KatherineFord.com

Creative content ideation with writing, editorial, illustration, costume/prop/production design, event management, retail, marketing, nonprofit and leadership experience.

Freelance Content Creation and Retail Consulting
Spearheaded Client Specific Projects: Based on client need create, plan, and implement projects including special events, prop, set and costume design, content writing, social media campaigns, visual merchandising, presentation creation, and retail consulting. Work with client’s in-house team and/or source independent contractors as project requires.

Clients include:
Plateau Magazine (Managing Editor, Writer) *additional info in experience
Cashiers Designer Showhouse (Co-Chair Volunteer) *additional info in experience
Cashiers Greenway Ramble (Illustrating)
The Bascom, Highlands NC (Social Media Marketing)
Chrome Hearts, Los Angeles CA (Visual Merchandising/Prop Fabrication)
Tiffany & Co., Las Vegas Stores NV (Visual Merchandising)
The Empty Vase, Los Angeles CA (Prop Fabrication)
Oakleaf Flower and Garden, Highlands NC (Social Media Marketing/Visual Merchandising)
Cashiers Historical Society, Cashiers NC (Children's Illustrating)
Beauty Barrage, Los Angeles CA (Prop Fabrication)
Eurohealth,  Asheville NC (Graphic Design and Web Creation)
J Bar Cane, Stanley NM (Proposal and Workflow Strategy)
Granada Mineral Holdings, Albuquerque NM (Proposal Creation)
K2Forma, Nashville TN (Social Media Marketing)

Content Creation

American Posterity

Create and secure patent for early childhood development device. Create and illustrate children’s book characters for licensing. Create all logos and web content. Maintain all copyrights.

American Posterity is based in Las Vegas, NV, and focuses on creating products and concepts based on current cognitive development and learning research. We created Zini and Friends, an edutainment character property, to complement our patented child stimulation device. These characters are designed as learning archetypes to grow with children through intentional stimuli and morph into three distinct stages, allowing children to mature with these friends from infancy to young adulthood. Books, worksheets and an animated series reinforce lessons, teach subjects through multiple learning styles, and create links to future vocational opportunities. We are seeking partners in education, behavioral sciences, animation, edutainment licensing, and app development to bring our dream of a curriculum-based edutainment property to life. If you would like to learn more, don't hesitate to contact us.

Co-Owner/Creator

DUE SOUTH PUBLISHING, INC.

Strategize and execute editorial content in collaboration with publisher and advertising department. Lead a team of over 30 freelance writers and photographers to determine the appropriate voice and eye for each unique storytelling opportunity. Oversee deadlines and budgets, create editorial calendar, and identify key persons of interest for editorial content. Network with business owners, creatives, and persons of interest. Edit all written content and execute social media marketing for branded Plateau Magazine outlets.

Managing Editor

24th Cashiers Designer Showhouse

Held annually in collaboration with Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Magazine, due to a real estate boom in Highlands and Cashiers, NC, the team could not secure a showhouse. Thinking outside the box resulted in a glamping event on the Society's grounds with six designer wall tents. All content was themed around conservation, preservation, and stewardship. Served as co-chair and project manager, working with design teams, stewardship partners, sponsors, press, and volunteers. Created all graphic and written content, built website and virtual ticket, curated social media and e-blast content, illustrated themed children’s coloring/activity book, and acted as moderator for panel discussions during the two-week long event.

Co-chair Volunteer 

The Bascom

*Staff member during The DeVos Institute Of Arts Management Rural Strategic Planning Pro Bono Initiative, one of five rural art organizations awarded across the nation in 2019.

Marketing: Brainstorm, create, and execute all marketing efforts for The Bascom: A Center for the Visual Arts in a multi-platform manner that reaches diverse segments, markets, and regions with a unified message. Work with department heads and leadership to craft mission-branded narratives in all marketing and sales content. Build and maintain relationships with members of the press and community partners. Create and implement unique marketing experiences for both current and future members, patrons, and guests of The Bascom.

