Debi Ward Kennedy

Current

• Owner/Designer at Debi Ward Kennedy, Designer
• Owner/Partner/Designer at Retreat by KENNEDY|kennedy Design

Recommended

5 people have recommended Debi

Connections

63 connections

Industry

Retail

Websites

• My Blog

Debi Ward Kennedy’s Summary

www.DebiWardKennedy.com
My personal & business mission statement reads "I experience success as I passionately inspire, inform, educate, and empower independent merchants to pursue excellence in the visual presentation of their businesses."

As a retail designer, I provide visual design services to businesses, artisans, and entrepreneurs in business. How does that help YOU?

Need a floorplan or a redesign of a store, office, showroom or trade show booth?

Ever wonder why a brand image is vital for success, and how to build one?

Do you know how to maximize space and increase the visibility of your products – and profits?

You can maximize your visual impact across all visual media – in your store or office environment, print ads & collateral, television & online presence, and even your own personal appearance. My services help you ‘tell your story’ consistently and effectively, so that potential customers know who you are and what you can do for them.

With over 33 years of retail industry experience, I have a wide scope of exposure to solutions, answers, resources, and ideas for you to profit from. You can find inspiration, information & resources in my seminars, articles, videos, and blogs – much of it offered without charge, to support and empower retailers everywhere. I love to connect people with ideas, information, and resources so they can build better businesses.

Debi Ward Kennedy’s Specialties:

Retail Visual Design for Coordinated Presentation:
Store Environment . Product Merchandising . Visual Marketing.

Professional Speaking
Writing
Video Hosting & Emcee
Retail Space & Interior Design
Graphic & Logo Design
Branding & Identity for Independent Retailers
Coaching Women Entrepreneurs
Founder & Director of Successful Online Communities for Women Entrepreneurs

Debi Ward Kennedy’s Experience

• Owner/Designer

  Debi Ward Kennedy, Designer

  (Design industry)

  January 2002 — Present (7 years 11 months)

  www.DebiWardKennedy.com
  Retail Designer | Writer | Speaker
  
  Design of retail store environments that maximize space, effectively present products, and increase profits.
  
  Developing brand image visual plans to ‘Tell Your Story’ consistently across varied visual media.
  
  Providing information, inspiration, and resources that support independent retailers building successful businesses.
  
  Design:
  • Exhibitor Product Showcases, San Francisco International Gift Fair & Seattle Gift Show 2004- 2008
  •Molbaks Garden + Home Retail Booth, Northwest Flower & Garden Show 2003 Award Winner for Best Retail Booth
  •Shaunna Morrisey, Ltd. Booth, San Francisco Internations Gift Fair 2005 Award Winner for Best Booth In ‘At Home’ Division.
  •Washington State Wine Industry Luminaries Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia, Hogue Cellars retail shop redesign & display
  • Auction of Washington Wines Winemaker Dinner Event Design, 2006 & 7
  • Independent Retailers & Trade Showrooms redesigns
  
  Speaking:
  • Seminars at national trade shows including Seattle, San Francisco, Portland, and Denver, 2002 – present.
  • Independent Business & Trade Associations, 2003 – present.
  • Six Video Segments Produced & Hosted for the Gift & Home Channel Online Resource for Retailers, June, 2008.
  
  Writing:
  • Articles published in Country Business Magazine, GiftBeat Retail News, Independent Booksellers News, Western Show News, Puget Sound Business Journal, Greetings, Etc.
  •Articles published online for design*sponge Biz Women series, Gift & Home Channel, Women Take Wing!, Puget Sound Business Journal & affiliates, Country Business Magazine,
  •‘Ask A Retail Expert’ columnist for Country Business online
  •‘Retail Expert’ contributor and featured blogger for Gift & Home Channel online
  •Designer of and Contributor to independent merchant blogs and Facebook Business Pages
  •Quoted in numerous magazines including GiftBeat Retail News, Country Business Magazine, and Greetings Etc.

• Owner/Partner/Designer

  Retreat by KENNEDY|kennedy Design

  (Retail industry)

  July 1994 — Present (15 years 5 months)

  Product Designer & Retailer
  
  Developing & Creating furnishings, accessories, and home décor products
  
  Designing displays of our product lines in retail stores & show venues
  
  Providing decorating services to clients
  
  KENNEDY|kennedy Design is a partnership between husband & wife team Bob Kennedy and Debi Ward Kennedy. Our design sense is driven by the principles of 'reduce, reuse, recycle, recreate' that we have shared for over 30 years of marriage, family, and redecorating! By incorporating these resourceful practices into the daily operations, design, and manufacturing of our business & products, we make a difference in our world and introduce these concepts to our customers.
  
  Retreat is our design collection and lifestyle brand. Utilizing materials from thrifted, salvaged, reclaimed, and reused items, we reimagine, rethink, redesign, and restyle them to create furniture, accessories, gift items and home décor with vintage style and everyday usability.
  
  We began this business in 1994, under the name 'Paint the Town, Red!'. Creating custom paint finishes and artwork in murals and on recycled furniture for art shows evolved into a retail shop, which we closed in 1999. In 2007, after raising our kids and pursuing other careers, we returned to our roots with a new vision.
  
  Our 'Retreat Collections' of upcycled products are available at select independent retailers and regional antique/flea market shows across the Western US:
  
  The Farm Chicks, Spokane, Wa.
  BarnHouse, Battle Ground, Wa.
  Sand Point Antique & Design Market, Seattle, Wa.
  Funky Junk Sisters Antique Show, Puyallup, Wa.
  The Tumbleweed Cotillion, Reno, Nv.
  
  Poppyseeds, Stanwood, Wa.

Additional Information

Debi Ward Kennedy’s Websites:

• My Blog

Debi Ward Kennedy’s Interests:

My career began at the tender age of 13, when I became a retail display stylist and inventory clerk in my mother's gift shop, located in a hotel across the street from Disneyland. By 16, I was the decor coordinator for school dances & events.... and it's been all about decorating & display since then!

Debi Ward Kennedy’s Groups:

Work with Women Entrepreneurs:
•Director & Contributor to online women entrepreneurs community 'Bliss Guild' from 2004-2006; assisted in development of and provided content/resources for web site, and forum. Facilitated national mention of 'The Bliss Guild' in Country Living Magazine's March 2006 Women Entrepreneurs issue.
•Founder of and Director & Contributor to online women entrepreneurs community & organization 'Women Take Wing!' 2006; provided logo/branding services, content for web site resources, and forum; promoted WTW to media.
Founder, 'Women Take Wing!' Online Women's Entrepreneurial Community http://www.womentakewing.com/About3Founders.html,

Gift & Home Channel Online Resource for Retailers Deb's Videos: http://www.giftandhomechannel.com.php5-2.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/?q=taxonomy/term/123,

"Maximizing Your Visual Impact" 04/09 Article for design*sponge Biz Ladies series: http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/03/maximum-visual-impact.html

•    Ladies Who Launch
•    Women Take Wing! Inc.
•    Online Marketing for Women Entrepreneurs
•    The 3/50 Project
•    Denver Merchandise Mart Gift, Home, Jewelry & Resort Show

Debi Ward Kennedy’s Honors:

'Best Retail Booth Design', Northwest Flower & Garden Show 2003
Booth Design Team for Molbaks' Garden + Home retailer in Woodinville, Washington

'Best Booth Design in At Home Division', San Francisco International Gift Faire August 2004
Booth Concept Design for Shauna Morrissey Ltd.

Debi Ward Kennedy’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• consulting offers
• new ventures
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
• getting back in touch