Kindling Design Co.

Things 2026 better look like:

💨 wind in your hair
☕️ espresso in your cup
🎿 fresh tracks under your feet
✌️ peace in your heart
🧠 curiosity in your mind
🌲 grass in your toes
🎵 music in your ears

Authentic style isn’t manufactured—it’s collected, felt, and followed. For me, it starts in antique shops and thrift stores. I’ve always been drawn to things that have had another life. I pick them up, hold them, and wonder who else did too? It’s like everything’s stitched into this big, beautiful patchwork of stories—and design, at its best, taps into that.

Take this vintage Lead-R-Pak leader wallet. Made of anodized aluminum with a leather strap and paper insert cards, these were used by fly fishers in the 1950s–70s to store pre-tied leaders. Each card held clues: weight, tippet, taper—ready to go. The printing technique? Likely letterpress or offset litho, giving it that rich texture we crave in modern branding.

Why does that matter? Because nothing is created from scratch anymore. Not really. Design principles are shared, color palettes resurface, but what makes work authentic is how you connect the dots. How you mix a vintage fishing card with modern composition and turn it into something felt.

At Kindling, we believe in marketing that does more than “pop”—it should pull you in. It should have context, memory, story. Design with real texture, emotional weight, and a sense of experience. Because the best branding doesn’t just say something—it makes you feel something.

So whether it’s an old vinyl sleeve, a sun-faded topo map, or a forgotten piece of fly gear, I follow that thread of inspiration. That’s where the magic is.

Spring Color Study ‘25 — Swipe through.

Community isn’t a tactic—it’s a feeling.

It’s something you ache for before you even know how to name it. And the truth is, you can’t build it for others until you’ve felt it yourself. Community is a resource we cultivate, not a strategy we deploy. Unlike land, oil, or gold, it’s not finite—but it is just as essential for our survival. Maybe more so. When nurtured with care, community becomes an endless well of belonging, resilience, and connection.

I’ve been sitting with this thought since early May, reflecting on the experience that —and all the humans and brands involved—poured so much heart into. It’s rare to witness a group come together in such a wholesome, playful, yet deeply meaningful way.

This isn’t something you “strategize” or even “design.” It’s something you embody. It’s give-a-penny, take-a-penny—minus the scorekeeping.

Whether it’s one or two planks under your feet, pedals, or a pair of well-loved trail runners, the opportunity to truly connect comes from what we share: this place we call home, and the chance we have to experience it in these human bodies—to make life meaningful, and to share it.

At one point, lounging among the sun-drenched basin’s slopes, someone stood up and humbly called out: “Does anyone PLEASE have some sunscreen I can borrow?!” I kid you not—five or more bottles of SPF sailed through the air without hesitation.

Creating spaces like this—where your needs, both physical and emotional, are met without a tally—matters. Being seen, heard, and part of something bigger gives us purpose, energy, and the resilience we need to find fulfillment.

Thanks to every course builder, local brand, and human who hauled their butts uphill to make this happen. And a special thanks to Kirby & Liv for facilitating an experience that reminded me what community really means: to contribute, to have the capacity to care, and to know you can lean back on what’s there.

Take care.

Here’s to the planet that lets us romp around, explore ourselves, and find purpose through our experiences. Happy Earth Day 🌎 from the Kindling Crew. Let’s make it last.

This is the Kindling Team— Walk with us.

It’s been a year of growth here at Kindling, and through it all, one principle has remained at our core… Helping our clients find clarity + purpose through creative work.

It all starts with one word: “Why?” Why are you doing what you’re doing, and more importantly, what does that “why” feel like? By locating and creating from the feeling of your “why,” you open the door to the central elements of your business in a way that people will feel.

By establishing the core meaning of your brand, a plan starts to take shape. Combining your vision with our expertise and experience, we look at all the shapes and sounds your “why” can take, the way it could look or be experienced, and create a map to get you to your goals.

As we continue to be inspired by this process and power of collaboration, we’ll continue to ask the hard questions, design thoughtful branding that evokes connection + community with a sustainble creative framework that makes you proud + feel purposeful.