Content Creation: Create and manage graphic design and other narrative efforts including social media, websites, e-blasts, advertising, sales tools, signage, radio ads, invitations, exhibition wall text and gallery guides.

Retail: Oversee the curation of all retail efforts within The Bascom Shop. Create dynamic retail opportunities for artists and manage artists relations. Manage all retail operations.

Manage and oversee all external venue rentals.

Director of Community Engagement

*First major project was to redesign store layout, fixtures, and flow, resulting in a 50% increase in sales within the first year.

Manage and curate all retail functions in The Bascom’s Gallery Shop and Atrium area, assist guests in all special event rentals.

Sales: Source and curate a merchandising mix of both luxury and gift-type handmade goods from local and regional artisans.  Inventory, price, merchandise, market, and sell product within The Bascom’s retail areas in a manner that properly reflects a high-end visual art center and museum.  Create a dynamic sales structure to capture multi-tiered customers including clientele based sales and artist commissions. Meet financial standards of performance as outlined by The Bascom board of directors.  Coordinate efforts and logistics for as many as 250 artists selling work within The Bascom Shops’s retail avenues.

Training and Support: Offer POS, sales, and customer service training to staff. Create visual guides and flow for retail areas to best showcase artists and capture sales. Explore and implement creative solutions for retail to align with The Bascom’s core mission of Education, Outreach, and Exhibitions. Plan, create, and implement retail tools to be used for normal shop operations and functions.

Content Creation: Create social marketing techniques to highlight The Bascom Shop and the artists it represents, including the Facebook Live “Artist Talk” series.

Retail and Guest Services Manager

Chrome Hearts

Plan, create, and coordinate the visual aspects of merchandising campaigns, in store and key account special events, photo shoots, and ad campaigns internationally.

Branding: Collaborate with owners and other departments to maintain visual excellence. Work directly with company owners to maintain overall branding in campaigns used in retail stores, eyewear boutiques, and ad campaigns worldwide. Plan, design, and develop merchandising campaigns worldwide. Work with other departments under Director of Visual Merchandising to co-manage special events.
 
Training and Support: Offer training and support to stores. Create visual guides and offer merchandising training and support to employees at the retail store level, including learning to study patterns in customer behavior to help increase visual merchandising and sales potential.

Content Creation: Contribute to Chrome Hearts Magazine. Work on photo shoots, style product shoots, and create props and costumes for editorial shoots. Contribute content and creative input for Chrome Hearts lifestyle magazine.

Assistant Director of Visual Merchandising

As luxury sales associate, create and nurture a clientele base with excellence in personal selling techniques. Work directly with store manager to develop a visual merchandising strategy to increase store sales. Work to train sales staff in looking for patterns in customer behavior to help increase visual merchandising and sales potential.

Sales / Visual Merchandising

The Beach

Attend ASR trade shows with buying partner to place orders for Junior’s merchandising mix. Create local print and radio ad campaigns.  Visually merchandise store and assist customers in sales.

Juniors Co-Buyer

New Mexico State University

Work with theatre shop Costume Designer to pattern, cut, and construct costumes to accomplish desired look.  Costume Designer for “Ice Wolf,” a children’s play during the Spring 2006 semester.

Costume Work Study Student

Zumiez

Manage as many as 15 employees and two key holders. Visually merchandise store according to VM guide, assist customers, complete inventories and opening/closing procedures. Meet sales goals and maintain knowledge of products and trends.

Assistant Manager

Journeys

Manage a team of sales associates. Visually merchandise store according to VM guide, assist customers, complete inventories and opening/closing procedures. Follow trends over the preceding year to successfully plan and run store. Call merchandisers in home office to meet customer’s needs and relate qualitative information about buying habits.

Need authentic ideation? I have the creative vision for that (plus the artistic and communication skills to bring it to life)!
Edutainment entrepreneur, author, illustrator, designer, creative strategist, and project leader with experience in:
•design
•editorial writing, storytelling, and publication editing
•content creation (illustration, graphic design, copy, video and photoshoot production)
•retail management, high-end sales, and visual merchandising
•print and social media marketing
•special events
•nonprofits

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