Who We Are | Credentials

More than just cool. It’s SavvyCool.

We can design and promote your company’s unique identity and tell your clients how they can benefit from working with your business. We help you define your company’s identity and build brands & local and global marketing tools even in multiple languages. So YOU will get more business from your clients!

Team Game Changer | Profile

Our Team Profile, education background such as degrees, academic records, certificates and work experiences are listed below.

Eriko Grill >

Founder, SavvyCool Company
Creative Director*
Freelance UX/UI Designer & Web/Graphic Designer
Website, Print & Digital Creator
Fine Artist: Oil Painting, Watercolor Painting, Drawing & Photography

Serina Marie >

Copyeditor & Proofreader
Data Engineer, Data Science
Founding Member of SavvyCool Company

Bruce >

Commercial Photographer
Aerial Image Expert
FlySafe Certified RC Pilot
Founding Member of SavvyCool Company

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Eriko Grill

Founder, SavvyCool Company
Creative Director*
Freelance UX/UI Designer & Web/Graphic Designer
Website, Print & Digital Creator
Fine Artist: Oil Painting, Watercolor Painting, Drawing & Photography

Web/Graphic Design Work Experience in 10 Languages:
English (U.S.), English (UK), Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese

Formal Foreign Language Eduction:
Japanese, French, and Spanish

Other Unique Expertise:
Fitness Professional

Over 20 years of Experience
Group Fitness & Indoor Cycle Instructor at Life Time, and Group Exercise Trainer at Normandale Community College

*Creative Director | What Do Creative Directors Do?

  • Creative Directors are the creative leads at advertising and marketing companies, working with designers, artists, copywriters, sales teams and marketers to create a vision for products sold.
  • Creative Directors plan advertising, oversee the creative process and give guidance to the creative people that work under them. They approve all work created by their staff and often work directly with clients to present that work.
  • Creative Directors also follow the latest trends in design, advertising and marketing, help attract clients, and hire creative staff.

*Creative Director | Job Skills & Requirements

  • Creativity: Creative Directors will invent new ideas for branding, advertising campaigns and marketing messages. They need to understand design and smart copy, and recognize fresh approaches to advertising.
  • Analytical Skills: Advertising and marketing is ever-evolving, and good creative directors are able to analyze trends, look at new data and keep with the times.
  • Decision-Making Skills: Advertising campaigns have timelines, and creative directors will need to make decisions on final copy, final art, finished commercials and radio spots.
  • Interpersonal Skills: Creative directors will meet with corporate heads and clients on a regular basis. Being a good communicator to all involved will help greatly.
  • Management Skills: Creative directors often have to keep many creatives on schedule, and manage their own time.

Personal Profile

Her name ERIKO stands for:
E – Empowering, Encouraging, Empathetic, Enthusiastic, Enjoyable
R – Resourceful, Responsible, Resilient, Relatable,
I – Inviting, Innovative, Interactive, Inspiring, Impacting
KO – Knock Out result-driven goal-setter & resourceful go-getter

Eriko is a creative, multi-task-oriented, customer-service focused and self-directed professional with extensive, deadline-driven project experience from concept to development. Her talents include marketing, advertising and graphic designs with over 20 years in the advertising & marketing industry as well as results-oriented and business-savvy sales professional with over 10 years in the retail industry.

Eriko is a servant-hearted leader in everything she does with high integrity, and a service-driven professional with many years of management experience. She has unique multigenerational people skills whether her clients are 5 years old or 80 years old.

Summary | Skills & Qualifications

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

• Marketing & Project Managing (Direct, Retail & B to B) | over 20 years
• UI/UX Design, Front End Computer Programming | 19 years
• Business Development & Management | 10 years
• Sales (Direct & Retail) | 10 years
• eCommerce & Project Management | 10 years
• Inventory & Accounting Management | 10 years

Experience with Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, InDesign, Photoshop, WordPress, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), email management platforms, online marketing via social media such as Facebook, Instagram and TickTock for younger generations.

