At Transcend Ideas, we had the privilege of collaborating with Forward Steps, a nonprofit organization based in Boulder, CO, that supports youth who have experienced foster care as they work toward completing their postsecondary education. Our partnership centered around a unique fundraising campaign: Climb Kilimanjaro, Elevate Scholars.
This inspiring initiative was spearheaded by Forward Steps’ Executive Director, Jennifer Falkoski, who trained and climbed to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest peak, to raise funds and awareness for the Guardian Scholars Program. This program provides the resources and community support that foster youth need to overcome barriers in higher education.
To amplify the campaign’s impact, Transcend Ideas crafted a multi-faceted strategy to tell the story of Jennifer’s journey and the critical mission behind it. Our work included:
(Video) ‘Training Diaries’: We edited Reels on Instagram of behind-the-scenes footage of Jennifer’s training, showcasing her dedication.
Educational Content: Data and insights about the challenges youth in foster care face in pursuing education.
Scholar Stories: Highlighting the experiences of current and former Guardian Scholars.
Custom Brochure: Print designed to engage potential donors and sponsors.
Email Newsletters: Bringing supporters along for the climb with real-time updates and storytelling.
Custom Landing Page: A dedicated webpage to provide donors and sponsors with a clear understanding of the campaign and how to support it.
Timely Blog Updates: Regularly updated blog posts that mirrored and reinforced the narrative of the campaign.
Gala Integration: Creating a cohesive narrative for the Annual Gala, which featured a mountain theme and celebrated the scholars’ achievements.
The campaign culminated in raising over $77,000 for Forward Steps, ensuring the Guardian Scholars Program can continue to elevate youth to new heights—just as Jennifer reached the summit of Kilimanjaro.
Fonts tell us a lot about a brand, and there is much to discuss about them. We like to think that fonts have their own personalities, and they make a big difference in how consumers communicate with a brand. We could go on for a while, but we’ll try not to get too nerdy. We’re font fanatics here at Transcend Ideas.
Typography vs Fonts
Let’s start by clarifying the difference between typography and fonts. Typography is the art of arranging type to facilitate effective communication. While typography encompasses everything related to text, we are focusing on fonts in this discussion.
Font Vocabulary
To discuss fonts, it’s helpful to understand some of the important terminology you might hear surrounding fonts.
Typefaces: The visual designs that give characters their distinct style.
Fonts: The digital files that allow typefaces to be displayed on screens and in print. (Typefaces are what you see and fonts are what you use)
Weight: Refers to the overall thickness of the strokes in a typeface within a specific font. (ie. bold or regular)
Style: Regular, italic, oblique, and small caps are all examples of styles that can exist within a single typeface.
Font Family: If we consider a typeface to be the core design, then the different weights and styles could be said to be instances of that design, and together they form a family (or type family, or font family).
A serif is a small line or stroke regularly attached to the end of a larger stroke in a letter or symbol. Fonts are either serif fonts or sans serif fonts, with “sans” meaning “without” these strokes. For example, Times New Roman is a serif font, and Arial is a sans serif font. This text in particular is a sans serif font.
Typically, serif fonts make for an easier reading experience and work well in body text, especially at smaller sizes. Sans serif fonts tend to work well on signage where there is minimal text. However, there are exceptions, and serif and sans serif fonts can be paired within the same document to create a harmonious look.
Primary & Secondary Fonts
When selecting fonts for your brand, you should choose a primary typeface that reflects your overall brand identity. You should also select a secondary font that complements the primary font and helps create supportive documents. Sometimes, contrast is effective with a thicker primary font and a thinner secondary font or a serif paired with a sans serif. Other times, more subtle differences between the primary and secondary fonts can work well.
The Use of the Font
Consider the purpose of the font when choosing one. Is it for a logo, a newsletter, a graphic, or a flyer? Font use will vary depending on the content you are creating. For example, the controversial font Comic Sans tends to work well within a classroom setting, but using it for a funeral program would be deemed inappropriate.
Tone of the Font
The choice of font can come down to the tone you want to convey. How do you want to present your brand to your audience? A lot depends on the taste of the organization itself. For example, a bank will likely have different fonts than a flower shop. Is it important for your brand to be approachable? Formal and informative? Quirky and cool?
