About savvy & style

Built on coffee and collaboration, dedicated to cohesive design that makes showing up online easier.

Hi. I’m Rene!

I'm the founder of Savvy & Style, but beyond the business, I'm a coffee-loving, sourdough-baking, wannabe fig farmer and dog mom based on Maryland's Eastern Shore. I've been building Savvy & Style for nearly ten years, but my path here wasn't exactly linear. I spent 13 years in higher education, had a four-month stint in corporate that taught me I'm not built for someone else's rules, and a whole lot of figuring it out as I went.

What drives me? Helping women feel as confident in how they show up online as they are in the work they do.I believe your website and brand visuals should feel like you, not like everyone else in your industry. I'm all about collaboration, clear communication, and making sure you understand the "why" behind every design decision. Because at the end of the day, this is your business. I'm just here to make it look (and feel) like the real deal.

My story

2016: Savvy & Style Begins

The year I fired my boss and hired myself.
After 13 years in higher education, I tried a corporate job… and lasted four months. But I couldn't ignore what I was seeing in the social selling world I was part of: women were building real businesses without the behind-the-scenes support they deserved. So I created it. Savvy & Style started as a VA role I built for myself supporting executive leaders and helping women show up more professionally, one project at a time.
2020: The Pandemic Hit

Everything went online, and so did the pressure to stand out.
When the world shifted, my clients' businesses shifted too. Suddenly, visuals mattered more than ever because online, your brand speaks before you do. This is when I started bringing visual branding into the work. It wasn't about being trendy. It was about helping women look as strong as their work already was.
2021: Websites Enter the Chat

I said "no" three times… then I finally said yes.
I spent a solid year building visual brands that translated beautifully to Canva and email, but clients wanted more. They needed a home base online. I resisted at first, but once I invested in the right training and learned from experienced designers, I realized this wasn't just something I could do - it was something I could do really well.
By the end of the year, I built my first Squarespace website and everything clicked.
2023: The 10-Day Design Process Was Born

The demand grew, and so did the need for a better process.
Websites quickly became the most requested service, and I knew I couldn't keep doing them the hard way. This was the year I invested in the training and systems to get more efficient without sacrificing quality. That's when my 10-day design process was created—focused, streamlined, and designed to keep momentum (and confidence) high.
2024: My Own Glow-Up

I outgrew my DIY and practiced what I preach.
After years of helping women elevate their brands, I realized I had outgrown my own visuals. I handed my 'baby' over to another designer. Not because I couldn't do it myself, but because when you're that close to your own work, it's hard to see it clearly. Sometimes you need fresh eyes.
2026: Year 10 (The Era of Simplifying)

Less noise. More clarity. More intention.
Entering year 10, I'm focused on simplifying and elevating—tightening my offers, refining my messaging, and leaning into what works: cohesive websites, polished brand foundations, and long-term design partnerships. The goal now isn't to do more. It's to do what matters and make it feel easier for the women I support.

My philopsophy

I believe design should simplify your work, not add to it.

I don't believe in forcing businesses into rigid packages, trendy visuals, or one-size-fits-all solutions. I believe in collaboration, in meeting clients where they are, and in creating design systems that actually support the way you work, not adding more decisions to your plate.

People do judge a book by its cover. Your website, emails, and visuals are often the first impression of your business. That doesn't mean they need to be flashy. They need to be clear, cohesive, and aligned with the work you do. That belief guides every project at Savvy & Style.

Explore my services

How we work together:

Every project starts with collaboration, not dictation. I don't hand down design decisions. I guide, refine, and build alongside you so the final result feels like yours, just more cohesive and confident.

That means no rigid packages. No forcing your business into someone else's template. Just thoughtful design systems that actually support the way you work and make showing up online feel easier, not harder.

Work with me