Lemonly’s Jade Delaney brings joy to job
Aug. 28, 2024
This paid piece is sponsored by Lemonly.
From her appearance on “Deal or No Deal” to closing deals day in and day out, Jade Delaney excels at staying upbeat, generating excitement and keeping her eyes on the prize.
As Lemonly’s director of business development, she drives the infographic design agency’s growth and helps clients leverage sweet visuals to stand out.
After three years in the role, Delaney is reflecting on the agency’s identity as a visual storytelling powerhouse and looking ahead to find new ways of designing clarity and cultivating joy.
The Lemonly life
Delaney oversees new business growth for the “home of the world’s best infographics.” Since joining the team in 2021, she has brought dozens of clients like Activision Blizzard, Smile Train and HealthStream into the Lemonly fold. From national to regional brands in nearly every industry, they all have one thing in common: the need to get their message across with clear, delightful content.
Delaney meets with prospective clients to help them understand how Lemonly can bring their stories to life with visuals. As a fan of the agency since its inception, she understands Lemonly’s unique power to “design clarity,” using visual content to make data and complex information easy to understand.
“Clarity is at the core of everything we do, and I truly see that in our work,” Delaney said.
“Designing clarity starts with the message: What is the story? A lot of people have a hard time taking a few steps back to figure that part out, but it’s so important to make sure you are sharing a message that’s clear, concise and that people can actually retain.”
Specifically, Delaney enjoys finding ways to highlight a brand’s personality. She knows a client will be a good fit for the Lemonly team when they bring passion and a unique perspective to their project. While Delaney has worked with some of the world’s biggest brands in her career at Lemonly, she knows the agency can be the perfect fit for any brand ready to dream big.
“We really do well coming in as a creative partner,” Delaney said. “Many of our clients have internal marketing teams or even full-service agencies, and they still partner with us to elevate a key piece of content or add to their set of skills or services. It’s fun to hear the opportunities clients are working towards and give them uniquely Lemonly ideas inspired by our infographic approach. People who are willing to dream big with us and do something outside the box are the best fit.”
Delaney’s approach to partnership is deeply rooted in her personal philosophy, one that revolves around joy at home, within her community and on the job.
Jade and joy
Delaney didn’t come by her passion and positivity accidentally. She has spent years cultivating joy to bring her closer to the people and projects that matter most.
“I’ve been obsessed with the idea of curating joy for several years,” Delaney said.
“Post-pandemic, everything got flipped upside down. Personally and professionally, I’ve always been very driven, but the pandemic blurred a lot of that for me. We lost a lot of little sparks of joy in our day during that time.”
So how does Delaney bring joy back into her day? She said it’s all about noticing the little things.
“Joy is a deep feeling of delight or a noticed spark that brings us into the present moment,” Delaney said. “You can’t skip ahead to ‘being happy’ if you aren’t stopping to experience the small moments of joy in your day.”
Delaney emphasizes that joy is the foundation for lasting happiness. “While most people seek ‘happiness,’ I believe we should instead focus our intention on building in more moments of joy,” she explained. “Joy is the essential building block that leads to finding play, which leads to fun, which ultimately leads to entering a state of happiness.”
Delaney’s passion for cultivating joy extends beyond her personal life — it’s a philosophy she brings to work every day and to volunteer positions at the Sioux Empire United Way, Children’s Miracle Network and more.
For Delaney, joy unlocks a happier, healthier and more productive workplace. She understands that making space for joy means making space for sadness as well, and she works to create an environment where people feel comfortable expressing both emotions and bringing their whole selves to work.
“Having leaders who are very transparent and vulnerable about the different seasons they’re in, or they have been in, allows other people to show their vulnerability,” Delaney said. “That truly connects people as a team, so you have to be there for people in the hard times and joyful times.”
Delaney’s dedication to joy and clarity doesn’t only enhance Lemonly’s visual storytelling and help her connect with clients but also reinforces the agency’s culture.
“Jade brings out the best in those around her, professionally and personally, by encouraging authenticity and well-roundedness,“ said Tessa Holien, business development coordinator.
“She recognizes the importance of joy in all things and understands that ‘leaving your problems at the door’ is not the best model for success,” Holien said. “Jade stays humble, even as her list of accomplishments grows, and she lives out a high standard for those around her through her strong work ethic, empathetic communication and big dreams as a leader.”
Looking ahead
As Lemonly continues to grow, it’s clear that Delaney’s commitment to clarity and joy is more than just a personal philosophy — it’s a driving force contributing to the agency’s success.
As Delaney and the Lemonly team look ahead to the future, their focus remains on what they do best: creating visual stories that bring clarity and delight to their clients.
Ready to tell your company’s story with visuals? Talk to Lemonly about creating infographics, animated videos and other visual content that will bring personality and polish to your message.
