Salt (Jared Lebel and Daniela Chávez Ackermann)
Just Add Salt
Jared and Dani may have started out in different continents and with different passions, but they ended up on the same path at Algonquin. It turns out that when you take a musician and a photographer and add a little salt, you get a skilled team of graphic designers.
Today, Salt is an experienced design studio with a portfolio full of ideas that taste good. Their work can be found around Ottawa, the rest of Canada and in the online world around the globe. But how did they get that career started?
Jared and Dani were kind enough to share their recipe for Salt with us.
Jared found his love for creativity at a young age. One can imagine notebooks filled with never-before-seen comic book characters, band logos and music—no matter what it was, Jared was always up to something creative.
Meanwhile, Dani’s journey began in Peru. Through her own interests and the guidance of her parents, she started in on an academic career. At the same time, though, she had a dream job in mind: to be a photographer for National Geographic. Academia took Dani to Canada, where she completed a BA in Geography from the University of Ottawa in 2012.
From these beginnings, Jared and Dani started discovering a shared passion for visual communication and design. Jared found it after focusing on music for a time, and Dani got there from her side projects in photography.
Dani even told us the exact moment that started her Algonquin journey: “I ended up in the Graphic Design program coordinator’s office at Algonquin in early 2012 with an amateur portfolio in hand and no real idea of what I was getting into. It was the best move I ever made!”
At Algonquin, Jared and Dani would go on to nurture their hopes and dreams into the beginnings of a career.
Jared and Dani took full advantage of their time at Algonquin. At the same time as they learned the theory and techniques, they took on freelance projects in industry. They organized events at the college, networked with peers and professionals alike and ended up with a shared dream. They would set up their own shop after graduating.
They agreed that the most valuable aspect of their Algonquin experience came from their professors: “…the [professors’] personal experiences are worth more than their weight in gold. It’s the kind of experience you can’t typically find in an academic environment.” The mentorship and support they received from their teachers helped them carve a path of their own.
By the end of their time at Algonquin, Jared and Dani had built up a strong network of clients. They did their co-op term with Greenmelon Inc., an award-winning design studio. After the duo graduated, Robert Smith, the owner of Greenmelon, offered them a seat at his studio.
Five months later, they rented their own space. They’ve been building brands for organizations of all kinds ever since. In fact, Salt has even done work right here at home for Algonquin.
“It feels great to have an organization foster your skills and then come to you for those same skills and expertise as a client.”
The duo keeps in touch with their teachers, and cites that continued support as a factor in their post-Algonquin success. It’s clear the professors care when they refer graduates to clients, answer questions and keep talking shop even after school’s out.
Jared and Dani took their artistic passions and turned them into a career.
When we asked them if they had any advice for new graduates and fellow alumni, they gave us a great list of ingredients: “Always work hard, be a good person, don’t be afraid of failure and saying no, and never, ever trust anyone who doesn’t like dogs.”
Salt is currently building a new website, which will feature a web store filled with products and art. Stay tuned for some great accessories and goods!