Accessibility
Another important aspect of fonts and typography is considering accessibility. Some fonts can be more difficult to read for individuals with intellectual differences and physical disabilities. Clarity, size, and contrast are crucial details to consider. In general, you want your fonts to be easy to read both up close and from a distance. Learn more about accessible design here. When we design inclusively, we widen our audience and extend the reach of potential customers.
Choosing the Right Font for Your Brand
an unfortunate font choice
Fonts significantly influence how customers and viewers perceive your brand. A poor font choice can lead to embarrassing consequences. Many problematic fonts are overused—looking at you, Papyrus. With a bit of knowledge and careful observation, you can avoid these mistakes. A carefully selected font can make an immeasurable impact on your brand’s perception. Finding the right font takes time, knowledge, and experience. Often, it also requires some typography work from a graphic designer to make it truly shine.
Feeling Overwhelmed?
We get it, there’s an overload of information out there on fonts and so many to choose from. Take a deep breath and reach out to us to help with your design. There is a difference between a designer’s perspective and a client’s perspective. With clear communication between the two, the perfect font is out there waiting to be put to use.
Are you looking to have a more efficient workflow? Well, so are we! Having a one-stop shop like Canva is a lifesaver. We have all been there; there are many photos, videos, logos, and colors to work from. Canva allows you to craft the kind of professionalism that you want to see throughout your marketing. Canva saves the day again! Here is another geek-out over how great Canva is. Yeah, we are sold.
Canva has AI technology to help you get things done efficiently. Follow along and see what it has in store, and consider utilizing it or at least giving it a spin and seeing if it suits your business.
Navigate to Canva AI apps mentioned in this article by visiting Canva.com(duh), choose a Template or a Project, click into Apps (grid icon), and search for the following Apps below that may help your business.
Top 8 Canva AI Apps
1. Bulk Create
Bulk Create has its own blog post here we’ve written on previously because of how much we love it. Generate dozens of social media posts within minutes with the power of ChatGPT and Canva AI and Canva templates.
2. Text to image
Allows users to generate photos/components with just text to use on canva templates. The different filter styles create a drastically different image, cartoon styles/emo/minimalistic, and more.)
3. Magic Eraser
Operates just like the Magic Lasso tool to erase in Photoshop – This is within the image editor to help remove a distracting element. Select this tool within a template, edit the photo, and select Magic Eraser from the options.
4. Magic Edit
Replace a specific element on an image with something new. This only works on actual images, not branded material. Select your image. Right-click, set an image as the background. Click edit photo. Click Magic Edit (Beta). Select your brush size, and brush over what item you’d like to replace in the image, type what to replace the item with. Choose the AI-generated options it comes up with.
5. Magic Design
Magic Design is currently in the Beta version, but still available for use. Users can access it from the main templates search on Canva. Upload a photo and tell it a prompt for the template style you need. It will generate a list of potential templates you can use with your content. (The placement will be slightly off, you can click into the template and make adjustments on the one you choose. Like uploading a palm tree picture and saying I need a set of minimalistic templates with ocean color palettes, etc.)
6. Magic Write
This AI tool to come up with content quickly for social posts, etc. with a simple prompt.
7. Translate
Canva app, Translate your content to another language. This is a great option for quick short form writing when you need to generate items both in Spanish and English for a classroom, government agency, and more.
Chrome Extensions using Canva AI Apps
Canva Automate Maker
Similar to Bulk Create, Canva Automate Maker is great for print-on-demand products found on e-commerce sites like Amazon, Shopify, Redbubble, etc.
We hope this article helps you to get inspired and explore some of the AI capabilities that are available on Canva. Do you have a marketing project that you’d like to utilize Canva AI Apps on? Transcend Ideas would love to help you work through the strategy to figure out what would best suit the needs of your business size and audience to reach the goals of your small business.Contact our team today!
This is a geek out blog post about Canva. If you haven’t guessed, I love the platform and what they provide businesses. Their platform continues to amaze me and what you can do with it. How may I count the ways.. I love you, Canva!