We know that this is just the beginning of Kindling 2.0, but this mission isn’t going anywhere. Come get to work with a team of hard-working, collaborative, and kind women this summer. Books are officially open for summer 2025. Inquire to create with Kindling Design through the link in our bio.

🔥 Here’s a hot take on designing branded apparel & merch for your business:

Don’t design apparel as an advertising piece, design it as a conversation piece. 💬

⚡️ The goal of “swag” is for people who already support your company to wear it, get compliments on it, and use it in their day to day lives. Nobody wants to be a walking advertisement, so designing functional apparel & products that represent your company culture, industry, and values is the best way to make the most of your investment.

This way, your tees won’t be in the “car detailing bin” in the garage, and instead, your people will be out there enjoying the piece, and talking about the amazing business they got it from. Make something meaningful, useful, and unique to connect with your ideal audience, rather than trying to “use” them for “free advertising.”

👋 Tell us in the comments: What has been your favorite piece of branded merch you’ve received?

Ok, final question: what should we make next?

Ever wondered what it looks like to create professional, branded content? Here’s a peek into a 4-Day production for a private transportation company in Jackson, WY.

📸 Photographer: .corsi
📋 Production Assistant:
🧢 Producer:
💨 Client:

We are so grateful to have the opportunity to partner with with local talent, accommodations, and businesses to create images that support not only our client, but neighbors and fellow creatives. Without the support and dedication of our collaborators, productions like these wouldn’t be possible.

Experiences shape the way we interact with brands. Whether it’s a pop-up shop, the user journey on a website, or interaction with a customer service representative. Executing consistent brand experiences builds trust, and genuine connection with your audience.

This weekend we deployed a brand activation for through sponsoring a local Ski Joring team as a part of our Montana athlete roster! 🐎 🏂 💨

🌱 Juniper values sustainability, inclusivity, stewardship, supporting local businesses & creatives, and cultivating community in the outdoors— which makes an activation like this a perfect fit.

In a space where alcohol tends to be part of the culture, we developed the athlete team to bring awareness and an alternative to folks with their hand-cultivated, craft quality cannabis options. We’re able to support a local athlete , an outdoor creative .corrales, have a fun presence in Montana culture that isn’t the standard for cannabis brands, while we market Juniper in an aligned and responsible way.

Interested in creating a meaningful brand experience? Let’s talk!

✉️ Email [email protected] to get the creative conversation started, and, to work with a marketing team who values authenticity & connection.

🔥 Kindling Family Photo
❄️ Winter ‘25
🏔️

Quality Time & Quality Turns

🔥 This is us: The Kindling Design team. Doing what brings us joy, in our dream vehicle, with a coffee in-hand and tapping away on our laptops together.

There are ✌️ ways we can bring fresh perspective into the world:

1️⃣ Have the courage to share ideas
2️⃣ Collaborating with others to make it happen

Creating together is the deepest form of connection, and that relationship is what we are passionate about. We believe you were born to create, explore, and connect. We promise to cultivate trust, so you are inspired to share new ideas. We promise to listen, so you feel fulfilled in your work.

That doesn’t mean we won’t give it to you straight— there will be times where we push back, offer feedback, ask you to dig a little bit deeper, and maybe even “save that idea for later” 💡.

Our mission at Kindling is to not only bring your ideas to life, but to develop a deep relationship with our clients rooted in our unique strengths, and the ability to put egos to the side so we can see what is truly asking to be born.

You’re probably thinking, “this doesn’t sound like a typical marketing agency…” and you’re right. We’re not interested in putting you through our “signature 5-step process” or throwing money at the algorithm. We see the power of process and how it can transform not only ideas into successful businesses, but how it can also transform people. The journey of brining a brand to market is just as important as the final product.

If this resonates with you, Kindling Design is the marketing, design, SEO & web team for you. If you want real people behind your brand, and if you are ready to do the work, too— you’re our people. Tap the link in our bio to inquire about working with us in 2025.

Much love,
Kaylee & Kaylie, Kris, Molly, Marissa, Leigh, Liv & Anna