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About

Founded in 2003, Trillium Creative specializes in providing
project-based and fractional strategic branding, design, marketing, finance and analytic services.

 

Why
Trillium?

The Business of Design

We know design — and, we know business. In design, it is often said that form follows function. The same is true of strategic branding. A perfectly executed design can only emanate from well-conceived, intelligent marketing and positioning strategy. We take pride in utilizing our creativity in sophisticated, strategic, business-minded ways.

Communication Beyond Design

At Trillium Creative, we have an insatiable curiosity about how people react to visual and written messages. What do they say about you and your business? How do they communicate what makes your products and services unique? How will you catch attention and remain memorable? Trillium helps you execute design that resonates and endures.

 

The Answer to “What is Creative?”

Creative is the successful translation of your business vision into strategic design. Creative is the dedicated pursuit of marketing excellence that instills a pride in your brand, company and customers. Creative is finding that simple solution no one in the room sees in front of them, or considering a complex solution and not being afraid to take the road less traveled. Trillium is creative. We challenge you, ourselves, and the competition.


Big Picture Finance with Eagle-Eyed Focus

We’re finance unicorns. At Trillium, we offer the rare combination of large, corporate, multi-national experience combined with practical, hands-on, start- up knowledge. From SEC reporting to corporate controls, from robust financial models to metric measurement for small Amazon sellers, our skill set likely covers what you need.   

 

Fulfilling Our Promises

Dedication permeates our day-to-day work with you and on your behalf. Your brand story, bottom line and profitability is what we obsess over. We think about your P&L over our morning coffee. Jot down sudden ideas for your branding while running an errand. Consider your image as we meticulously craft your style guide or plan your social media campaign. From client dialogue to the creative process, project management to strategic execution, you will be fully involved and know you are our absolute priority for on-time, on-budget, on-message execution.

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Our Team

Trillium is led by Shira and Dan Epstein, a unique wife and husband duo
who possess the perfect complimentary skill sets. A yin to a yang. A pencil to an ink pen. A Mac design suite to a Windows spreadsheet. Shira is a career creative, with a dual business background and MBA. Dan is a finance executive and CPA with corporate advertising and eCommerce operational expertise. Bada to the boom.

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Shira
Epstein

Shira founded Trillium Creative in 2003. She has over 25 years of experience as a designer, creative director and serial entrepreneur. Her dual background in marketing and business strategy complements her design abilities, and distinguishes her in the creative industry. After beginning her career at several well-known Chicago design firms and a tenure as Art Director for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Shira founded Trillium Creative in 2003 serving clients in a wide variety of industries. Most recently, she has also taken on fractional CMO roles for clients.  In 2010, Shira + Dan purchased their family outdoor retail business, RuggedOutdoors. Their efforts as CCO and CEO morphed the 75-year-old business into an omni-channel retail, eCommerce and logistics company. Shira holds a BFA in Graphic Communications from Washington University in St. Louis, and an MBA in Marketing and Business Strategy from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management. When not wearing her professional hats, you can usually find her volunteering on non-profit boards, or not find her while she’s out hiking with family and friends.

Dan
Epstein

Dan is a seasoned chief executive, financial officer, controller and data analyst. His corporate finance experience spans leadership for large multinational organizations, capital investments, M&A, SEC reporting, eCommerce, operations, KPI and data warehouse design and complex contract negotiation. Dan has held various finance roles in Chicago including Assitant Vice President at CNA Financial, and Senior Vice President, Controller for Leo Burnett. Dan took the helm of RuggedOutdoors in 2010, overseeing strategy, finance, inventory management and operations. Continually pushing the envelope of small business and technology, he led the company through significant systems and growth initiatives, including the launch and rapid expansion of RuggedOutdoors.com, logistics services, and government sales. Dan has a B.A. in Accounting from Michigan State and is a licensed CPA in Illinois.

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