credits
Photoshoot by http://www.mcclanahanphotography.com/