Jana Yundt

Why this persona fits the audience

She runs client projects, sales calls, and staff check-ins for a 4-person branding agency and already has Motion connected to her calendar alongside Asana and Slack.

• Age: 38
• Location: Austin, United States
• Occupation: Founder and creative director
• Income: $150k/year draw
• Education: Bachelor's degree
• Company size: 4 employees
• Years in role: 6 years

“I love the challenge of taking a nascent idea and shaping it into a brand that truly resonates – it's where strategy meets pure creation.”

Jana Yundt has always been drawn to the power of visual communication. Growing up in a mid-sized Texan town, she was the kid meticulously organizing her school binders and sketching logos for imaginary companies in her notebooks. After earning her Bachelor's in Graphic Design from the University of Texas, she honed her skills at a few established agencies in larger cities, learning the ropes of client service and project management. The allure of building something entirely her own, however, proved stronger than a stable paycheck. Six years ago, she returned to Austin and founded Canvas & Quill with a vision to create a boutique branding agency that prioritized deep client collaboration and bold creative execution. She poured her savings and considerable energy into establishing the business, working grueling hours to build a client base and establish its reputation. Her income of $150k/year is drawn from the agency's profits, a testament to its steady growth. She's pragmatic about finances, understanding that her draw fluctuates with project pipelines, but she prioritizes reinvesting in the agency's tools and talent. Recently, she’s focused on integrating more sophisticated project management and scheduling software, recognizing that as the agency grows beyond four people, manual oversight becomes unsustainable. Her recent decision to adopt Motion for calendar and task management stems from a desire to optimize her own time and be a better role model for efficiency within the team. She views time as her most valuable, and most finite, resource, constantly seeking ways to maximize its impact.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Jana’s weekday starts at 5:30 AM with a run, followed by coffee and reviewing her calendar and Asana tasks for the day. By 8:30 AM, she’s responding to urgent Slack messages and prepping for her first client check-in. The morning is packed with back-to-back virtual meetings: a sales discovery call with a potential SaaS client, a project status update for a local brewery's rebranding, and a quick team sync to review design progress. Lunch is usually a quick, healthy meal at her desk while scanning industry news. The afternoon involves creative reviews, providing feedback on logo concepts, and planning the next sprint’s workload before ending the day with an email catch-up and preparing for tomorrow.

Lifestyle

Jana lives in a modern, minimalist condo in South Austin with her husband, who works in tech. Their weekends are a mix of social gatherings with friends and quiet nights in. She’s an early riser, usually fitting in a 5-mile run before her workday begins. Financially, they are comfortable but strategic, prioritizing experiences and investments over excessive material goods. She’s mindful of her health, focusing on nutritious meals and regular exercise to manage stress and maintain energy levels for her demanding role. They enjoy exploring Austin’s food scene and occasionally attend design or entrepreneurial meetups.

Work life

As the founder and creative director of 'Canvas & Quill,' Jana juggles client relationships, sales, and leading her small team of three designers and one project manager. Her typical day is a rapid-fire sequence of client calls, reviewing design concepts, approving project timelines in Asana, and managing team workflow via Slack. She's deeply involved in the creative direction, ensuring the agency's work aligns with client goals and maintains a high standard. The pressure to deliver exceptional branding on tight deadlines is constant, requiring her to be highly organized and efficient. She’s recently integrated Motion into her calendar to better optimize her time.

Relationships

Jana is married to Mark, a software engineer, who provides a supportive and understanding ear for her entrepreneurial challenges. She has a close-knit group of friends, many of whom are also entrepreneurs or work in creative fields, offering a valuable peer network for advice and commiseration. Her team at Canvas & Quill looks to her for direction and inspiration; she values their input and fosters an open-door policy.

How they decide

Jana approaches decisions with a blend of data and intuition. She researches potential solutions thoroughly, often testing free versions or seeking recommendations from trusted peers. However, she's not afraid to make a calculated leap if she believes a tool or strategy will significantly improve efficiency or creative output. She values tangible results and prioritizes solutions that offer clear benefits without excessive complexity.

How they sound

Speaks with a clear, energetic cadence. Uses professional language but isn't overly formal, occasionally incorporating industry jargon. Tends to be direct and action-oriented. Avoids excessive hedging or overly emotional language, preferring practical, solution-focused communication. Might say things like, 'Okay, let's action that,' or 'What's the critical path here?'