Timothy Zahner
Q What do you do?
“I’m a brand designer and strategist.”
I work alongside brands to help them understand and develop their brand story, and bring it to life with a visual identity and communication strategy.
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
I have a decade of experience in strategic partnerships and business development. I’ve helped manage major accounts for global sports brands, developed strategies for international non-profits, and closed 7-figure technology partnerships with major media companies. But, my truest self is my creative side. At my core, I’m a communicator and storyteller, and visual thinker. From 2017 to 2020, I developed a media brand, producing short-form documentaries and cinematic videos capturing basketball culture in New York City. I wanted to take my creativity to the next level, and enrolled in a full-time, intensive graphic design bootcamp and am now a freelance brand designer and strategist.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I have a unique combination of high-level professional skills and being deeply immersed in culture. I’m equally comfortable working with executive-level clients as I am out in the field and on the streets doing brand discovery and research.
Q What are you working on right now?
I’m keeping my skills sharp and continuing to develop brand concepts while looking for opportunities at branding studios. I’m currently developing a brand concept for a Cuban coffee shop. I'm also methodically and intentionally developing my illustration skills.
Q What’s your style?
I love bold and contemporary design and reframing the way people think about your brand. One project that stands out is a brand awareness campaign I created for Wall Street Journal Magazine. The perception is that the Wall Street Journal is old and stuffy, but their magazine actually has a bunch of really cool, culturally-forward content. So, I developed an advertising campaign to help them reach a younger, more diverse audience. I crafted a tone of voice and visual language that is striking and punchy but maintains the brand’s poise and polish. Check it out here
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
I would like to work full-time on bringing brands from 0 to 1, by creating brand identities and developing their communication strategy.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
Social media. I love doing it for brands, but operationally it’s a full-time job in and of itself. If I could have someone re-package my creative work and strategically and methodically distribute it across social channels, that would be very helpful.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
There are no mulligans in life, unfortunately. It would be easy to say that I wish I recognized my true professional ambitions earlier in my career, but I’ve had a rich set of experiences and likely wouldn’t have accomplished many of the things I’ve been able to do outside of design.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
Long term, I’m looking for a design role at a branding/creative agency. However, I’m also looking to partner with young brands to help develop their brand identity and communication strategy.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
My favorite past client is Nike Basketball. I created a series of mini-documentaries for a basketball tournament they hosted at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn alongside Kyrie Irving. I was on a short timeline but was given creative freedom and the license to go out and do what I do best.
Q: What is your rate?
I only take on one client at a time, so all work is bespoke and priced on a per-project basis. Reach out and we can build a plan and a pricing model that works for you.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Reach out via email and include the scope of work you're looking for.
Q Who is a creative you admire?
My favorite creative is Johnnie Izquierdo, a sports and lifestyle photographer.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
I try to focus on the process and not the outcome, by staying disciplined and consistent. I build a daily goal list and a tight schedule. I also wake up early and walk 2 miles to the gym, get a workout in and walk home with coffee in hand. It’s a great way to start the day and get my thoughts in order and my creative juices flowing.
This member profile was originally published in April 2022.