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Employee Spotlight: Harper McKnight, Associate Graphic Designer

Here at Membersy, we understand that our industry-leading dental membership management and billing platform would be nothing without our incredible employees. Each month, we nominate one of our talented employees who have worked tirelessly to build Membersy from a small startup in 2015 to the company it is today. This month, our employee under the spotlight is Harper McKnight, Associate Graphic Designer.
 
Harper Spotlight Blog Header

 

Q: What is your favorite part about working for Membersy? 

A: I love working with my team and other departments to find creative solutions to reach our goals. We increase access to dental care for Americans and that motivates me every day.

Q: What drew you to Membersy originally? 

A: I came across Membersy as I looked for opportunities to transition to a new industry. I was a graphic designer in the nonprofit field, and knew I wanted to continue helping people, but in a new way. I was immediately drawn to Membersy’s mission and offering; I saw so many possibilities. I learned more about the culture by reaching out to Ashton Parkey on LinkedIn and then I was all in. Membersy has surpassed my expectations and I feel so grateful I took the chance to apply. 

Q: In your opinion, what makes Membersy’s company culture unique compared to other organizations you've worked for in the past? 

A: It’s different from anywhere I’ve ever worked! I really love how accessible other departments are and how willing we are to support each other cross-departmentally. In addition, leadership is more visible and interacts often with the rest of the company. Our culture is especially unique when it comes to cultivating new ideas and improving our processes. Everyone is encouraged to be part of the conversation and share their thoughts.

Q: How do you approach understanding a client's vision and translating it into a cohesive brand design for their membership plan?

A: To best understand a new client’s brand, I take a research-forward approach. I like to get a feel for the brand through viewing their website and social channels to see how they implement their branding. When we kick-off implementation, I get the opportunity to ask more in-depth questions about how the client interacts with their audiences through branding. Are they playful or serious? Is their focus to speak to a specific demographic? How recognizable are their brand elements? Having a strong understanding of how each client envisions their brand and their goals for the membership plan is one of my key strategies to maintain brand consistency as I create materials to promote their new (or improved!) membership plan. 

Q: In your opinion, what makes a successful brand design for a membership plan? 

A: I think a successful brand design is built on balance and consistency. This isn’t limited to any single element of visual design. Typography, color, logos, and additional elements all rely on balance being top of mind to create a dependable foundation for a brand to stand on. Secondly, consistency with the client’s existing brand can make it look like a true extension of the brand by extending the exact branding they already love to the membership plan or through a more flexible co-branding approach. When co-branding the membership plan to be a recognizable offering from a client, I give the plan its own identity and try to find new ways to incorporate their existing branding. I really enjoy getting to show clients the endless possibilities of their branding.  

Q: How do you approach the creative process in your design work? Is there a specific methodology or approach that you find particularly effective? 

A: When creating something brand new, I like to explore by finding inspiration, then create a few rough drafts, and then iterate the strongest option a few times. This helps me “get out” all the ideas that won’t work and move forward with the best one. 

Q: What’s your design style like outside of the Membersy brand? 

A: I usually lean into either highly minimal or a bit maximalist. I like playing around in different styles and mediums, so I don’t feel like my design style has a strict description. I love incorporating line work and creating depth through layers. The theme I want people to take away from my designs is usually playful or commanding to the eye, or a little bit of both. 

Q: What’s the most interesting or unique hobby you’ve had outside of work? 

A: I love aerial sports, or circus sports, specifically learning to perform on lyra. I’ve tried silks, hammock, trapeze, contortion, and trampoline classes, too, but lyra is my favorite. 

Q: If you could invite anyone you want to a dinner party, living or dead, who would you invite?

A: Robin Williams, Anne Hathaway, Jennette McCurdy, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, Michelle Obama, Zendaya & Tom Holland (they must sit together), Jake Johnson, Robert Downey Jr., my younger brothers, my boyfriend Caleb, one of my closest friends, Paige, and my Papa, who passed away in 2020. :) Michelle could have a +1, in case she wanted to bring Barack or George Bush, who apparently she gets along really well with. 

Q: What’s something you’d like to tell your younger self? 

A: You set high standards for yourself, and you accomplish far more than you expect. You keep going always, and you should learn to trust yourself sooner. I’m really proud of you, and you should be too. 

Q: Who were your top artists on Spotify this year? 

A: Samia, Palace, Glass Animals, Still Woozy, and Remi Wolf. 

 

Thank you for all that you do for us, Harper!