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Oh hey!
I’m Mike.

I’m a design-oriented collaborator with a flair for marketing. Maybe it’s my love of people that led me to see cross-functional collaboration, or it could be that I know the power of intelligent people working together toward a common goal.

Either way, I’ve learned that the more I work collaboratively, as a contributor or as a leader, the end product is of better quality.

I started my career as a freelance designer because graduating in 2009 during a recession was a great time for entry-level designers—looking back, it was the best thing that could have happened to me. It taught me grit, how to speak to clients, find solutions, and, most importantly, how to create a narrative around my work.

Over the years, I worked at a small agency focusing on social marketing (before algorithms and pay to play) as their lead [read: only] designer. I was part of two big-player pharmaceutical lifestyles and advertising agencies — ask me about dry eyes, I can tell you! Before my current role, I dipped my toes into the nonprofit world — that’s where I believe my visual storytelling blossomed.

Outside of work, I love playing dad to my kiddo and pup, taking on freelance brand and design projects, volunteering my time and design skills to my local RCO, and practicing my hand lettering.

Have a project in mind? Want to say “Hey!” or just chat about your favorite things; shoot me an email at mike@artisticdork.com. You can also find me on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. ✌️