Adrienne McNicholas, founder, Klinik Inc
www.klinik.ca [2]
The success of Design, as an applied business strategy, depends equally on one’s understanding of design and of business.
Adrienne has 10 years of experience and success in the development and promotion of new design brands and product collections. Adrienne specializes by working with clients that are applying “design as strategy” for the first time. Using design as a business strategy, Adrienne led a Toronto area yacht manufacturer through the development, branding and launch of a furniture collection by Canadian designer Scot Laughton. The collection received the ICFF editor’s award at its debut. Adrienne has consulted on the development and launch of three collections at the ICFF and NYIGF and three editors’ awards have resulted. Adrienne credits her success to her ability to translate and mediate between the business objectives of the project and the subtleties of the design market.
In addition to working with design as an applied business strategy for the high-end markets, Adrienne also works with manufacturers to develop new product collections for the mass market. Well versed in the terrain of mass market retail and the subsequent requirements for product success, Adrienne has spearheaded the development of several collections at Target, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Linens ‘N Things, Pier1 and other nationwide retailers.
Before launching her own design and marketing consultancy in 2001,Klinik Inc, Adrienne was the marketing manager at Umbra; where she learned a great deal about the complex and intertwined relationship between the disciplines of design and marketing.