shark&minnow

07/30/2026

The shark&minnow team is in Chicago for the American Great Lakes Ports Association 2026 Annual Conference, again proudly sponsoring this year’s event.

It’s always a pleasure to connect with leaders from across the Great Lakes maritime community and have critical conversations pertaining to the future of ports, transportation, logistics, and near-port/waterfront communities.

If you’re attending and we haven’t had a chance to connect yet, we welcome the opportunity to learn more about your organization and discuss how shark&minnow can help support your goals.

Schedule a conversation while we’re in Chicago: https://lnkd.in/exWNZBBN

07/24/2026

shark&minnow is proud to be a supporter of the American Great Lakes Ports Association’s 2026 Annual Summer Conference.

As the largest U.S.-based maritime event on the Great Lakes, we look forward to bringing our firm’s deep expertise pertaining to ports, municipalities, civic sectors, transportation, logistics, and freight to Chicago.

Schedule a conversation in advance to learn how we can help your business thrive!

See you in Chicago!

07/21/2026

Northeast Ohio just won a historic $160 MILLION National Science Foundation (NSF) grant — and shark&minnow was there to support making it happen.

Securing this game-changing investment required aligning 100+ cross-sector leaders and 70+ partners into a single, cohesive narrative for a high-stakes, two-day site visit. The NEO-SMART Engine coalition through Case Western Reserve University needed to prove to the National Science Foundation (NSF) they were execution-ready.

In less than two months, our team built the Engine’s strategic communications and event framework. We developed the messaging, structured presentations for visual consistency, designed large-scale environmental graphics, and produced a promotional sizzle video and transformed the physical space at .

We distilled a complex, multi-stakeholder initiative into a unified experience, signaling to NSF agency reviewers that the coalition was organized, collaborative, and ready to lead at scale.

With the final funding successfully secured, these tools will continue to equip partners to sustain momentum, drive regional collaboration, and execute this massive modernization effort at scale for years to come. Congratulations to the entire NEO-SMART coalition!

Click to read the full article by Cleveland Magazine: https://bit.ly/4fqZBCq

Northeast Ohio beat out more than 300 regions to earn the funding, which could propel Northeast Ohio and the entire state as a national center for manufacturing innovation, technology and jobs. 

05/12/2026

We recently had the privilege of joining House Crisis Nursery in celebrating an incredible milestone in their work. 45 years of surrounding children and families with the support they need to stabilize and stay together in moments of crisis.

As their strategic partner, it’s been an honor to work alongside their team to help bring their next chapter into focus.

That work debuted at their annual luncheon through a new campaign grounded in urgency, humanity, and possibility; brought to life through a reimagined brand identity, website, and a powerful new video that captures the heart of their mission.

This is the power of true strategic partnership: bringing the clarity, alignment, and momentum nonprofits need to expand their impact and drive lasting change.

👉 Take a look: https://bit.ly/4tpmf37

03/31/2026

The tide turns when relationships become something more; when trust, insight, and collaboration create momentum.

Growth isn’t just about what’s next, it’s about building the right partnerships, asking better questions, and helping clients move forward with clarity and purpose.

When connection is strong, the work goes further – and so does the impact.

03/27/2026

The tide turns when we design for the communities we are part of.

From civic spaces to public-facing experiences, we believe design should serve, include, and reflect the people it’s meant for.

Because stronger communities create a stronger future – for everyone.

03/23/2026

The tide turns when design opens new ways of seeing.

At its best, design invites curiosity – it helps people explore, question, and uncover something they didn’t expect. That’s where ideas grow, and where impact begins.

Because discovery is what moves the work, and the world, forward.

03/20/2026

The tide turns when we listen closely; when we understand not just the challenge, but the people behind it.

Empathy is where meaningful design begins. It shapes how we think, how we create, and how we ensure the work resonates in real, lasting ways.

Because thoughtful design doesn’t just communicate, it connects.

03/18/2026

The tide turns when values move beyond words and into how we lead, support, and build.

As a woman-owned firm, we believe that how we take care of our people shapes everything we create. It’s in the way we invest in one another, make space for growth, and lead with intention every day, and in everything we do.

When people are supported in meaningful ways, they do their strongest, most impactful work.

03/18/2026

Rising: The Tide We’re Changing

This Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating the women of shark&minnow – how we show up for each other, for our clients, and for the work that matters. Each post is a piece of a larger picture: a collective force shaped by different perspectives, shared values, and a commitment to creating meaningful impact.

Because the tide doesn’t turn on its own. We turn it – together.