SVG Magic in Branding Your Business
DeLacy Tea Company – SVG rosehips
Let’s begin with SVGs, which stands for: Scalable Vector Graphics. This handy-dandy format allows for your vector files to be colorized before your eyes. That’s right. Exactly how you can pull an element from Canva and change out a color to your liking? I recently designed something for Mariel’s DeLacy Tea Company. Delacy Tea Company wanted to utilize the rosehips element on different tea labels. Each label needing to be a different color, so making a couple of elements she can then colorize in Canva was huge! An important tip for Illustrator/vector designers: make sure the vector is completely closed so the element can be colorized effectively in Canva. For this sample of their rosehips (right), I had the lines in the leaves transparent and not white so that the rosy color or any color of their choosing can stand out on a contrasting background.
There are some smaller businesses that need to be able to “play” with their logo and with this versatility it allows for a business owner to take it upon themselves to make necessary changes on their own.
From now on, when I package my client’s graphics and hand them over, SVGs will be on that checklist of elements that are an absolute must. Exporting elements for your clients that can be the most useful allows them to move freely in their brand without constraints. All too often clients have shared stories where they are left hopeless with ownership over their own logo files, domain names, hosting for their website, access to their social media platforms, etc. All forthcoming topics I will happily share in our blog.
Some Canva templates provided for marketing campaigns:
Happy Holidays from JH Fire/EMSPeople Spread Love Old Bill’s Fun Run (Insta Square)TCWP Spray Days (Email Newsletter header)People Spread Love Old Bill’s Fun Run (Insta Square)
Bravo goes back to Canva, an Australia-women owned business. Canva has revolutionized graphic design for so many ambitious dreamers. Now design is accessible to anyone that wants to build a business with the help of their design platform. I couldn’t be more excited to recommend them to anyone who works in design or wants to dabble in it.
Canva Custom Template Offerings
$837.00Original price was: $837.00.$669.60Current price is: $669.60.
The strategy for branding Teton Sleep Solutions was to provide an approachable and simple image that could be used across a variety of media.
Words to Describe Branding:
Comprehensive
Personalized
Caring
Servant-based
Highly-qualified
Teton Sleep Solutions Colors
Colors are more than hues and shades.
They hold meaning.
When we unpacked the colors that we might use for the company branding, we wanted to palette that reflected a comfort and the hope of restfulness with the services that they provide.
Icon sets
We introduced the secondary branding with an icon. Icon sets can lend itself useful for many reasons: favicon, watermarks, letterhead, and much more.
business cardoutdoor sign
Final Result
We were happy to hand off our beautiful branding solution that incorporated the use of all colors, icons, and illustrations to the office of Dr. James Derrico. The end result is an impressionable logo that will be immediately recognizable and make a powerful signature statement for the company. We were pleased to offer our branding services on this project.
Looking for a rebrand of your company? The Transcend Ideas team is qualified and ready to help you find the perfect logo mark that will set your brand apart. Let’s get coffee!
DeLacy Tea Company came to Transcend Ideas for help with their branding. They were looking for a specific look and feel with delicate rose hips and typewriter font influenced by homemade creations.
Words to describe DeLacy Tea Co. branding:
Soft, delicate
Natural
Handcrafted
Accessible
Care
Inspired by the Natural World
Mariel expressed an affinity for rose hips and how they cluster together. So the silhouette and greenery nod to those elements.
Tea Package Branding
The company provides loose leaf herbal tea crafted in the Tetons. Sourced as locally as possible. Mariel was looking for a branding package that helped convey authenticity and a home grown touch. The earthy matte tone palette resonated with her vision for DTC.
DeLacy Tea Company labelsDeLacy Tea Company business card (back side)
Delacy Tea Co. Spring Solstice tea blend label in action
Homemade Teas by DeLacy Tea Co.
Mariel DeLacy makes homemade teas mixed and blended in Jackson, WY.
Find them here: The Lodge in the Conference Center at Winter People’s Market in Jackson.
