Hey Reader,

I don't know about you, but I am glad it's 2026. I spent the better part of last year trying to be...an all-purpose professional when really, I was flying by the seat of my pants.

General graphic designer. Logo creator. Flyer designer. Whatever any potential client needed and/or wanted.

I didn't reach my financial goals for the year, but I did reach burnout...quickly. Not great. [Thank goodness for my savings!]

Here's what I finally figured out:

I already know what I'm good at. I've known for 10 years.

Trade show and event branding + design.

I spent a literal decade behind the scenes at major events - managing booths, coordinating designs, making exhibitors and sponsors look good when it matters most. And then I left to build my own thing and somehow convinced myself I needed to start from scratch doing random design work.

That was stupid. [I said it, not you]

So here's the shift:

I'm going all in on trade show and event branding + design.

Booth design and build-outs. Event graphics. On-site coordination and set-up. Helping exhibitors and event organizers create experiences that actually stop traffic and convert.

That's my lane. That's what I'm building towards doing in 2026.

If that sounds relevant to you - if you're exhibiting at trade shows, running events, or know people who are - stick around. I'm going to share:

→ Trade show design secrets (what makes booths stop traffic and convert)

→ Behind-the-scenes content (event setups, client projects, real work in action)

→ How I'm building this (the strategy, the wins, the failures)

→ Templates & systems for event designers (digital products so you can skip the trial and error)

If these don't align or simply aren't your world? No hard feelings. Unsubscribe button is below and it's all love!

But if you're still here, let's explore something together in 2026.

Happy New Year!

TaRon 'Ronnie' Joyner
Founder, 1991 Design