Nick V.

Hello, I’m Nick

Thoughtful strategy.
Strong creative.
Real connection.

I’m a marketing leader and visual designer with over a decade of professional experience in the creative space. I bring strategy, storytelling, and design together to create meaningful connections and measurable impact.

Nick and his wife together in a flower garden

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Experience

Design Lead & Owner

Zion Creative

Springfield, IL

2017–Present

Fractional Marketing Director

The Villas

Sherman, IL

2024–Present

Lead Designer

Systemax

Springfield, IL

2023–2024

Web Specialist

Colossus

Boston, MA

2020–2024

Lead Designer

Launch Happy Agency

Los Angeles, CA

2018–2020

Worship Pastor

Athens Christian Church

Athens, IL

2012–2017

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What I Bring

Creative & Art Direction

I've led creative direction for art and design in both larger and intimate team settings. My experience involves close collaboration with product teams, C-level executives, marketing teams, production crews, and strategic vendors. Through these partnerships, I've crafted and implemented national campaigns and product launches, catering to a diverse range of clients & customers.

Projects Include

  • Product Launch
  • Campaigns
  • Consumer Brands
  • In-house
  • Agency contract

Brand Identity & Graphics

I've orchestrated and overseen brand development initiatives for enterprises of various sizes. This includes conducting engaging branding workshops, crafting comprehensive brand guidelines, and orchestrating successful brand launches.

Tools used

  • Adobe Suite
  • Figma
  • AI Technology
  • Client Workshops
  • Video Edits
  • Motion Graphics

Website Experiences

I've designed, developed and managed website projects individually and within a team environment for companies, corporations and organizations of all sizes.

Tools used

  • Squarespace
  • Figma
  • Wordpress
  • Shopify
  • Webflow

Marketing Leadership

I lead marketing with a balance of strategic thinking, creative direction, and hands-on execution. My experience includes developing integrated campaigns, guiding internal teams and external partners, managing budgets and vendors, and aligning marketing initiatives with larger business goals. From building brand awareness to generating measurable growth, I turn strategy into focused, effective action.

Experience includes

  • Marketing Strategy
  • Integrated Campaigns
  • Team Leadership
  • Brand Management
  • Budget & Vendor Oversight
  • Performance Analytics

AI & Marketing Innovation

I bring a strategic, hands-on approach to AI in marketing—connecting audience research, creative exploration, and campaign execution. I use AI to explore ideas, develop clearer briefs, prototype experiences, and streamline production, while keeping brand direction and final decisions grounded in human judgment. My focus is practical: choosing tools that fit the challenge, building repeatable workflows, and evaluating the work against real marketing goals.

Tools & applications

  • ChatGPT · Research & strategy
  • Codex · Website prototyping
  • Adobe Firefly · Creative exploration
  • Replit · AI coding platform
  • Lovable · AI app builder
  • Claude · AI assistant
  • Riverflow · Workflow tool
  • AI-assisted content workflows
  • Human-led creative review