Jackson Hole Nordic Alliance has worked with Heather for many years. Heather has helped JH Nordic develop a strategy for the website, marketing messaging, graphic design, marketing strategy, and more. JH Nordic is a non-profit organization and a community-oriented resource designed to identify, map, describe, and share all the best trail information in the region. The amount of work is staggering that goes into preparing up-to-date trail information on the extraordinary Nordic skiing opportunities around us. JH Nordic, also, provides information on fat biking and snowshoeing in the Jackson Hole/ Teton Valley/Greater Teton region of Wyoming and Idaho.
JH Nordic hosts an Annual Community Event at Turpin Meadow Ranch. This year the event is going to be extraordinary. The event has been canceled two years in a row because of the COVID pandemic. On Sunday, January 8th, 2023 the event will be on! The event is family-friendly and brings people together who love Nordic skiing, fat biking, and snowshoeing.
Community powered in a Shared Love
What makes JH Nordic so intriguing is the community that supports and feeds it with experience and enthusiasm! Our small town’s shared love and camaraderie of outdoor recreation is potent. It’s exciting to witness JH Nordic’s reach grow. The organization generates positivity and gratitude from every single patron affected by the organization’s service.
JH Nordic has been the go-to place to find trusted and accurate information on all things Nordic. This information includes details about grooming, daily trail reports, events, resources, featured profiles. The website includes profiles on the people that enrich the community, ask JH Nordic, and more.
Give them a follow on Instagram @jhnordic for a positive community of adventure and love for the outdoors.
If you are unfamiliar with Canva, let me help enlighten you. And if you already know about Canva, then you’ll be nodding your head in agreement with how much this platform is an ultimate business lifesaver.
I have worked on this platform for many years. I must say now I might as well be a spokeswoman for them. They have been THE tool I use for my supporting graphics for my clients and for my business and non-profit purposes. The free version I coasted on for years, and ever since I began my business, I knew I wanted to pay for Canva Pro that unlocked more features that make my creative flow that much easier.
Draw inspiration from Canva templates – Templates are there to inspire your creation but be sure to change it enough, so it looks different from the template you began with. A regular Canva users can spot a template a mile away.
Pull in Elements that would help compliment your graphic – Shapes, illustrations, photo frames, animated gifs, photo collages, etc.
Share with your team – You can share your design templates with your team so they can review/modify as necessary.
Animate!!!! – You can animate your whole design, change the duration of the animation, the animation effect, and you can even animate from one page to another to create a compelling story for your auidence.
Alignment/centering – This might sound small, but if you don’t have your main elements centered, it can throw off the composition of the design. It takes more than dragging and clicking, it takes an eye too.
Fonts! – There are so many to choose from, AND you can even upload your own fonts installed on your computer if you are still looking for a close resemblance in their font library. I will share what fonts to avoid in my opinion, so look out for that soon!
Export & resize in so many different formats – pdf, jpg, png, gif, mp4, that support your use of the graphic or video. Resize your graphics for different purposes – social media, business cards, flyers, postcards/greeting cards, stickers, etc.
Desktop AND App – Access to this design platform on your desktop and your app is an absolute gamechanger! This allows you to toggle between each device and post with ease.
Samples Designed by Transcend Ideas
People Spread Love Old Bill’s Fun Run (Insta Square)GAP! Challenges Girls are Facing (Insta Square)pARTners Old Bills Fun Run (Insta square)Womxn Life Freedom (Insta Square)
Client graphics in use: Jackson Hole Fire and EMS, GAP!, pARTners, People Spread Love, Jackson Hole Nordic & Womxn Life Freedom.
Canva Custom Templates and Links to Purchase
I am excited to offer this new supporting graphics bundle to clients. Canva is a powerful tool that I use almost (not entirely) exclusively. To set yourself up for success for your business or non-profit, having custom-made templates ready to go is so crucial. You will have full access to these designs so you can “plug and play.” You will also obtain a training session with me. Links to this content can be purchased below.
If you need some convincing, let’s get some coffee to talk it out. I’d be happy to send you an affiliated link to Canva so you too can be a part a solution that can generate connection through visuals for your small business or non-profit organization.
Did you know that non-profits Canva plans are FREE when registered? Apply now.
