I didn't set out to become a brand designer. I set out to understand people, and design turned out to be the best put that empathy to use. I took the long way to brand design, and every stop along the way gave me something I use with clients today.

It started with people. I studied at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and went on to earn a Master's in Educational Psychology, drawn to how people think, what they need, and how they want to be seen. That curiosity is still at the center of my work.

A decade in education taught me how to bring people along. I built programs and designed learning experiences from the ground up, and I learned to explain unfamiliar ideas so they actually click. Design is its own language with its own way of thinking, and most of my clients are new to it. A big part of my job is translation, helping you understand the choices we're making so you can feel confident in them.

Then I built a business of my own. K.Michael Jewelry grew from a creative spark into a thriving business, and I learned firsthand what it feels like to nurture something from nothing and to find the courage to put your work out into the world. It also showed me what becomes possible when your work is meaningful to you and shapes the life you want to live.

Later chapters added more. Tech recruiting at Google taught me to build genuine relationships in high pressure environments. Coaching, which I began in 2020, has given me over 800 hours with leaders, executives, and founders, and a deeper understanding of what motivates people and what holds them back.

Through it all, I found myself always admiring the people around me who had started something of their own. Many were coaches and purpose driven entrepreneurs, brilliant at their work, whose brands hadn't caught up with them. I knew that feeling from the inside, and I realized I had the right mix of skills to help. That's how K.Michael Studio began.

Today I work with business owners who were brave enough to step out on their own and whose work has outgrown their brand. We start with strategy, then build a brand and website that finally feels like you, one you're proud to share with anyone.

That winding path is where the squiggle in my logo comes from. Life happens in the twists and loops, and mine led me here.