As the newbie at Youbee, I’ve already enjoyed two busy weeks at the Hive office. Time is flying and so, before I become more immersed, I should take a moment to introduce myself!
I’m Dena, the team’s graphic designer and Head of Creative. Prior to joining the Hive, I was working as a freelance creative, preceded by over 15 years of experience in marketing, design and social media management.
I’ve joined Team Youbee with the primary goal of supporting clients with their social media graphics and branded artwork. My other objective is to attract new clients who require a special focus on design work, bringing an authentic but extra-competitive edge to their business image.
I’m well versed in projects that require written material as well as visual assets. With copywriting skills and an English Graduate background, I’m ready to assist Rebecca and Emma with clients’ marketing literature. The Hive team communicates closely and transparently, each of us adding extra value with our own unique but interrelated skillsets. We keep each other accountable to project timescales, while offering objective input and collaborative support.
I don’t want to become complacent, so taking regular short courses – ideally from local training providers – keeps my knowledge fresh. I started this year with a SEO Website Visibility course at Leeds Beckett University’s NTI (New Technology Institute) and have most recently completed a WordPress course at Shipley College, with special focus on building and editing websites with Elementor.
For my personal projects, I’m currently inspired by Japanese pop culture, 1980s/90s graphic styles/tropes and Vaporwave aesthetics. However, I’m always keen to explore new styles and ideas.
Prior to a marketing consultancy, my work areas have been diverse, spanning the legal, academic, property and medical fields. I’ve worked with purely functional design (such as catalogue layouts), through to imaginative fantasy concepts, world-building and creating brand characters. I’ve also been a small business owner, co-managing an online clothing and lifestyle company back when MySpace was still a thing!
I genuinely enjoy graphic design; it’s my hobby as well as my job. I discovered Photoshop in the mid-1990s and felt compelled to introduce these exciting new skills into my workplace. With a growing interest in website design, I was soon carving out a marketing niche alongside my early business administration roles. Since then, design has taken over as my passion and profession, and I’ve continued to upskill throughout the years.
It’s a cliché, I know, but I like to get to know my clients, learn what inspires and motivates them, and what drives their brand forward. Together, we can create graphics that will showcase your business to best effect. I hope you’ve found this brief bio helpful…I hope to learn more about you very soon! I'll probably see you if you come along to one of our marketing workshops - and maybe even before!