Interested in other platforms I love?
Adobe Creative Suite (I use this suite for larger design projects)
Google Workspace (Email, Sheets, Docs, Slides, Google Drive)
Grammarly (great grammar tool that can catch errors in your writing)
Asana (task manager)
Unsplash, Adobe Stock (stock photos)
WordPress (website build & management)
Jotform (3rd party form management)
Stripe (credit card processor)
GetEmoji.com (grab an emoji quickly and paste it into your content)
I love this question because every business you see has a purpose that drives it forward. If that “WHY” isn’t asked regularly, the why may get lost in the hustle. Ask yourself:
“Do you have a Purpose-Driven Brand?”
If the answer doesn’t come right away, that’s okay. But keep in mind that when you can answer it immediately, you have a direct purpose in how you show up for your community. If you can’t answer that fundamental question, it may be best to take a beat and dig deeper.
You ought to audit your own business, so you don’t mission creep or grind without that purposeful “why” at the core of your offering. When we begin taking on aspects of our business that don’t align with our purpose we lose sight of that “why.” Maybe your why will shift and mature, and that’s also okay.
Here are some branching off purpose-driven questions to consider thinking about:
Who do you serve?
Why do you serve them?
What drives you to serve them?
What motivates you to continue serving them and others like them?
Are you asking your audience what they want and need so you can improve your work?
Do you feel fulfilled in helping your audience achieve in their business?
If not, why? And how can you shift that attitude?
Are you excited about the work you do and the serve you provide others?
Are you continually learning about your industry? Are you keeping that door open? Or have you closed that door to continual personal/professional growth?
Transcend Ideas – People Centered
Our brand, Transcend Ideas, in my mind, is purpose-driven because we serve small businesses and non-profits to amplify their meaningful message through branding and marketing strategy. What amplifying means to me is to tell their story. People’s stories are interesting. I began this company because I care about people and the communities they serve. I will continue to ask myself that significant “WHY” so I don’t lose sight as we learn and grow as a company.
The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.
Albert Schweitzer
Patagonia – Planet Earth Centered
Patagonia is a company that I had respected for a long time, even before their CEO, Yvon Chouinard recently announced a shift with Patagonia and their efforts to combat the climate crisis in a huge way. More explanation here. Patagonia has stood for sustainability since the company’s inception 50 years ago. They hooked me in when I realized they’d repair your gear if you mail them in, and if they can’t improve them, they will replace it with brand-new Patagonia gear all together.
Earth is now our only shareholder.
If we have any hope of a thriving planet—much less a business—it is going to take all of us doing what we can with the resources we have. This is what we can do.
-Yvon Chouinard
Clubhouse Conversation:
Come join the conversation on Clubhouse, if you don’t have the App downloaded you can still listen to the conversation in your browser. You can listen back to this conversation if you missed it all together. I love to engage in conversation with people all over the country and the world as that’s when the richest conversations happen.
Barking Goat Studios offers custom illustrations hand drawn by Stacey Barker of Pocatello, Idaho. He is a nature loving trail runner, skier, artist, veteran, illustrator, printmaker, graphic designer, and owner of Barking Goat Studios. Stacey draws much of his inspiration from adventures in the mountains, deserts, and coastlines of his travels while honoring the personal taste and design needs of his clients.
Here are a few projects Transcend Ideas already completed together in 2022:
JH Nordic NoSoPatches
Jackson Hole Nordic is one of those collaborative projects we’ve worked on. Much of what Stacey is interested in focusing on with his illustrations are conservation and recreating responsibly outdoors.
JH Nordic wanted to try something new and fun for Winter 2023. This new NoSoPatch is used to patch up outdoor gear or just slap it on gear just because it’s cool.
We took a poll among JH Nordic’s audience and this variation was popular among the Nordic community in Jackson.
JH Nordic NoSoPatches
Aquatic Invasive Species Guide
Aquatic Invasive Species Guide
Teton County Weed and Pest had another pocket guide they wanted to print for the 2022 Summer season. The cover art needed a little omph and we had a feeling Stacey could help with that little something. He illustrated some different aquatic invasive species (AIS) for the front cover and a boat for the back cover.
