Takeaways from Evonna Ramirez and Kandice Cleveland, employees at Magic

Magic is a local startup agency that specializes in digital marketing. Working in this medium of design has a lot of positive aspects that come along with it. They’re able to conduct analytical research in a faster, more efficient way. It’s also a form of design that doesn’t require seeing it in person which makes it an ideal setup during Covid. They focus on teaming up with brands that align with their values which is to promote positive changes. It was co-founded by Marcus McNeill and Gareth Hermann. McNeill is passionate about the "psychedelic renaissance," working with teams whose goal is to decriminalize psychedelics. While Hermann is oriented towards leaving positive impacts in his community. It’s a rather small agency with about 30 employees. We got to speak with Evonna Ramirez, their lead designer, and Kandice Cleveland, one of their graphic designers. It was co-founded by Marcus McNeill and Gareth Hermann.

Ramirez describes herself as the “bouncer” of the team. She handles most of the client relations on the design end. She’s also in charge of delineating tasks to her colleagues and helping them feel like they’re in a healthy work environment. They use Asana to manage their schedule. She’s an advocate for self-care and wants her teammates to be able to maintain a work-life balance. She graduated from MSU Denver and recently applied for their grad program with hopes of acquiring an additional degree in either climate change or social justice. Ramirez is currently a board member for Climate Reality, an organization dedicated to taking action to fight climate change. She also spoke about the importance of vulnerability. She emphasized that if you’re not afraid to share your true self with others, you’ll attract like-minded people into your space. Don’t feel pressured to be 100% professional all the time and hide the aspects of yourself that make you, YOU. Everyone has unique experiences and perspectives to bring to the table.

Kandice Cleveland is a multi-talented artist. She also graduated from MSU Denver with a degree in graphic design. Her designs are adaptable to fit the needs of the client. She creates powerful illustrations highlighting BIPOC activists and important historical figures as well as topics that raise awareness about racism. On the side, she also embroiders lettering and intricate patterns on shirts and tote bags. These outlets are her form of self-care when she needs to feel creatively fulfilled outside of work. Her goal is to eventually work for a non-profit organization such as BLM. Cleveland stressed the importance of being a conscious designer. It’s critical to be aware of the potential risks that could derive from the work we put out in public.

Together with the rest of the team at Magic, they’ve worked with companies who are aiding with plastic waste, mental health, and decriminalizing psychedelic drugs. Even though they’re a startup company, they’ve quickly built up an impactful portfolio and clientele. They also have team members with varying skills, like coding, copywriting, web design, research, client communication, business, and graphic design. All of these skillsets come together to create really great digital marketing at Magic.