Chris Bayles and Jen O'Donnell, Mint Sauce Media
I first met Chris and Jen when I was looking for someone to build my new website. And I say met… we’ve spoken on the phone quite a bit and exchanged lots of emails but we’re yet to meet in real life.
Mint Sauce Media came highly recommended by a mutual friend. And from the first conversation I had with Chris I knew that he was the person I wanted to work with!
This was about 2 years ago and I can happily say that Chris is now a friend!
Email: hello@mintsauce.media
Website: www.mintsauce.media
Social media pages: Instagram | Facebook
What coffee do you like to drink?
Anything from York Emporium, their coffee is delicious! (and local to us!)
Tell me about the work you do
I’ve been a designer for the last 25 years, from the time before designers used computers. I started out using magic markers, Letrasets and cutting and splicing, a world away from how I design now!
I now run my own business, alongside my partner Jen creating branding and web design for creative company’s. We love delving into the brand strategy so we are able to give business owners a brand design that feels real to them and attracts their ideal clients, and a website that is a real tool to help them grow their business.
We believe that good branding and web design is an investment that should give our clients a real return, in the number and quality of clients that want to work with them.
How did you decide on Mint Sauce Media as your business name?
I was sat in the car with Jen trying to think of a decent name. We were going round a mini roundabout when a coach pulled out on us and nearly hit us. The coach had ‘Mint Travel’ on the side, and so it went from there.
We originally worked with Videographers and Photographers which is where the media part of our name came from, but then niched down to Branding and Web – but kept ‘Media!’
We think that great designers have the ability to help their clients get to the essence of their brand
Finish this sentence. Great design should be...
Great design should be inspirational, memorable and grab your attention.
Finish this sentence. Great design elevates your brand by...
Great design elevates your brand by speaking directly to your ideal clients, communicates your value and creates a tribe of loyal fans!
When lockdown eases, the first project I would like to design would be... because…
We would love to get our teeth into a full branding and web project for an artisan food and drink start up, because we are huge foodies!
And it’s brilliant to work on the strategy at the beginning of a project and then carry the branding through across a website and all the other brand touch points that a new business needs.
What piece of design do you wish you’d created?
A designer whose work I have always admired is Peter Saville who was involved in lots of the artwork for Factory Records back in the
70’s – 90’s. Working on a lot of album covers for bands like Joy Division, New Order and OMD, his design was fresh and cutting edge with a great eye for typography and in particular Helvetica.
We believe that good branding and web design is an investment that should give our clients a real return, in the number and quality of clients that want to work with them.
What do you think makes someone a great designer?
We think that great designers have the ability to help their clients get to the essence of their brand and have the ability to come up with a creative solution to meet all their needs, to create a brand that evokes the feeling behind the brand and connects to their audience.
If you weren't doing design, what would you be doing?
Away from design, my passion is House music/Electronic music, making mixes etc. If I was in my 20’s again I’d probably put more time into making and creating tunes.
And finally, can you tell me about 3 other freelance designers or small biz owners whose work you admire
We love the work by:
You can read the previous A Coffee With…interview here.
I’ll be posting more blogs, interviews and case studies so be sure to check back here soon. Follow me on social media for regular updates, handy hints, tips and design inspiration! See you soon!
Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram
