You already know what doesn't work

The logo that doesn’t quite fit. Marketing that costs more than it returns. Branding that makes you feel like you're wearing someone else's clothes.

Growth has a funny way of building up and quietly pulling things apart. A second location. A new hire who doesn't know the unwritten rules. A social presence that started strong and slowly drifted. Then one day, you look up and realize the brand your customers fell in love with is harder to find than it used to be.

That's not failure. That's what scaling looks like when no one is minding the thread.

Human in a leather coat and a black beanie standing in front of an old billboard

Hi, I'm Viki. I'm a brand designer and creative director based in Chicago. I design brand identities and marketing for founders who run restaurants, bars, coffee shops, breweries, tattoo studios, theaters, and boutiques.

‍The kinds of businesses that depend on the atmosphere. On return visits. On people telling their friends, "You have to go there."

I work with founders in retail, hospitality, and entertainment because these industries live or die on connection. A weak brand doesn't just cost you customers. It hands them to someone who figured out how to speak their language first. And charges more for the privilege.

My Resume
Torn edge of white paper

How I Got Here

I started tinkering with design as a kid on Myspace and Tumblr. Tweaking code. Testing layouts. Watching what caught attention and what got scrolled past.

Then I saw something that changed how I thought about branding entirely.

There was a horror anime called Jigoku Shōjo—Hell Girl. The marketing team didn't just promote the show. They built an urban legend around it. And spread cryptic posts across social media about a strange girl who could drag someone to hell if you knew how to reach her. The posts always led back to a stark black landing page with a single form: Submit a name. Tell us your grievance.

‍The show ended. The legend didn't.

People are still sharing those stories, and searching for that page. The brand outlived the product because it understood one thing most businesses miss: people don't follow businesses. They follow stories they want to be part of.

That's what I've been chasing ever since.

Torn edge of white paper

What I Do

Most people think of branding as a logo and a color palette, something you do once and file away. But a brand is a living thing. It needs tending. And the further you grow from that first version of yourself, the more intentional that tending needs to be.

I don't hand you a logo and call it a brand. Recycle old templates or give you five-second fixes.

I get to know where you are now, where you want to go, and who you're trying to reach. Then I help you go from a vague target audience to a customer profile that sharpens over time. With systems to track what's working and collect feedback that actually matters.

I'm not a yes man, but I will tell you why I'm saying no. I won't ask you to hand over the keys. I'll ask you to trust the process while staying in the room.

And hand you strategies and guidelines that keep things efficient without cutting corners.

What This Gets You

A brand that doesn't fracture under the weight of growth. Marketing that pulls its weight. A story your customers can find no matter where they encounter you. Weather online, in person, or through someone who heard about you secondhand.

Your customers aren't choosing you over the competition because you're cheaper or closer. They're choosing you because you made them feel something. Because you showed up in a way that mattered.

That feeling doesn't just maintain itself.
You have to work at it.

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Make a Reservation

If you're ready to stop guessing and start connecting, let's talk.

A vintage photograph of a wall in a dimly lit parlor. The wall is decorated with French molding and painted a rich oxblood color. In front of the wall is a carved wood side table with two white tea cups and saucers perched on top, nestled between two worn leather cigar chairs with wooden feet, and a richly patterned Persian rug underfoot. Soft, warm natural lighting from the right casts shadows across the room, creating a dark and moody atmosphere.

The Parlor

Branding that helps people see the value of what you do, whether you’re evolving or giving your brand long-overdue attention.

A cobblestone path runs under a wooden pergola covered in blooming roses, leading to a sunlit, lush garden filled with greenery and colorful flowers. Warm sunlight filters through the pergola.

The garden

A brand management subscription that also handles your marketing materials, so you can get back to what you do best.

Torn edge of white paper

More about me

"My taste is equal parts 90s nostalgia and cringe."

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"If you asked me where to start, this is what I'd tell you."