This guide offers information on the AIS you might find in the Greater Yellowstone and best practices on how we can minimize the spread of invasive species.
“One of the most exciting things to me is being able to be creative. Having total freedom to be to expressive with my art is a great feeling.”
The People Spread Love Starter Kit just didn’t seem complete until Barking Goat Studios added a little something to the mix. This “Smile” Eagle coloring page was included among the rest of the kit that appeals to all ages that volunteer to write notes of love.
Meet Stacey Barker with Barking Goat Studios
Stacey Barker in his studio
1. Tell me something about you that’s not in your bio or resume.
My family and I bike, camp, hike and ski together as much as we can!
Trail running is one of my big loves! Several ultras have been fun to train for in the last few years. Training for a 50K in Oklahoma this fall has taken up a good amount of my time.
Live music is so important to me. I use to play in a metal band, but I’ve grown to love folk and bluegrass music!
2. What are your strengths and how do you apply them to your life?
I think one of my strength is being able to endure through a problem, whether that be an art project or something in life.
3. Tell me about your entrepreneurial journey. How did you know this path was the right move for you?
Being an entrepreneur, the one thing I’ve learned is that you never know until you ask. The worst case scenario when you approach someone or a business to work with is them saying no.
If you are okay with that, you learn to realize that a lot of people also say yes to working with you.
4. Tell me about you and your business more. What about your industry that most excites you?
One of the most exciting things to me is being able to be creative. Having total freedom to be to expressive with my art is a great feeling.
5. What are your weaknesses and how do you overcome them?
Being a creative does have some difficult moments. Sometimes it takes some time to find to proper mindset before diving into a project.
Finding balance with family, work, social media is always something that I strive to improve upon.
6. What would you say to another person considering this field?
I would say that it is the most rewarding feeling that someone wants to pay you for your art. I would also say that this is hardest job I’ve ever had and worked many long hours into the night.
7. How can people be in touch with you about your services?
That’s a tough one! I might have to say a doughnut!
– top favorite 3 songs?
This a very tough one! I love listening to punk, ska, metal and bluegrass.
Here’s 4 songs that I’ve been digging recently.
Tyler Grant- Believe
Todd Snider – Play a train song
Greensky Bluegrass – Windshield
Twiddle- Lost in the cold
– a good cry or a belly laugh?
A belly laugh!
– favorite movie right now or all-time movie? I use to love zombie movies and Star Wars. Now I love to watch ultra running and climbing documentaries!
9. Do you have any specific updates for your business that you want to highlight here?
I am getting ready to for a few art events coming up.
I’ll be set up at:
Pop up Shop at Fireweed in Driggs, Idaho on August 20th
East Idaho Art Market in Rexburg, Idaho on August 27th
Hyde Park Street Fair in Boise, Idaho on Sept 16th-18th
Stacey is currently accepting new clients for any graphic design / illustration / painting commissioned projects. Email him at stacey@barkinggoatstudios.com to inquire on his work.
Heather Rodgers is the newest member to the Transcend Ideas team! She will offer support with her design and copywriting skills. She shares a little… Read more: Meet Heather Rodgers
The internet evolves at lightning speed. ⚡️
Trends from a decade ago are long forgotten, and even last year's sensations have faded. With countless accounts competing for attention across numerous platforms, standing out in this saturated digital landscape demands a more strategic approach than ever before.
Fonts tell us a lot about a brand, and there is much to discuss about them. We like to think that fonts have their own personalities, and they make a big difference in how consumers communicate with a brand. We could go on for a while, but we’ll try not to get too nerdy. We’re font fanatics here at Transcend Ideas.
Fundraising for non-profits is exciting when the money is rolling in. More often than not, it can feel like a tireless and thankless job. We love the content that Donorbox, a fundraising platform, put together in a recent webinar to help simplify the steps for non-profit employees to bring back the joy in community work.
The most effective marketing campaign is one that builds awareness on issues. They can evoke a thought, a pause, a consideration, an emotion, an action, a changed behavior, and at times all of those things over time. Learn how you can start building awareness with marketing.
