Meet Jenni Schwartz

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jenni Schwartz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenni, so excited to have you with us today, particularly to get your insight on a topic that comes up constantly in the community – overcoming creativity blocks. Any thoughts you can share with us?
Take a pause! I give myself permission to step away from whatever project I am struggling with. Sometimes that means a long or short walk, yoga class or even break for the day. I trust my subconscious to continue working even when I am not laser focused on the project. My creative ideas happen while I am sleeping, listening to a podcast or even showering.

of course there are times where deadlines don’t allow for breaks. In this case, it helps to see what other people you admire are doing. I have a resource library on hand of design studios, blogs and directories I refer to often for inspiration.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am the Co-founder and Creative Director of Solmark Creative, a digital design and branding studio for the wellness-minded based in Boca Raton, Florida. The pursuit of a healthy and joyful lifestyle has led me to work with individuals and companies that make people feel good. I like to be able to relate to my clients, share in their passion and not only be their creative partner but also their target market.

When I am not building websites and designing brands, I am raising my two daughters, ages 6 and 8. From carpool to soccer games, I am a mommy always on the go and balancing work and life by marrying them together, literally! My husband, Mike, is my business partner and we are always ON. Our life is a dance choreographed by a color-coded Google Calendar blending work, marriage, friends and family.

I also love to gather like-minded people. When I moved to South Florida from New York City 7 years ago, myself, along with a talented team founded the Palm Beach chapter of Creative Mornings. On the first Friday of every month, we put together a morning event to inspire and cultivate the creative community in Palm Beach county.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
DO GOOD WORK – No matter the size of the project. No matter how well-known the client is. No matter what the budget, or if there’s no compensation involved at all. DO. GOOD. WORK. I never half-ass anything. Every design I put out into the world, whether it be an infographic for a large corporation or an in-kind poster for the PTA, it is a reflection of myself and my studio. And you know what comes from doing good work? Getting more work to do good with.

FIND YOUR NICHE – Focus on one or a few things and become the best at it. I began my career as a generalist and then learned that niching down and being an expert in a specific industry is beneficial both in terms of skills and success. Understanding your client’s needs and being able to clearly define and position yourself and what makes you unique is key.

KEEP LEARNING – the world of digital design is constantly evolving and keeping up is imperative to stay on top. Learn the new technology, study the trends, become buddies with the innovators, go to conferences, and be open to change.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
My number one challenge is finding the time to do everything I want to as a working mother. I am constantly dividing my time between my kids, my business, volunteer work and self care. I don’t believe there is a clear resolution to this, and as challenges go, being busy is a good one to have and one I am grateful for it. I continue to do my best and prioritize what’s most important and remind myself that it’s OK to say no. Free time should not be confused with availability.

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