Operating in the startup space, things move rapidly. When Ruth.AI's founders asked me to serve as Creative Director for an intimate dinner happening in less than 48 hours, I was interested but concerned about feasibility. In the end, it came together and everything felt right. Challenge: Delivering a fully realized brand experience for a space we'd never seen. We had no advance knowledge of the room's size, existing furniture, or conditions. The challenge was aligning Ruth's identity with Rho's existing space while working within these unknown constraints and an extremely tight timeline. Approach: I worked closely with Ruth's founders to identify what we could truly control and make our own. Beyond creating an identity that aligned with the brand's guidelines, I strategically designed visual solutions to mask areas and finishes that were too busy or distracting. The goal was to remove visual noise while layering in elements of Ruth's identity, establishing a clear distinction between what represented Ruth and what belonged to Rho's existing space. Outcome: The printed collateral brought intentionality to the experience. Combined with our floral strategy, every dinner guest was made to feel special. We transformed a purely functional space into a curated dining experience. The masking elements created connection and unity across different touchpoints: the bar, dining table, walls, and coffee table. Through deliberate use of light materials and lighting, we connected the living room and dining room into a cohesive experience, one that brought together those with ideas and those with capital. What I Created: - Custom printed collateral and table materials that reinforced Ruth's identity - Floral strategy and placement that created moments of intimacy - Visual masking elements (materials, lighting, strategic placement) that unified disparate spaces - Environmental graphics that distinguished Ruth's brand from Rho's existing aesthetic - Lighting design that connected living and dining areas into cohesive experience "Last week, Ruth AI Inc. partnered with Rho to host a Founders & Funders dinner in San Francisco celebrating the women building the future of tech. The room was filled with incredible funders, founders, and creators I believe are the next wave of founders. The conversation went deep: What vibe coding means for women builders, Why creators deserve more venture capital, How we close the AI gender gap, What's next for female founders, How AI can drive social good, Why when women earn what they're worth, everyone benefits." - Valerie Chapman, Founder of Ruth.