Today we’d like to introduce you to Christian Reinecke.
Hi Christian, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Chris Reinecke, and I am the Founder and Principal Designer of Reinecke Design, as well as a Senior Graphic Designer at Signet Jewelers. I began my career in Graphic Design 15 years ago, when I moved to the DFW area. I founded Reinecke Design in 2016 as an opportunity to take on a more comprehensive role as both marketer and designer. As someone who specializes in practical creativity that satisfies both right-brain and left-brain thinkers, my goal has always been to work hard to deliver strong creative output that performs.
How did I get started?
With a lot of excitement for the creative process, and a strong belief that great ideas have the power to make a difference.
How did I get to where I am, today?
By seizing every opportunity, I have to share this enthusiasm and help it spread. That’s why my business exists, and it’s why I have clients who trust me with their businesses’ reputations.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, there is no such thing as a smooth road, in business. Some of my biggest struggles have been career-related. On several occasions, I have been let go from my 9-5 jobs, with nothing but freelance design, as a kind of safety net.
I think what makes a drive seem smooth, is your resilience and willingness to face challenges head-on. Surprises have less ability to incapacitate you when you have a strong foundation. For me, that foundation is my faith, my family, my friendships, and then my fierce appetite for creativity.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Reinecke Design?
Reinecke Design is first and foremost, a brand agency. The business was established in 2016, with a deep respect for small business, a background in Graphic Design, and the philosophy that “Design is the act of creating with purpose, on purpose.” With this as our foundation, we are focused on serving businesses in critical stages of growth, to establish the visual and communication standards necessary to gain brand loyalty, at scale. This basically means that we build brands… (not logos) and we build them to suit YOUR needs.
We are set apart from other small studios because we’re not just passionate about making cool stuff—We’re focused on making a positive, measurable impact on your business. We’re different from the big agencies because we are focused on YOU—the client, more than our own egos. And, we’re known for doing more than expected, in the name of helping you build your business into something memorable.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Risk-Taking is an essential in every business. From setting pricing and SLAs to advertising and beyond—anything you do to better reach your goals comes with the added complexity of distancing you from other opportunities.
For instance, when I decided I would focus on Brand work, it came at a cost. I strongly believe that a one-off logo, without the proper systems in place, is destructive to businesses. Entrepreneurs end up spending on artwork without strategy and dilute its effectiveness every time they use it because there is not a plan in place. The result is that they no longer have an ownable logo (an asset to their brands). Instead, they have commissioned an overpriced piece of artwork, that does not effectively serve their business.
As a result of this conviction, I frequently have to turn down requests for logos. Instead of a logo, I pitch a package for the full brand suite, which is customized based on a client’s needs. In addition to a strategic logo design, color pallette, and fonts, this package includes at least 3 sample marketing use cases, and typically includes brand values, content pillars, target customer personas, and photo standards.
This means I get to spend more time focusing on what I’m best at and can bring the most value to my clients.
While it is a bit of a risk to define your niche, there is the lost opportunity of saying “yes” to those things that have less impact. It’s normal to experience FOMO in business, but every time I do, I stop to remember that the upside of delivering to my strengths.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.reinecke-design.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/reineckedesign
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReineckeDesign
