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Studio K8Ki designs cohesive brands that are impactful and reflect the heart of your business —

We are a creative studio that delivers contemporary brand aesthetics. We create eye-catching designs that help brands to stand out from the crowd. We are completely focused on you, your branding, your mission, and most importantly, your future. Together, we can create visionary projects that will push boundaries and set your brand apart in the digital era.

 
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MEET THE FOUNDER & DESIGNER

Hey friend,
I’m Ketaki aka K8Ki —

 

Growing up in Mumbai, India I always knew I wanted to be a designer and in 2011 I found myself graduating from college with a BFA degree from Sir. J.J. School of Applied Art. Eager to learn more and increase my odds of success, I moved to the other side of the world — San Francisco, to be exact. There, I pursued my MFA in Web Design & New Media at the Academy of Art University.


Halfway into my master’s, I met my then-boyfriend and now my husband Tony Hauber. After spending almost a decade in San Francisco, we realized we wanted to start our independent practices. So in 2017, we moved to Tony's hometown in Iowa.

Currently, we are living and enjoying the life we always dreamt of — running a small design & development studio, helping small businesses and startups with my passion for design and Tony's passion for developing/coding. We are living a peaceful life in a cute little town called Elkader in the beautiful driftless river valley of NorthEast Iowa with our two fur babies and our human baby Zeb. 

 
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My role is to help you shape your brand that stands strong timelessly and build you a beautiful website that attracts the right clients.

—

So you can focus on changing the world with what you do best.

 
 
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Meet the team

Learn more about the faces behind Studio K8ki

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LOVE FROM PAST CLIENTS

  • “Ketaki built and designed an incredibly beautiful and professional website for my Women's Empowerment Coaching business with a brand identity and style that conveyed the energy and intention of my work. I'm so happy with what we created together!”
    — Alyssa Tennant // Women’s Empowerment Coach
  • “I recently worked with Ketaki to rehab, and ultimately replace my old website, along with fresh branding. I am beyond thrilled with the results. Ketaki blew my expectations out of the water, DuckHill Workshop's online presence has never looked better. The logo that she designed for us looks awesome on our new hats too!”
    — Ben Finley // DuckHill Workshop
  • “I cannot wait for the next project to do with Ketaki! It's been a breath of fresh air working with her! She is spot on with creating graphics to go with my branding and gives it a whole new life. Wonderful!”
    — Jamie Reimer // Hands On As We Grow
  • “Ketaki has been so easy to work with. It was nice to work with someone that cared about my business as much as I do! I felt so comfortable with working and exchanging ideas. I recommend her for any type of branding or design needs!”
    — Teri Ann Marting // Inhale Exhale Pilates & Yoga Studio
  • “This summer Ketaki helped breathe new energy into my photo business by creating a fresh new look for my photography brand. Knowing I love wildflowers, outdoor sessions, the colors plum and gray, Ketaki selected elegant fonts, made whimsical hand drawn florals, and a chose a soft gorgeous color palette to create a whimsical new logo and look that completely compliments my style! Thank you for being great to work with Ketaki!”
    — Jillian Herrmann // JWebb Art & Photography
  • “Ketaki was super easy to work with and turned my project around in just a couple of weeks. I enjoyed the options she provided and her expertise as I start my business. I'm loving my logos, branding, and website!”
    — Katie Ceccarini // Endurance Management Coaching
  • “I hired Ketaki to refresh my site. As a strategic brand consultant, it was especially important that I got my visual brand right. I couldn’t think of anyone better to work with and have been amazed by the results I’ve seen in just the last two weeks since my new site went live. Ketaki Poyekar nailed every step of the process and continues to make life easy for me as I figure out some of the more nuanced facets of my website. Hire her!”
    — Rachel Lightfoot // Catchfoot+Run
  • “Ketaki has helped me realize so much of my own vision for Mend through her design work. This design effortlessly portrays a message of relaxation and harmony. I adore the use of simplistic flowers and the inclusion of a very peaceful herb, lavender in the brand she has created for me! Studio K8Ki has made this process a breeze, I couldn't be more excited by the results!”
    — Peggy Osmundson // Mend Massage Studio
  • “Ketaki has been amazing to work with! She helped me take my greater vision for my brand and bring it to life. She has been so patient with me in the design process and committed to making sure the products delivered are 100%. It’s amazing how she has been able to transform my website from a DIY site to a well-branded embodiment of the work I do with my clients. So much love for Ketaki and I envision us working together for years to come with all my graphic design needs. Thanks, Ketaki!”
    — Kira Malone // Mama Manifest
  • “Ketaki has been a tremendous creative partner in helping to design Micromacro.gg website and logo design. I only had a vague idea of the theme for what I wanted and she was able to take that and run with it, including thinking of items and pages that I didn’t think of. She is also very open to feedback and change, and was wonderful to work with. Through her unique design approach, she evolved the brand to reflect a more premium look-and-feel, elevating every detail in order to reflect the quality and craftsmanship of our brand.”
    — Linda Yuan // Micromacro.gg
  • “I basically gave Ketaki a 24x24 sprite and told her to dig into the 80’s video game box art aesthetic — The moody over realized versions of the in-game sprites. I was blown away by what she came back with. After careful research and gathering of reference material, she produced a great representation of that aesthetic and it is one of the most commented on parts of the cabinets. Her work on this has fit so well that I plan to create posters of the two wizards facing off.”
    — Tony Hauber // DeathBall Arcade Game
 
 
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Is this you?

I specialize in working with creative entrepreneurs & small business owners who have:

  • recently discovered their passion and want to share it with the world

  • undergone a life-change or major epiphany — causing them to desire a rebrand

  • finally ready to start that side-hustle or maybe take it on full-time?

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do we get started?

First, you’ll fill out my contact form to say hi, tell me a little about your business and what type of design package you’re interested in. Then we’ll schedule a call to chat more and figure out how I can best help you. After that, I’ll put together a custom project proposal outlining an estimated timeline, pricing, and anything else you might need to know about how our project will go. If all looks good, you’ll sign a contract and pay your 50% deposit to reserve your spot in my schedule until our official start date.

Where are you based?

I am originally from Mumbai, India, but for the past 9 years I have lived in the USA. Moved to San Francisco for MFA and I currently live in Elkader, Iowa but I work with clients from all over the world.

Can you design in different styles?

Heck yes I can! My clients do typically choose me for my aesthetic and work I've previously done but I'm able to design in all kinds of styles. I want to make sure your business has the look and feel that tells your brand story whether that's flirty and feminine, dark and masculine, or even if you want it to look like a fairy unicorn explosion. While I do have our my favorite fonts and colors, I don't impose what's trendy or what's my flavor of the week onto your brand.

A lot of your branding projects have a "concept" behind them. Who comes up with that? What if I don't have a concept?

My approach to branding stems from the idea of telling your brand story. It can be as simple as getting inspiration from the name of the business and then grow from there. You might not feel like you have a concept but once we dig deeper into your "why" (ie why you started the business, why your customers choose you, etc) we'll discover that there is more to your brand story than you think. When your brand is rooted in your "why," your values and what makes you unique, it makes for more compelling design that customers can connect to.

How do I know if we're a good fit?

First off, take a look at my work and Instagram! If any of that makes your heart beat then we're off to a good start. Second, reach out and chat with me (or video call).

Here's what typically is a good client fit for me: business that have a clear idea of their customers and position in the marketplace, a clear idea of how they'll earn revenue, and an appreciation for my established aesthetic and trust in my design expertise, and an easy-going personality.

How soon can we start my project?

As a one-lady-run studio, I have to been very intentional about scheduling projects to guarantee that I’m providing my full attention and talent to each client. My availability varies from time to time, but typically my wait time between booking your spot and actually starting the project is one month. If you have a project that is urgent, just let me know and I’ll see what I can do for you!

I don't know what style my brand is, can we still work together?

Yes, we can! Have you ever gone to a hair stylist and wanted them to lead the way to a fabulous new hairstyle? I provide that for my clients that aren't sure what aesthetic fits their brand story while still keeping them involved every step of the way. Although many times the brands I create are extensions of their founder's taste and style, branding isn't just about what the founder likes or dislikes. What's most important is that the brand reflects the business and stands out in the market. That's where it's beneficial to partner with a designer that can translate your business' values into visuals and a powerful brand.

 
 
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 Ready to take this conversation beyond FAQ page?

 
 
 

What’s behind the name?

 
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When I moved to the United States from India, a lot of people had trouble pronouncing my name. Among all the names, birth name Ketaki (Ke-tuh-kee) and friends given name Kit-Kat. K8Ki that is a hybrid of visual representation of its pronunciation.

 
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The name K8Ki reflects my philosophy on communicating something to a new culture as simply as possible and giving it a visual representation that will leave a mark.

 
 
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Our story —

Bombay bred.
American wed.
Studio K8Ki head.
Mama, Zeb said.

 

MORE ABOUT ME

Growing up in Mumbai I always knew I wanted to be a designer like my mom. My parents took me to a lot of drawing competitions, and at 10-year old, I won a gold medal in a country-wide competition.

Five years later, I found myself graduating from college with my BFA degree from Sir. J.J. School of Applied Art and no real plan for what to do next.

I had this vague feeling that things were going to unfold naturally, so I wasn’t too worried about looking for jobs. Eager to learn more and increase my odds of success, I moved to the other side of the world — San Francisco, to be exact. Here, I pursued my MFA in Web Design & New Media at the Academy of Art University.

Halfway into my masters, I met my then-boyfriend Tony (in the most unexpected and beautiful way — at a networking event called Digital Detox where we had to check in our cell phones. We ran into each other by chance and almost spend the whole evening talking to each other. Because we didn’t have our phones, he wrote my name and number down on a piece of paper in a very old-fashioned way. Adorable fact: I found out later he spent our first several dates trying to collect clues on how to actually pronounce it).

It’s true! It seems straight out of a novel — an Indian metropolitan girl falling in love with a small-town boy from the midwest. Both in an unfamiliar city, trying to find their way.

Then, just as I felt it always would, things started to really come together for me. Just a semester before I graduated, I landed a job as a product designer. Next thing I knew, Tony asked me to marry him. Of course, I said YES! I felt I was living the American Dream!

Tony wanted to pursue his childhood dream of making video games which meant moving back to his hometown where life was more affordable. Because I was on a work visa, we decided to get married right away. We planned a non-traditional wedding in under a month, got married and moved to Tony's hometown Elkader, Iowa the next week.

I know, it sounds crazy and stressful, but honestly, it all felt so right and effortless.

In a new town, I was terrified of the idea of starting my own design studio, but my options were limited so I had to give it a try.

We had no idea where we’d be within a year or the year after that, and still, I have no idea how Studio K8Ki will grow! But there’s something special in not knowing... and just flowing through it.

It’s been a beautiful, scary, challenging, eye-opening adventure so far and I am just so grateful that I was brave enough to say yes.

...and that my clients have said ‘YES!’ to me as well.