Emily(Em) Schaefer
Owner/Designer · Make 'Em Happy
Indianapolis, IN
In My Own Words
I’ve always known that I wanted to pursue a career that challenges me everyday to grow and innovate. In the years following the completion of my undergrad, I harnessed immense skills in design and visual communications. My desire to express ideas through creative thinking continues to grow as I expand my skills and work with incredible professionals from around the world. Driven by my continued hunger to redefine and sharpen my skills, I've expanded my knowledge into the business world by completing higher education at the University College Dublin Michael Smurfit Business School. With my Master's in Digital Marketing, I can now fully dedicate my career to creative problem-solving at the highest level.
Honoring my combined experience and dedicated focus on learning within the fields of design and marketing, I am continually strengthening my ability to aid companies in adding value to their business. I look to research and data to help shape and support solutions while also assessing creative opportunities through my unique design perspective.
BUSINESS SKILLS: Project and Timeline Management, Efficiency | Organization, Concept Development, Collaboration, Cross-functional Team and Vendor Communication, Intercultural, Competence , Team Leadership
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS: Branding, marketing analytics, marketing strategy, concept development, illustration, digital design/usability, market research, environmental graphics, typography, information graphics, project management, video(story boards and moderate editing) creative copywriting, photography, fine arts skills, art history
DESIGN SKILLS:
Print- Illustration, Infographics, Logos, Style Guides, Direct Mail
Environmental- Schematics and Renderings, Visual Merchandising, Exhibit and Store Design, Large Format Graphics, Signage and Navigation Design, Travel Retail
Digital- WordPress, Digital Ad Design, UI/UX Testing, Social Media Content, Intermediate Website Design, Intermediate Video Development, Storyboarding
Work Experience
Owner/Designer
Make 'Em Happy2015 – Present
Creative Solutions | Design | Art Direction Make 'Em Happy is a result of identifying a desire to use my varied creative skills to inspire unique and beautiful solutions. While traveling and seeking new opportunities to collaborate with people around the world, I aspire to spread the mentality that what you do can make others happy and ultimately enable your own happiness. I provide freelance creative solutions providing services including graphic design, illustrations, social media content and digital design, website design, packaging and production design, environmental graphics, marketing design, branding, and creative copywriting. Clients include: 77Media, M1GT Audi Race team, Safe Sport, USA Baseball, Angie’s List, WebFX, Sport Graphics, American College of Education, FRENDS Headphones, Me & My Big Ideas, House of Sillage, Northeastern University
Senior Designer
Too Faced Cosmetics/Esteé Lauder2017 – 2018
•Organized and executed fixture designs, large format graphics, and promotional table displays for domestic and international stores marketing Too Faced products •Initiated Concept Development for new market launches and expansions and international stores marketing Too Faced products •Collaborated with Visual Merchandising to develop designs for Travel Retail and free-standing store in London, UK •Guided design team and freelancers in execution of launch into German market and other seasonal launches •Served as key contact for Printers and Vendors to ensure schematic integrity and timeline fulfillment •Established design processes and guides to aid design team in more efficient execution
Graphic Designer
Avant Healthcare2015 – 2015
•Developed presentations for client campaign development, logos, and supporting graphics •Composed storyboards for client video concepts •Articulated design direction to clients
Lead Marketing Designer
Angie's List2014 – 2015
•Supported Marketing line of business creating graphics for B2C communication •Spearheaded illustration project to add environmental graphics to the Angie’s List campus •Created numerous corporate presentations for top executives •Assisted Email Marketing team with design direction and concepting resulting in increased CTR •Directed redesign of trade show booths for Event Marketing resulting in increased conversions at events •Awarded for best presentation as finalist of the Ideathon contest, proposing innovative contributions to the company
Graphic Design Professional Intern
Walt Disney Company2012 – 2013
•Supported communication development and delivery to thousands of Cast Members throughout the Food & Beverage and Merchandise lines of business in Walt Disney World® Resort and Disneyland® Resort •Managed and designed monthly internal merchandise publication, editing copy and developing layouts •Partnered with key, high-level contacts outside the lines of business to gain input on projects and acquire approvals •Aided press team as a Disney Representative for the 2012 New Fantasyland opening •Created numerous corporate presentations for partners to pitch new ideas to top executives Partner with key, high-level contacts outside the lines of business to gain input on projects and acquire approvals •Maintained Professional relationships and managed work with clients who work remotely- either in different properties, sites, or time zones
Graphic Designer
Walt Disney Imagineering2013 – 2013
•Supported all lines of business throughout the Walt Disney World® property, updating and creating graphics for signage, print, and creative projects •Collaborated with manager to design Namaste Café Food Truck at Disney Springs, featured in the Disney Files Publication •Designed all digital menu templates for food truck fleet and Carioca’s menu on Disney Cruise Line •Planned and implemented detailed style guides for Starbucks launches to ensure design consistency •Partnered with fabricators to create environmental design schematic drawings and renderings •Efficiently managed projects involving creatives from various fields