LIFE TIME

• Life Time Team Member |  24 years
• Life Time Studio Manager – Highland Park | 5 years
• Life Time Cycle Boutique Manager – Plymouth | 1 year
• LT Kids Distance Learning Counselor | 6 months
• Food Professional at LifeCafe as Prep-Chef, Cook & Front Line | 1.5 years
• Staff & Team Management | 6 years
• Educating & Developing Staff | 6 years
• Recruiting & Scouting | 6 years
• Group Fitness Instructor | over 20 years
• First Aid and Adult & Infant CPR Certified | over 20 years

Project Management & Execution:

Marketing Manager & Project Manager,
UX/UI Designer & Web/Graphic Designer
Website, Print & Digital Creator

SavvyCool Company – Minneapolis, MN | 2002-08 – Present

Industry: Visual Design, UX/UI Design & Web/Graphic Design, Website Design, Print & Digital Creation | website: SavvyCool.com

As a freelance Creative Director, UX/UI Designer & Web/Graphic Designer Website, and Print & Digital Creator, I design and promote my client’s unique identity and tell their clients how they can benefit from working with their business. I help them define their company’s identity and build brands & local and global marketing tools even in multiple languages. So they will get more business from their clients!

Web/Graphic Designer, Fashion Designer,
eCommerce Tech Specialist & Operations &
Merchandise Buyer

ModeEsty – Minneapolis, MN | 2009-03 – 2019-09

Founded, managed and designed ModeEsty eCommerce online fashion & athletic apparel clothing company and hosted Charity Trunk Shows at Life Time (Fitness) locations since 2009 to 2019 to raise funds for the Life Time Foundation & St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Studio Manager
Group Fitness, Yoga & Indoor Cycle Program

Life Time – Highland Park, MN | 2014-01 – 2018-11

Industry: Fitness & Health Club |  website: LifeTime.Life

  • Managed as a business owner of 3 boutiques: the Studio Boutique, Cycle Boutique and Indoor Cycle Boutique within the club.
  • Scouted talent, interviewed and trained new team members, assisting with their certification process, new procedures, policies, programs, and services.
  • Provided feedback and tools to help team members improve their skill sets, with follow-up.
  • Optimized effectiveness of cross functional teams.
  • Identified and reinforced common goals that build commitment and teamwork across functions and divisions.
  • Developed positive relationships with members and team members while building communities.
  • Managed team members with timely discussions regarding developmental
    opportunities and strengths.
  • Optimized schedule operations while driving business and member experience.
  • Kept abreast and understand the related industry current market situations.
  • Communicated plans and activities in a manner that supports strategies for team member involvement.
  • Managed a budget and delivered on target participation expectations.
  • Delivered on participation and class growth targets leveraging tools such as schedule optimization, scouting, performance reports, etc.

Cycle Boutique Manager
Indoor Cycle, Outdoor Cycle & Run Program

Life Time – Plymouth, MN | 2018-11 – 2019-04

Industry: Fitness & Health Club | website: LifeTime.Life

  • Managed as a business owner of the Cycle Boutique within the club.
  • Lead and empowered the team of thirty professional instructors in Life Time Indoor Cycle, Outdoor Cycle & Run Program in cost efficiency and budget adherence.
  • Built and grew relevant schedules with the best teachers in place by utilizing schedule optimization tools and brand blueprints to pair the right teacher with the right signature format.
  • Collaborated with every department in the club to partner and cross-market on a regular and consistent basis.
  • Gathered and analyzed KPI information at club level to report to General Manager via weekly Business Review.
  • Coordinated and executed fun events monthly and quarterly to pull members and guests together.
  • Participated in daily huddle connect calls for the onboarding of new members who are curious about Indoor Cycle, Outdoor Cycle & Run.
  • Partnered with Ops Manager to maintain a “like new” studio environment and manage any inventory needs.
  • Participated in the launch and on-going performance of new procedures, programs, services, training and certification.
  • Responsible in recruiting, casting and developing the community’s top teaching team who are excited about Life Time Indoor Cycle, Outdoor Cycle & Run.

