Classy photos featuring Onyx’s killer style are only a glimpse of what we’re up to.  We’ve been busy developing our new brand by updating our design, our goals, and our mission.  Even our genius “web nomad”, Adrian, and “snazzy sensei”, Angel, flew in for a week to help the creative juices flow.  The results of our collaboration (and caffeine consumption) will knock your socks off.

Onyx’s new brand will launch this September, so keep checking back to follow our progress.  We’re psyched for the future of Onyx and can’t wait to share our “new swag” with you!

A special thanks to all of our in kind donors: Southern Wine and Spirits , Publix, 71 Proof, In Tents Events, Target, Turkey Hill Farm,  Market Square Liquors, and New Leaf Market.

Check out our latest video to learn more about the “Sweeter Side” event.

At Onyx Group we believe that good design results in positive change. With each “Sweeter Side” event we, as individuals and a community, can work together to design a positive future. Check back in with us at  www.onyxcreates.com for information on our future “Sweeter Side” events.

We have already raised over $3300 cash donations and over $1000 with in-kind donations. This is going to be a great event to network and to give back to a cause that is in definite need. There will be vast array of Pastries and Wine for tastings.

A few items from our menu:

• Vanilla Bean Goat Cheesecake with Citrus Tuile and Blackberry and Basil Compote
• Rosemary Pinenut Tart with Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise
• Earl Gray, Lavender + Vanilla Chocolate Truffles
• Chocolate Brownie Cookie
• Rosemary Foccacia with Grapes
• And a  variety of cheeses, crackers, fruit and wine!

Event Details:

Design is about optimism.

Designers are always looking for ways to improve how we live. From large-scale engineering feats such as new high-rise building techniques to the smallest microchip – good design has improved our quality of life remarkably.

Design is about learning from the past and looking forward. The Gulf Oil Spill has touched the hearts of everyone I know – but especially my friends and family who live in North Florida and across the Southeast. Fisherman, sailors, outdoorsmen, birdwatchers and even crunchy granola kayakers share the same sorrow. This is our common ground. It is also a chance to look forward in a positive way.

The oil spill is yet another reminder that good design is needed. It is another reminder that America’s roots as a world leader began with innovative minds that have spearheaded new technologies for centuries. We can still be that leader. It is another reminder that we, as Americans, need to look forward and design a better way of life – not just for future generations – but for ourselves. We are designers and we can design a diverse portfolio of new and old energy technologies that will bring us to a sustainable energy age.

I am optimistic that we can achieve this. And the Gulf Oil Spill is a reminder to us that we should not compromise on good design.

At Onyx Group we are hosting a fundraiser to benefit Apalachicola Riverkeeper (www.apalachicolariverkeeper.org), a non-profit organization with a mission of finding solutions to preserve and protect our local waters. The event is called “The Sweeter Side” – because we believe that good design results in positive change. We, as individuals, a community and a nation have a lot of work ahead of us – but we will get there because deep down, we are all designers.

Event Details:

http://onyxcreates.com/the-sweeter-side ]]> http://onyxcreates.com/2010/05/the-sweeter-side/feed/ 0 http://onyxcreates.com/2010/04/take-you-child-to-work-day/ http://onyxcreates.com/2010/04/take-you-child-to-work-day/#comments Thu, 22 Apr 2010 21:11:11 +0000 onyxgroup http://onyxcreates.com/?p=1912

It’s take your child to work day! Meet our youngest “employee,” Nadia’s niece, Juliana.

Every year, “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day” helps children across the nation discover the power and possibilities associated with a balanced work and family life. This national public education program connects what children learn at school with the actual working world and encourages them to dream about the future.

This year, Nadia’s son couldn’t come into the office (he was out sick too many days last week), so she borrowed her niece for the day instead.

We’re happy to have Nadia’s niece helping out around the office today.  She got to go on an exciting trip downtown to celebrate Earth Day and the launch of a project that Onyx collaborated on, A Bag’s Life.  Her new friend, Chris Doolin a local lobbyist, was nice enough to give her a first class tour of the Capitol.  She even learned where the secret snack room for the lobbyists is.  But most importantly she observed a live legislative session.  Talk about a real world education!

After her big day at the Capitol, she got to eat lunch looking over Florida State University’s stadium at the University Center.  They were out of chocolate muffins but she had a good lunch, nonetheless.  She even got to walk on the football field.

After she got into the office, she worked on her science research about how to boil water.  We think this could help some of our office mate’s cooking skills.  So thanks for the tips, Juliana!

To wrap up the day, she spent some time in the conference room learning about blogs and even helped write this one!  Take Juliana’s advice to heart “Onyx is very cool and I learned new words.”



After moving into a new house last year, it was time for me to upgrade from the old push mower I had been using.  The new house came with a much larger area to keep up with and required a riding lawn mower if I ever wanted to do anything other than mow grass on the weekends.  I shopped around at different stores for a couple of weeks and determined that most riding models were just too expensive.  I decided to go with a used model from a local mower dealer–which was a little awkward to drive due to the square steering wheel, but seemed to be in good shape.

