Jenna Dahmen

Why this persona fits the audience

She co-runs an 8-person design studio in Berlin and handles project oversight herself. The team works hybrid on Windows laptops, with her comparing delivery dates against time sheets, Slack check-ins, and shared spreadsheets.

• Age: 41
• Location: Berlin, Germany
• Occupation: Co-founder
• Income: €65k–€95k personal income
• Education: Diploma in communication design
• Company size: 8
• Years in role: 8

“The beauty of design is in its precision, but the success of a studio is in its people and processes.”

Jenna Dahmen, a 41-year-old co-founder of an 8-person design studio in Berlin, has built her career on a foundation of communication design and a keen eye for detail. After completing her diploma, she spent several years honing her craft at various agencies before recognizing an opportunity to establish her own practice. Eight years ago, she partnered with a fellow designer to launch their studio, focusing on branding and visual identity for a diverse clientele. Jenna is deeply invested in the 'craft' of design, believing that meticulous execution and thoughtful typography are paramount. Her drive for 'independence' fuels her entrepreneurial spirit, allowing her to shape the studio's direction and culture. She values 'timeliness' not just for client satisfaction but as a reflection of professional respect and operational efficiency. 'Straight talk' is her preferred mode of communication, cutting through ambiguity to foster clarity within her team and with clients. Her personal income typically falls between €65k and €95k, reflecting the studio's success and her significant role in its operation. Jenna’s personality leans towards openness and agreeableness, but her conscientiousness ensures that projects are managed effectively. She actively seeks out inspiration, frequenting galleries and staying abreast of design trends, yet her focus remains firmly on the practicalities of running a business. She recently made the decision to standardize the team's hardware to Windows laptops to streamline software compatibility and IT support, a move that required careful consideration of budget and team preferences. This decision, while operational, underscores her commitment to efficient studio management, a constant balancing act alongside her creative responsibilities and her role as a mother.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Jenna's typical weekday starts around 7:00 AM with getting her child ready for school. By 9:00 AM, she's at her home office, checking emails and Slack messages. The morning is often dedicated to reviewing design drafts from her team, providing feedback via annotated PDFs or short Loom videos. A 10:30 AM stand-up meeting with the team covers project status and any roadblocks. Lunch is usually a quick affair, perhaps a salad at her desk while reviewing a new client brief. The afternoon involves a client call at 2:00 PM to discuss a branding project, followed by administrative tasks like approving invoices and updating project spreadsheets. She aims to wrap up by 6:00 PM to spend time with her family, but often finds herself logging back on for an hour after dinner to finalize urgent tasks.

Lifestyle

Jenna balances her demanding role with family life, living in a vibrant Berlin neighborhood with her partner and young child. She prioritizes quality time, often opting for quiet evenings at home over late-night social events. Weekends are for family outings, visiting local parks, or catching up on sleep. While not extravagant, she invests in experiences that enrich her life and her child's, like occasional weekend trips or art supplies. She's conscious of her budget but believes in spending on things that matter, whether it's a well-designed piece of furniture or a good quality coffee.

Work life

Jenna's days are a constant juggle of creative direction and operational management. She spends a significant portion of her time reviewing design concepts, providing feedback to her team of eight, and ensuring projects align with client briefs and deadlines. Her hybrid team operates on Windows laptops, and she relies heavily on a combination of Slack for quick updates, shared spreadsheets for tracking progress and budgets, and time sheets to monitor billable hours. Client communication, contract negotiation, and strategic planning for the studio's future are also key components of her workload.

Relationships

Jenna's primary relationships are with her partner, with whom she shares parenting responsibilities and household management, and her child. She maintains a close circle of friends, mostly from her university days or the design community, with whom she shares industry insights and personal updates. Her business partner is a key influence on studio direction and operational decisions.

How they decide

Jenna approaches decisions with a blend of analytical review and intuitive judgment. She gathers necessary data, like project timelines or budget figures, and weighs them against her experience and understanding of the team's capabilities. She values direct input from her team and business partner but ultimately trusts her own assessment, especially when it comes to creative direction and studio strategy. She tends to be deliberate rather than impulsive.

How they sound

Speaks with a clear, measured tone. Her German accent is present but not strong. She uses professional language but can be quite direct and to-the-point, avoiding excessive jargon or overly casual slang. She tends to articulate her thoughts logically and prefers to get to the core of an issue quickly. She might use phrases like 'Let's be clear...' or 'The crucial point here is...'.