Marketing & Communication Strategy:

Marketing Communication – Web/Graphic Designer

Grace Church, Eden Prairie – Eden Prairie, MN | 2004-01 – 2009-02

Industry: Religious Institutions | website: Grace.church

Built a corporate identity, creating the persona of the church culture and
vision, facilitating to acknowledge the corporate objectives throughout the campus with a weekly audience ranging from 3,000 to 6,000 people —
resulting in easier navigation for the newcomers to identify each ministry
at glance and to get connected more efficiently.

Designed marketing collateral, creating the collection of media used to
support ministries and enhance their services to be used more effectively throughout the local and global communities by creating numerous logos, brochures, promotional flyers, direct mail pieces, supporting corporate communications through designing campaign ads, annual conference handbooks, book covers, visual slides for weekly services, conferences
and concerts, and providing Web-optimized graphics and banners to
attract and navigate the visitors up to speed on the targeted Web pages
in a timely manner.

Marketing Communication – Sr. Graphic Designer

Katun Corporation World Headquarters – Bloomington, MN | 1997-07 – 2002-07

Industry: Business Supplies and Equipment | website: Katun.com

Actively participated in creating concepts for the global launch of high-tech products such as digital color copier/printer toner and ink-jet cartridges with a team of the executives and the departments of sales, marketing, product development, and the laboratory engineers and technicians — resulting in substantial new revenue (over $300M) for the highly international company.

Supported sales & marketing departments by creating marketing collateral with concepts through market/culture-sensitive research in 9 languages, designing sell sheets, product brochures, direct mail pieces, promotional flyers, product catalogs, technical literature, magazine advertising, posters, trade show and Web graphics, and preparing PowerPoint slides — resulting in more effective sales presentations.

Directed photography, and maintained vendor relationships and print buying within established budgets — resulting in reducing significant amount of printing costs for the company.

Non-Profit Organization Office Manager

Alpha Pregnancy Resource Center, Savage MN | 2011-06 – 2011-12

Industry: Non-Profit

Managed and responsible for the business operation, supporting the director, counselors, front-desk volunteers and peer-counselor volunteers, through maintaining the building, bookkeeping, inventory, marketing, designing collateral, promotional materials, and managing the social media and e-mail marketing

Graphic Designer

Powertex Group – Eau Claire, WI | 1996-04 – 1997-06

Industry: Marketing & Advertising, Screen Printing & Promotional Materials
website: PowerTexGroup.com

  • Graphic Designer of Screen Printing, Embroidery and Promo Products
  • Designed sportswear graphics for the local companies, and created the corporate designs for the well-known retail stores such as Dayton/Hudson Corporation, JC Penny, Dairy Queen International, plus collegiate designs for Universities of Minnesota, Wisconsin & Michigan — resulting in maintaining the mainstream venue for the privately-owned company.

Graphic Artist

Menards – Eau Claire, WI | 1992-02 – 1996-03

Industry: Retail | website: Menards.com

  • Worked in the Advertising Department at Menards’ Headquarters
  • Responsible for nationally-circulated weekly advertising flyers, requiring accurate placement of product graphics, SKU numbers, and prices for various markets.
  • Met tight deadlines and developed strong communication skills by creating advertising concepts in cooperation with art director, merchandise managers, and the president, John Menard.

Advocacy & Community Engagement:

Sales & Promotions Award Recognized by Life Time Corporate

Ranked TOP 5 US National Sales Achiever for the 2012 Commitment Day 5K Team Member Contest by promoting through group fitness classes and utilizing social media networking and e-mail marketing, resulting in bringing the traffic of over 200 participants across the United States to the Commitment Day

Client Relations & Community Involvement

March, 2019 | As a Cycle Boutique Manager at Life Time – Plymouth, our team raised over $9,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through a one-day event, Ride for a Reason.

July, 2014-2017 | Featured performer at Outdoor Zumba® Fitness event on the main stage at Highland Fest, St. Paul.

April, 2011 | Created and promoted the Zumbathon® (Zumba charity event), Japan Earthquake Disaster Relief for Red Cross in Eagan Life Time as a lead instructor, resulting in over $3,000 fundraising one-day event.

April, 2012 | Created and promoted the 1st Outdoor Zumba® Fitness Party! event for Life Time in Minnesota.