I brought it home where my wife immediately laughed at me and asked if I was “borrowing the old mower from the year 1955.”  When I told her that I had purchased it, she was no longer laughing.  She said that it had been a mistake to purchase the mower and that I should return it or I would regret it.  This is tough for me to say, but my wife was right.

I had problems with the mower from the moment I engaged the cutting blade.   I ended up spending a lot of time, energy and money getting a myriad of problems fixed.  The real cost of this used mower far exceeded the price of the new mower (which came with a warranty and even — a round steering wheel).

Sometimes at Onyx Group, we see the same thing happen with business owners and their corporate identity. Often we are hired to help them create a stronger brand for their business.  It is most often the case that they started their business years before and have grown to a point where their current brand and corporate identity have begun to hold them back from future growth.  When they started their business, they either didn’t value great creative services or didn’t understand the importance of a strong, cohesive identity that could keep up with their growth.

Now, further down the road, they see the added cost of not only having us rework the identity, but also the expense of producing all new collateral.  Shirts, signs, websites, invoices, letterhead, business cards, truck decals… The list goes on and even includes the time and energy of educating employees and customers of the change.  The real cost of not hiring an experienced marketing and design firm in the beginning is much more than the higher cost on their quote.

Often times, you get what you pay for.  Make sure you are getting the round steering wheel and new blades first or you will spend more time and money in the long run.

Here are some interesting facts about Rachelle:

• She is inspired by human-centered design, finding real solutions for real problems.
• She has been a pastry chef, an Alaskan canoe guide, an interior designer, and worked in investments. We dare you to find something she hasn’t tried!
• She is a green guru, she’s even a LEED Accredited Professional.
• She is a current events junkie, who reads The Economist and The New York Times.
• Graduated from Metro State Denver, B.S. Finance in 2002 and she earned her M.F.A. Interior Design in 2008.

For additional information about Rachelle check out her full bio under the about section.

We are excited to announce that Angel Acevedo will be transiting from his part time designer position into a new role as Onyx Group’s Art Director aka “The Snazzy Sensei.”Angel will be  keeping Onyx Group’s creative fresh with his design expertise.

Here are some interesting facts about Angel:

• His creative process consists of a numerous amounts of smoothie and pizza   breaks.
• One of the few people that believes paper and typography are equally as sexy.
• Fancy’s himself not as an award winning designer, but more as a super genius.
• Moonlights as a DJ in Miami.
• He uses Darkwing Duck’s motto as his personal creative strategy; “Let’s Get Dangerous.”
• Graduated with his B.A. from Miami International University of Art & Design in 2010

For additional information about Angel check out his full bio under the about section.

3.  Know your market.  By segmenting the market and learning the demographics, locations, values, lifestyles and behaviors of your clients, you can assess the revenue potential within these markets. This will help you develop a plan to reach your most profitable and viable customers.

4.  Know the central players. Understanding the competition can help when planning is necessary for success of a new venture. You need to research what competitors are doing right and determine where there is room for improvement.

5.  Be prepared to adapt.  In other words, embrace social media.  No, you can’t hide from it.  It is not a fad.  It is here to stay.  Learn the platforms, determine your goals and use the vast array of analytics software to analyze what is attracting your customers and clients.

At the end of the strategic planning process you walk away with a deeper understanding of the market and your brand’s position. A successful strategic plan works as a road map to success by helping you to create achievable goals and focus on the core values of your business while conveying a consistent message to your customers.

When you’re starting a new enterprise, it pays to be strategic.   We can help you develop a dynamic strategic plan to guide you in launching your business. Contact us at info@onyxcreates.com for details on our launch services.

Keep in mind this is only a small selection on the tweets we sent out this week. The best way to keep up to date with us and check out awesome links is by following @OnyxGroup.

For some Monday morning inspiration check out these beautiful business card designs:

http://bit.ly/aPPMyy

Welcome to the Attention Age, Now What? Part one of our two part series on this new age in strategic planning:

http://bit.ly/desPMI

Font choice can make or break a design. Here are four techniques to help you successfully combine fonts:

http://bit.ly/bSeh26

Discover the strategy behind this brilliant redesign! Chiquita Banana Brand Refresh:

http://bit.ly/d8ZrvX

Four Steps For Effective Cross-Cultural Website Design:

http://bit.ly/9Mytkx

10 Essential Rules for Brands in Social Media:

http://bit.ly/ayS417

How to avoid creativity burnout:

http://bit.ly/baFgPp

Why location marketing is the new point-of-purchase:

http://bit.ly/aOkkke.

Why @ Is Held in Such High Design Esteem:

http://nyti.ms/96TGSp

Check out this excellent new stop motion commercial for Amazon:

http://bit.ly/cxk4rj