Chip Hultin: Brand Designer in Reno, Nevada

Principle designer providing graphic solutions for Events, Startup School, Outreach, and HR teams; developing event branding, badges, wayfinding systems, social media imagery, and presentation templates. • Built a grid system based on a 1/16th ratio of the “Y” icon. Establishing consistency across sub-brands, lock-ups, and text layouts. • Arrange print and digital agenda layouts for Batch Retreats, Batch Kickoffs, End of Batch, and YC staff events. • Create custom venue maps for in-house and offsite events. • Establish welcome materials reaching at least 250 early stage startups quarterly. • Branded Y Combinator’s 20th anniversary celebration with unique monogram and signage. • Organize Investor Reception and Alumni Reunion directories, seating charts and agendas. • Developed wayfinding and evacuation signs for YC’s San Francisco offices. • Collaborated with Software and Outreach teams to develop an in-house badge template for on-the-spot personalized YC branded name tags.

Working directly with a variety of businesses for the past decade; lead, consult, and collaborate on a wide range of projects: • Branding solutions from logos to full visual systems • Print and digital marketing packages • Website wireframes • Social media marketing • Custom merch; t-shirts, hats, koozies, aprons, and miscellaneous swag • Portable and static signage, pop-up tents, and event booths • Brochures, estimates, and presentation layouts • Packaging and label systems • In-store table and hanging menu designs Clients have included a video production company; musicians; breweries; a wild-fire crew; a summer camp; corporate retreats; apparel companies; food truck fabricators; and a variety of other small businesses.

Established visual language for color-coded dog waste bags, product packaging, and online storefront. • Collaborated with founders to create a playful logo icon, logo type, iconography, and brand color system. Compiled this information in a comprehensive brand guide. • Created waste bag pattern using established color system to signal diminishing bag supply. • Developed schematic package designs for several different quantities and box sizes. • Laid out hi-fi Figma wireframes for web and mobile website; storefront, blog, brand history, and dog breed information pages. • Established brand voice from the perspective of the founder’s own pets. This was applied to the parallax about section of the website.

Worked with a range of business big and small to translate pixel and vector art from digital assets to physical apparel, signage, stickers and poster products. • Ensured that client art was output correctly for best print results. Colors separations were done in either Illustrator, Photoshop or Separation Studio 4. • Designed custom artwork for clients. Everything from playful illustrations for kids to refined logo artwork. • Operation of vinyl cutter software; ganging-up designs to maximize material. • Vinyl finishing steps: cutting, weeding, and masking material. After designs were either heat pressed or in the case or stickers and window signs, sealed and packed for shipping. • Aided press operators with screen set-up and break down. This involved cleaning flood bars, and squeegees; clearing ink, reclaiming screens; and keeping inks and artwork films organized. • Shared shop responsibilities included: shipping and receiving apparel and substrates, making supply runs, folding and boxing finished products, and general shop upkeep.

Primary design resource for the Marketing Team providing print and digital assets supporting Instacart’s national availability and growing collection of partners. • In-store campaigns included fridge-wraps, check-out take-overs, window signs, delivery parking placards, and shopper signage signalling designated staging areas. • Working with co-branded announcement and promotional materials involved working with both Instacart and their partner’s teams to ensure clear messaging while maintaining all brand guidelines. Instacart partners included: Whole Foods, Green Zebra, Zabars, HEB, Costco, Target, Petco, CBS (and CVS), Lyft, and local businesses in cities across the country. • Digital assets ranged from apartment lobby and in-store check-out displays, to social media and email images. These were typically used to highlight promotions, announce new city launches and zip code expansions. • Created a one-sheet style guide- X-spaces; HEX, RGB, and CMYK colors; and minimum logo and icon sizes. This was rolled out to support the 2016 re-brand. • Collaborated with the HR team to build out their New Hire Orientation materials; Google Slides presentation and welcome packet.

Worked closely with five early stage startups over a four month period. Providing design support from re-brands; mobile and web design; presentation decks; and marketing assets. • Working with founders and samples of their audiences, we tested designs frequently during development. • Collaborated with members of the product team as well as company founders to refine or entirely redesign their logos and other brand elements such as generating a custom icon set. • Completed one ground-up re-brand, which included a new name, color scheme, icons, and logo, as well as web and mobile UI/UX.

Developed Logos for Manifesta and the store’s pop up space 'Festa; this included secondary icons, and brand guidelines. Lead UI/UX collaboration with a Front End Developer to produce the Manifesta website. This included working together to create wireframes and HiFi mocks. Established styling of Manifesta’s stationery system; business cards, letterhead, menu of services, and appointment reminders. Assembled Grand Opening announcement materials, such as a promotional email, fliers, and signage.

Responsible for compiling and laying out Curse's first Brand Book. The process was a close collaboration with our Creative Director along our Marketing and Sales Teams. This was established during a time of growth to supported positioning across applications and Curse properties. Under guidance of our Creative Director I also took point on the UI/UX design of the Curse Corporate Site, with the goal of creating a one-stop information resource for Investors and Clients. This also acted as an online companion to the new Brand Book. Worked with the Sales executives to create an infographic brochure which illustrated response rates, industry positioning, and advertisement analytics. These were shared with Partners and Advertisers. Frequently supported UI/UX design and Branding of newly acquired Curse properties while keeping older Curse sites up-to-date. This included new logos, wireframes and frequent collaboration within the Curse Front-End Design and Dev Teams.

Collaboration with Marketing Department and our CEO to create Licensing Proposals, presented to automobile companies such as McLaren, Bugatti, and BMW. Assisted UI/UX design of Simracway’s home page along with RFactor statistics and ranking pages. In charge of design and production of Simraceway’s booth for the 2011 Game Developer’s Conference. Principle designer of HTML emails, Facebook advertisements, and online race announcements. Supported branding and package design for the Simraceway S1 steering wheel which was developed in collaboration with hardware brand SteelSeries: Built in house package models and digital mock ups of package concepts for presentation to our CEO, and SteelSeries. Collaborated with SteelSeries’ designers and in-house team to develop the object and choose materials, including windows, spot varnish, imitation velvet interior, and outer chip board. Teamed up with the Jim Russel Racing School in Sonoma, CA, to establish re-branding of the school as the Simraceway Performance Driving Center: Sat down with the school’s Facilities Project Manager and the head of a local sign shop to develop 50’ steal signage displayed on the school’s main building. Worked closely with the design team and executives on brand placement at the school, on school uniforms, and vehicles.

Worked side by side with our Operations Managers to provide design resources for Hotels and Restaurants. Design services included food and drink menu layouts, event announcements, and other printed materials. Lead design of Puccini marketing materials across event branding, signage, and happy hour invitations. I also had the opportunity to create the 2011 Puccini Group holiday card. Assisted the Sales Team with presentation decks for pitches to clients such as Kimpton Hotels, The Fairmont, The Hilton, and various San Francisco restaurants.