I am excited to introduce our newest member of Studio Red Design: my husband, Theron Taggart.

Theron, Alston, and Kevin at Studio Red Design

I have watched Theron work from afar, and am now excited to include his talents more fully within our design team. After completing his MBA, Theron spent many years in industry followed by more than twenty years consulting at Arthur Andersen and KPMG. There his practice focused on restructuring, operational and financial consulting, bankruptcy, innovation, learning and development, in addition to forensic consulting. After leaving KPMG Theron started his own consulting business Yggdrasil Consulting, focused on learning, development, and innovation. Theron brings a wealth of experience across many industries and geographies and really builds our bench here at Studio Red Design where he serves as the Strategy Lead and CFO.

I reached out to Theron, consulting with him on how to better communicate our design offerings online. He positioned our new website using the clients' lens. I am thrilled with his direction and ideas, and am glad to have him onboard to help others. Following is an excerpt of a discussion we recently had.

Alston: Theron, what is involved in your role at Studio Red Design as CFO and Lead Strategist?

Theron: The CFO role is the most easily defined. In that capacity I help review major projects, evaluate pricing and contracts, help keep the books, and manage the taxes. The Strategy Lead role is far more broad. There I help the team determine approaches to solve our clients’ needs, respond effectively and fully to poposals, stay abreast of the market, maintain a client-centric digital presence (website + social media), review and enhance deliverables, and of course support the Studio Red Design go-to-market efforts. In addition I deliver a variety of consulting services beyond typical graphic design.

Alston: Theron, what do see as the ‘value-add’ you bring to Studio Red Design and its clients?

Theron: Frankly, the biggest value I bring is as an outside consultant. I am not a graphic design professional but rather a consultant trained to solve my clients’ business problems. I have worked with hundreds of clients across many industries and jurisdictions and have learned the impact of effective messaging. I focus less on the how (since that is what the existing team excels at) but rather on the why, when, and what. This perspective allows me to support the project inception process through being critical and focused on what our partners really want to achieve — helping drive the direction of the creative approach. During the project conclusion, this lens allows me to add value through critical analysis of the work product — did it meet our client’s objectives and needs? I see graphic design as a critical foundation of our partners’ mission and goals.

“Studio Red Design has built a great brand in responding to existing unmet needs of our clients, whether annual reports, publications, mailers, etc. I would like us to move to the next level where we become an integral business partner, where we help drive strategy and approach.”

Alston: What is your vision for our design firm?

Theron: I would like us to move more from order-takers to true consultants. Studio Red Design has built a great brand in responding to existing unmet needs of our clients, whether annual reports, publications, mailers, etc. I would like us to move to the next level where we become an integral business partner, where we help drive strategy and approach, in addition to turnkey graphic design. The relationships we have developed allow us a unique lens to help us do far more than we are doing today for our clients. I hope the next few years bring us permission to step up to this new and exciting role.

Alston: How can existing or new clients reach you? And what can you offer them in addition to our existing services?

Theron: I am available almost anytime at Theron@studiored.us or via mobile at 202-355-5237. In addition to supporting existing graphic design services I am available to plan and lead workshops, surveys, or deliver consulting services related to change management, innovation, training, and people. My belief is that people are central to any effort — if a project begins with a robust and well-designed view of the stakeholders, beneficiaries, and supports, it will be significantly more successful. I welcome the chance to expand the current offerings of Studio Red Design and to help make our partners even more successful at their important missions.