Michael Emery Portrait

I'm Michael Emery, a designer and art director based in Oakville, Ontario.

I have over 20 years of experience developing creative marketing and user-experience solutions for established businesses, start-ups, and agencies. I excel at executing projects seamlessly across web, mobile, social networks, print and more.

EXPERIENCE.

KINDERTALES
2014 - 2024

Head of Design, Product & Project Manager

Kindertales is an online platform for managing all operations of a daycare business via apps for web and mobile. Under my 10-year tenure as Head of Design, the Kindertales platform has grown to serve over 30,000 children, tens of thousands of child care staff, and over 80,000 parents on a daily basis. Kindertales is the software backbone for hundreds childcare providers internationally including the top 3 providers in Canada.

Head of Design

  • Designs or directs design on all visual, UI, UX aspects of the platform across web and mobile apps.
  • Designs or directs design on all marketing materials (sales decks, web, print, tradeshow, video).

Product Manager

  • Active participant and influencer in all critical meetings regarding product direction.
  • Performs market research, meets with key clients to assess their needs, and refine our product roadmap to prioritize solutions that would attract the largest customers.

Project Manager

  • Leads multiple teams from development to support both local and overseas, creates project plans and establishes milestones.
  • Chairing daily scrum meetings for development and support teams, collecting feedback, and implementing improvements to our processes.

Business Development

  • Established strategic partnerships with Proctor and Gamble, MarcoPolo Learning and Greenrope CRM and leveraged them to differentiate Kindertales from competitor products. 
  • Participates in sales meetings and uses expertise of the platform to demonstrate in real-time how the platform services a client’s needs to secure their business.
  • Interviews and selects candidates to satisfy key roles within the company.
  • Serves as product subject matter expert, assists to onboard new hires to ensure they become productive as quickly as possible.

 

PURE3 INTERACTIVE
2010 - 2014

Art Director, Project Manager

Pure3 Interactive was a start-up web marketing and web application development agency. I was originally hired to execute marketing and UI/UX design and art direction on all projects. That role quickly grew to include project and product management duties. The Kindertales platform was developed within Pure3 Interactive.

Art Director

  • Successfully designed or directed design on visual aspects of all projects including corporate identity, web and print marketing, video production, trade-show booth design, and UI/UX for web applications.

Project Manager

  • Successfully managed local and overseas development teams to develop multi platform web applications which resulted in the Kindertales platform becoming its own successful business.
  • Implemented project management standards and processes into the workflow of all projects leading to successful outcomes and satisfied clients.

 

SCRATCH MARKETING
2005 - 2010

Senior Graphic Designer

Scratch Marketing is a highly successful marketing agency in Toronto, Ontario who service multiple global brands.

  • Successfully executed design work for global brands such as Electrolux, Conair, and Frigidaire.
  • Projects included web and print marketing, tradeshow product launch event materials, packaging, and corporate branding.

 

FREELANCE
2002 - Present

Owner, Freelance Graphic Design & Art Direction

I originally started my career as a freelance designer and continue to provide design services in my personal time. Freelance work has afforded me the opportunity to work on passion projects, assist acquaintences with building their brands and work with large scale clients.

Highlights

  • Rebranded and redesigned Key Collector Comics app, a significant product in the comic collectibles space.
  • Designed full branding packages for a variety of businesses and social media influencers.
  • Executed successful marketing campaigns across print, tradeshow, web, and social media for multiple clients.

EXPERTISE.

  • Art Direction / Graphic Design
  • Corporate Branding
  • UI / UX Design
  • Team Leadership
  • Strategic Partnerships
  • Multi-Tasking
  • Marketing
  • Social Media
  • Online Marketplaces
  • Collectibles Industry
  • Start-Ups
  • Business Growth
  • Adobe Creative Suite
  • Microsoft PowerBI, Office
  • Jira, Figma, Asana
  • Hiring
  • Data Analysis
  • Onboarding Staff & Clients

 

EDUCATION.

Introduction to Project Management
Project Management Program
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario
2017
 

Interactive Multimedia (Postgraduate)
Web Design & Development
Sheridan College
Oakville, Ontario
2002
 

Bachelor of Design
Graphic Design
Sheridan College
Oakville, Ontario
2001
 

Art Fundamentals
Fine and Studio Art
Sheridan College
Oakville, Ontario
1998

PERSONAL.

Other than how many selfies a day I take with our dogs here are some of the other things about me that you might find interesting.

 

Michael Emery Portrait w Dog

ARTISTIC

Love for art and creativity is the driving force behind most things I do and enjoy in my professional and personal lives.

Whether it is creating, appreciating, critiquing, or collecting, a passion for art is constant in my life.

TECHY

I am an avid tech enthusiast. I've been building my own PCs since computers ran on DOS and ran games like Wolfenstein.

I also love discovering and tinkering with emerging technology like A.I. (please don't kill us all) and VR.

ANALYTICAL

As much as art has always been my passion, I am also an analytical thinker and spreadsheet lover.

My background includes web development experience. This helps me be aware of the challenges of someone having to build what I design.

COLLECTOR

Probably painfully obvious at this point but I wear my nerd flag loud and proud. 

If it is covered in webs, has pointy ears or is swinging a laser sword there is a very good chance I'm a fan of it and collect it.

My wife is very patient.

CONTACT.

Feel free to reach out if you want to discuss a project or job opportunity.

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