Education

Master’s Certificate in Webmaster Certificate Series

University of St. Thomas Minnesota 
TMH 166, 1000 LaSalle Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403-200 | business.stthomas.edu

Webmaster Certificate Series 2001 – 2002
• Fundamentals for Webmasters
• HTML and Web Page Authoring
• Introduction to Web Site Design
• Developing Web Pages with Dreamweaver
• Dreamweaver UltraDev4 courses

Fields of Study:
HTML and Web Page Authoring, Web Site Design, Developing Web Pages w/Dreamweaver

Bachelor’s in Bachelor of Fine Arts: 

University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire
105 Garfield Ave, Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701 | uwec.edu
Bachelor of Fine Arts | Magna Cum Laude, May 1991

Received a Honorable Merit for one of my drawings, and it was featured as a cover design in a campus-wide publication, and my oil painting and the mixed media were also featured in the campus magazines.

Fields of Study:
Advertising & Web/Graphic Design, Oil Paiting, Watercolor & Mixed Media Painting, Metalsmithing, Drawing, Photography and Art History

Volunteer Experience

Life Time Foundation Volunteer Fitness Advocate

Promoted Life Time Foundation through volunteering as an advocate for physical activity teaching in Zumba Kids class 2014

Young Adult Training | Discipleship & Leadership

Served over 200 young adults at Grace Church, Eden Prairie, 2007 – 2009

Mission Trips | Short-Term Missionary Opportunities

• Berlin, Germany via The Rock Berlin, Youth & Young Adult Outreach | 2002
• Nairobi, Kenya via Grace Church, Eden Prairie, Music Ministry | 2006
• LIma, Peru via Grace Church, Eden Prairie, Music Ministry | 2007

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Serina Marie

Copyeditor & Proofreader

Founding Member of SavvyCool Company
September 2004 to Present, Minneapolis, MN

Directs content of brochures, webpages & newsletters to ensure accurate media output.

Develops efficiency in culturally diverse environment to promote teamwork within company.

Work Experience

Data Science – Team Lead

Lambda School
LamdaSchool.com | February 2020 – Present
Industry: Data Science – Applied Statistics & Machine Learning

• Python
• SQL
• Data Visualization
• Machine Learning
• Linear Algebra
• Databases
• Statistics & Modeling
• Natural Language Processing

Web & Multimedia Designer

CEHD U of M
January 2009 to November 2009, Minneapolis, MN

Created & formatted web content to assist 5 designers with dozens of web re-organization projects.

Communicated technical support to hundreds of professors & faculty to result in client satisfaction within constantly evolving online atmosphere.

Education

Lambda School

LamdaSchool.com | February 2020 – Present
Industry: Data Science – Applied Statistics & Machine Learning

• Python
• SQL
• Data Visualization
• Machine Learning
• Linear Algebra
• Databases
• Statistics & Modeling
• Natural Language Processing

University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455 | twin-cities.umn.edu
B.A., English | May 2013

Vassar College, New York

124 Raymond Ave, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604 | vassar.edu
General Coursework

Perpich Center for Arts Education

6125 Olson Memorial Hwy, Golden Valley, MN 55422 | perpich.mn.gov
Literary Arts

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Bruce

Commercial Photographer
Aerial Image Expert

FlySafe Certified RC Pilot
Founding Member of SavvyCool Company

Portfolio | Aerial Image Gallery

Summit House Condos | Rooftop Pool

MFRA Water Treatment Plant

The future of water treatment is here today in St Michael, MN thanks to this award winning design by MFRA. With this image timing was critical for the perfect aerial image. Be on time with Sight Flight when you need to get the perfect shot the first time out.

Harbor at Lake Pepin

Experience Lake Pepin Harbor on Minnesota’s’ Mississippi River like the eagles and swans that fly high. Sight Flight’s RC camera platform operators are experienced open water navigators capable of delivering the perfect aerial shot without getting wet.

Contact Us Today!

“Do something today for a better tomorrow.” 
– Oscar Wilde

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to advance your current project?
Let us help you get there sooner than later!

SavvyCool Portfolio

Learn What We Do | Services

“Do something today for a better tomorrow.”
– Oscar Wilde

More than just cool. It’s SavvyCool.

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All Rights Reserved.