about

I’m a designer based in the Midwest. I teach, letterpress print, and love solving big problems.

If a brand is everything about a product or service (the people, the pixels, the vision), my career has been a culmination of this idea of branding. My career started on the visual side of brand; however, I have positioned myself in places where I have been an integral part of crafting brand positioning, value propositions, and experiences. I’ve used my ability to tell a brand's visual story as a way for me to gain experience building strategy and positioning. I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t have a formal degree from an elite business school. Both my undergraduate and master's degrees are in graphic design. I’ve learned business and marketing on my own working with small businesses and pursuing freelance work.

Areas of Interest

I'm interested in the intersection of design and business.

UI / UX Design
Letterpress
User Research
Branding
Market Research
Website Design

Professional and Academic Work

Here are some of the highlights from my CV.
  • Let's Talk Freelance Design, IU AIGA
    (Spring 2020)
  • Digital Marketing, Lunch & Learn at Westgate
    (Spring 2020)
  • Photographing Portfolio Work, IU AIGA
    (Spring 2020)
  • Graphic Design Basics
    (Spring 2020)
  • Digital Marketing Workshop
    (Spring 2020)
  • Your Social Media Culture
    (Fall 2019)
  • Getting on the Map, Grow Crawford County
    (Fall 2019)
  • Score Nashville, IN
    (Summer 2019)
  • Bloomington Board of Realtors
    (Summer 2019)
  • Ellettsville, IN Chamber Lunch and Learn
    (Spring 2019)
  • SCORE Columbus, IN Workshop
    (Fall 2018)
  • Bizcom at University of Southern Indiana
    (Fall 2018)
  • Purdue Westgate Showcase
    (Summer 2018)
  • Bloomington qualifier for INX in Indianapolis
    (Summer 2018)
  • IU Kelley School Clapp Business Competition
    (Spring 2018)
  • 3-Day SCORE Digital Marketing Workshop
    (Fall 2017)

Speaking, Workshops, and Pitches

I've spoken about design, marketing, and personal projects.
"We have worked with AJ for a number of years, primarily consulting us on qualified lead generation through the use of creative, targeted social media advertising.  AJ has helped us implement and fine tune Facebook & Twitter advertising campaigns.  He takes the time to understand our business, ask good questions, and provide solutions that are relevant to our needs.  AJ is ahead of the curve, keeping up with the latest trends and products offered by the ever-changing social media ad platforms, which in turn gives us a competitive advantage with our advertising.  AJ also understands how to break down all the data that is collected from the ad campaigns and how to use that data to make our future campaigns better."
Eric Dainton, GM Renaissance Rentals

Want to work together? Let's chat.

I'm available for workshops, speaking, partnerships, and freelance work.
Send me a note at hello@ajoreilly.com