Amy Johansen - Designer, Problem Solver, and Builder of Beautiful Clarity

Every now and then, someone steps into the room and you can feel their mix of humility, talent, and quiet determination. That was Amy Johansen at our Hot Stories Business Networking event on 8 October. She walked in, met new people, listened, and shared just enough of her journey to make everyone lean in. Later, she won our social challenge on the night. Today we are celebrating Amy and sharing why we believe more local businesses should know her work.

The essence of Amy’s craft

Amy is a designer who cares about clarity as much as beauty. She is the person you call when information is messy, when numbers feel heavy, when a website is full of potential but not pulling its weight. Her favourite sentence is simple and powerful, she loves taking data and making it beautiful. That is not about decoration, it is about transforming information into something people can read, understand, and act on.

Since 2016, straight out of university, Amy has been learning in the best possible way, by doing. She began as a presentation designer, then kept stretching, kept asking better questions, and grew into the person colleagues turned to for UI and UX challenges. Over time she became the designer who could take a complex platform or content set and turn it into something cohesive and pleasant to use. That blend of UI clarity and UX empathy is still at the heart of what she delivers today.

Ten years of practice, one clear promise

In almost a decade of work, Amy has learned that small businesses often need someone who can see the whole picture. Her ideal clients are the owners and teams who want a complete, joined up approach, not just a one off asset. She can:

• Design and build full websites, from planning and wireframes to finished pages that are fast and easy to navigate.

• Create or refresh a brand system so the whole presence feels consistent.

• Design event collateral, leaflets, and digital materials that actually get used.

• Support ongoing content, from social graphics to newsletters and blog visuals, so the message stays active and aligned.

• Add light animation for social where it helps catch the eye.

She is quick, reliable, and honest about capacity. When larger projects overlap, she plans ahead, sets clear timelines, and, if needed, brings in trusted support, rather than overpromising. It sounds simple, yet it is exactly what many small businesses are missing. Clear scope, clear delivery, and a partner who communicates.

Why small businesses choose Amy

There are big brands and there are big budgets, yet Amy’s eyes light up when she talks about smaller companies. She likes their character, their pace, and the way design decisions can truly move the needle. With smaller teams, she can influence the end to end experience, not just the surface. That often means more responsibility, more listening, and more care. It also means better results, because the work is joined up.

Here is what that looks like in practice. A small team with twenty people, full of engineering and product pride, needs a stronger online presence. Their website is dated, their social content is quiet, and their event materials feel disconnected. Amy steps in, sets an interim website plan so the essentials improve quickly, begins shaping a new brand identity that reflects the business they are today, and supports events with materials that match. The result is momentum, visible progress, and a team that starts to see their story clearly again.

She brings the same approach to content led businesses. If a team is running a podcast or publishing regular updates, Amy can create the assets, the social graphics, and the newsletter layouts that keep everything consistent. Fewer moving parts, less friction, better presentation, and a brand that feels alive instead of improvised.

Reliability you can feel

People often say Amy is fast and accurate. Nine times out of ten, her work lands with no edits. That last ten percent is where she listens and adapts, because she knows brand and ownership matter. She is not precious, she is professional. That combination builds trust, and trust is what turns first projects into long term partnerships.

She is also transparent about money and time. Freelancing can be unpredictable, and Amy has navigated the tight months that many independents know too well. She values networks that lead to real work, not just busy mornings. That is one reason Hot Stories and our Collective Advantage Network resonated with her. It is not about collecting cards, it is about building steady relationships that lead to shared wins.

Boundaries that protect the work

One thing we admire about Amy, she knows what helps her focus. She prefers not to be filmed or recorded for public channels. She is happy to present in the room, to meet people, to talk through ideas, yet she does not need a camera to add value. We respect that completely. Not every professional wants a video first presence, and that is fine. Results matter more than reels.

The way she thinks about capacity

A lot of creative frustration comes from poor planning. Amy avoids that. She structures her week around retainer commitments and project windows. If a new website brief appears while she is fully booked, she gives an honest start date or suggests a trusted collaborator. That protects quality and keeps her reputation intact. It also helps clients plan, which lowers stress for everyone.

What makes her unique

• Clarity over noise. She turns clutter into clean, readable design.

• Full stack design sense. From decks to data heavy platforms to websites and social, she understands how pieces connect.

• Small business empathy. She enjoys smaller teams where her work can touch the whole customer experience.

• Calm delivery. She is organised, consistent, and dependable.

• Healthy boundaries. She knows how she does her best work and honours that.

  
  

Why we are writing about Amy today

Hot Stories exists to make good people visible. Gemini Web Media hosts the events, champions reputation, and supports honest businesses with practical strategy. We believe in navigating, not just “growth talk”, in turning reviews into reputation, and in connecting people who show up for one another. Amy fits right into that vision. She brings skill and heart, and she is exactly the kind of professional we like to recommend.

If your business needs a designer who can look at the whole picture, untangle the messy bits, and ship useful work without drama, speak with Amy. Visit her website and connect on LinkedIn:

• Website, https://ajdesignservices.co.uk/

• LinkedIn, https://linkedin.com/in/amyjohansen

• Instagram https://www.instagram.com

  
  

Join Amy in our community

Amy will be joining our Collective Advantage Network, our weekly online meet up on Wednesdays at 2:00 pm, where members collaborate, recommend, and keep each other moving. She will also be welcome at our Hot Stories Business Networking in Cambridge, face to face, where we share the real stories behind the logos. If you are reading this and you value substance over noise, come and meet people like Amy.

Learn more, https://geminiweb.media/Collective-Advantage-Network | https://www.facebook.com/groups/755575314507576 | https://www.linkedin.com/company/collective-advantage-network/ | https://www.facebook.com/geminiwebmedia | https://www.linkedin.com/company/geminiwebmedia/

Final word from Gemini Web Media

Design that works is design that people can use. Amy builds that kind of design. We are proud to introduce her to our community and we are excited to see what she creates for the businesses she supports.

Congratulations, Amy

On behalf of the whole Gemini Web Media team, warm congratulations to Amy Johansen for winning our Social Challenge at the Hot Stories Business Networking event on 8 October. We are delighted you are part of our community and we cannot wait to see your next chapter.