Designed By V

Developed brand strategies including web design, graphic design, and video production were necessary. Projects included a visual identity brand refresh, an event promo video, a detailed map design, pamphlet design, and more.

Freelance Designer

FMO Media LLC

Met with clients to understand business goals and translated them into a social media content plan using film agendas. Implemented and organized filming schedules for content creation with five traveling videographers and 200+ clients.

Pre Production Manager

Young and Hungry Creative

- Managed and mentored four design teams to prepare effective and engaging client pitch decks.
- Designed ad campaigns and branding for local San Francisco non-profit organizations including The Arc and Blue Endeavors.

Design Lead

Sonoran Technology and Professional Services, Llc

- Coordinated flight schedules for military pilots issued training reports that needed to be meticulously scrubbed for any errors.

- Successfully juggled workload while concurrently pursuing a BFA in Advertising remotely via Academy of Art.

Training Support Specialist

Creative Media Alliance

- Coordinated and attended video advertising shoots (location, props, hair & makeup, craft, legal documents) with director, videographer, sound engineer, talent, and clients to capture interview and B-roll footage. 
- Brainstormed with video team to develop compelling advertising strategies.
- Edited footage and created motion graphics for video ads.
- Utilized a diverse skill set by collaborating with Graphic Design, Social Media, and Web Teams to further the ad agency’s goals and projects as a whole.

Advertising Production Coordinator 

Museum of Glass

- Created Motion graphics and visuals for glass blowing events.
- Ran daily live glass blowing shows by operating five robotic cameras.
- Captured footage with a floor camera during glass shows.

AV Switcher/Camera Operator

My passion is to help businesses tell their story through visual branding so they can reach their target audience. From an early age, I've been driven to question the norms and challenge myself with the question, "How can I do this differently than everyone else?" Naturally, this led to a fascination for Advertising. Whether I'm creating a captivating campaign or sharing my whimsical art on Instagram, I constantly seek fresh avenues to push my creative boundaries and leave my mark on the world. Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, my family roots (and name) trace back to Russia. Currently, I reside in Clayton, NC with my husband and two cats.

When I’m not designing, I love tinkering in my garden (I grew the most beautiful heirloom tomatoes last year) and reading fantasy novels (anything with dragons is a win for me). Every experience in life is a way to recharge my creative battery.

A founder at DC startup week asked me for feedback on their pitch. I was locked in. Focused. Trying so hard to follow.

But only a few sentences in, I felt my brain whisper…

“Yo… what do you think lunch will be today.”

That’s when I knew. The story he was trying to tell me was making me work too hard.

Your pitch shouldn’t be a mental climb for investors. It should feel like a smooth glide down a freshly buttered slide of clarity.

If someone has to burn calories trying to understand you, they won’t.

They’ll just nod politely while their brain goes to get snacks. (Like pretzel sticks maybe.. ooh salt and vinegar chips?!)

So here’s the test:
After you share your pitch, ask someone outside your industry to repeat it back.
If they can’t, it’s too complicated. 

Keep it simple.
Keep it human.

Versaviya Despars

I help startups unlock millions in funding by telling the right story in their pitch. | Decks & Landing Pages

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👩 Me: So what problem do you solve?
🚀 Founder: We provide a calendar that syncs your contacts with your schedule.
👩 Me: ...that's a solution. What problem are you solving?
🚀 Founder: [intense thinking face]

Right before heading into day two of DC Startup Week, I was pumped to meet founders and hear their stories.

As I listened to different pitches, I noticed a common thread:
Most founders completely forget to say the problem they're solving.

In fact, even when I directly ask "what problem do you solve?" they just give me another version of their solution.

I see this SO often that I don't even blame people anymore. It's genuinely hard to step back and articulate the pain when you're deep in building the fix.

But if you skip the problem, people won't care about your solution.

Nobody wakes up thinking "I need a calendar that syncs contacts with my schedule!"

They wake up thinking "Why is it so hard to stay close to my friends?"

After talking with that founder some more, we found the actual problem:
👩 Me: Why do people need this? What pain does it cause them?
🚀 Founder: Hmm... the biggest pain is that adult friendships often fizzle out because it's hard to align schedules. Wait. I need to use that!!

I smiled at that.

I LOVE the lightbulb aha moment when people realize there's a way to explain your solution that actually resonates with others.

Remember:
Start with the pain. Make people feel it.
Then show them your solution.

If everyone you met got genuinely excited about your idea, what COULDN'T you accomplish?

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