Gainesville's Brand Strategist
for Organizations Doing Work Worth Admiring
I'm Clay Schmidt — brand strategist, creative director, and web designer based in Gainesville, Florida. I work with environmental organizations, conservation nonprofits, and mission-driven businesses that have something real to offer the world but a brand presence that hasn't caught up to the quality of what they do.
Most designers in Gainesville will make your brand look better. My work goes deeper than that — into the strategic foundation that determines whether your brand actually communicates what you stand for, builds trust with the right people, and holds up over time.
FIND YOUR ROOTS
Brand Strategy, Identity & Web Design — Rooted in North Florida
I'm based in Gainesville because North Florida is where I'm rooted — in the springs, the longleaf forest, the conservation land that defines this place. That's not incidental to the work I do.
My work spans brand strategy, brand identity design, web design, and fractional creative direction. Every engagement starts the same way: with the thinking that should have happened before anyone opened a design file.
My clients include:
Environmental organizations and conservation nonprofits that need a brand as credible as their science and as compelling as their mission.
Mission-driven small businesses — farms, food producers, wellness practitioners, community organizations — that are building something worth believing in.
Growth-stage companies that have outgrown their original brand and need strategic leadership to close the gap.
PROCESS IS EVERYTHING
Strategy First. Always.
Every project begins with the Clarity Audit — a comprehensive assessment of where your brand stands, what it's communicating, and what it needs to say instead.
By the end, you'll have a clear picture of what's working, what isn't, and exactly what needs to happen next.
From there, we build only what your strategy calls for. Sometimes that's a complete brand identity and website. Sometimes it's messaging and creative direction for a team that already has designers. The strategy determines the path.
A paid engagement for a clear plan and real results.
HEALTHY COMMUNITIES THRIVE
Working with Organizations Across Gainesville and North Florida.
Gainesville sits at the center of one of the most ecologically rich regions in the country — surrounded by springs, forests, preserves, and an unusually dense concentration of organizations working to protect them. It's also home to the University of Florida, a robust nonprofit sector, and a growing community of independent businesses building something with purpose.
I work with clients locally and remotely across the US, but North Florida is home base. In-person strategy sessions are available for clients in the Gainesville area, Alachua County, and across the North Florida region — including Ocala, Lake City, Tallahassee, and Jacksonville.
If you're a Gainesville nonprofit, conservation org, or independent business that needs a brand presence that finally reflects the quality of what you do — this is the right starting point.
Fifteen years of brand strategy.
One place to call home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you work with clients outside of Gainesville?
What kinds of organizations do you typically work with in Gainesville?
Environmental nonprofits, conservation organizations, mission-driven small businesses, wellness practitioners, farms and food producers, and community-rooted organizations. The through-line isn't a specific sector — it's that the work matters to the people doing it and the brand hasn't caught up to the quality of what they do. If you're building something to benefit your community, and need help with branding, websites, strategy, or just need a creative mind to refine your ideas, let's talk.
Do you work with early-stage organizations or only established brands?
Both. Some clients come with an established brand that needs to be rebuilt from a stronger foundation. Others are building from scratch. The Clarity Audit determines where you actually stand and what the project needs — which is why it's always the starting point.
What does it cost to work with you?
Projects are scoped after the Clarity Audit, which gives both of us a clear picture of what the work actually requires. Engagements range from focused strategy and identity projects to longer-term creative direction retainers. Book a First Look to start the conversation.
What's the difference between working with Clay Schmidt Creative and a Gainesville marketing agency?
Agencies deliver outputs. A strategist and creative director provides thinking and leadership. I work alongside your team, help set direction, make decisions, and take ownership of outcomes — the way a senior in-house creative leader would. If you've worked with an agency and ended up with a brand that looks fine but doesn't quite feel true, that's usually a strategy problem, not a design problem.
