93 Octane

05/08/2026

Sometimes you’re so busy chasing deadlines, you lose focus on yourself — where you’ve been, where you’re headed, and the people helping you get there.

So for the last few days, that’s exactly what we did at our very first 93 Octane brand summit.

We stepped away from the buzz to spend time together as a team (even Jenna flew in), reflect on the future of 93 Octane, and recharge our creative batteries. Which, in addition to some important brand-building work, meant delicious team lunches, summer swag bags and sun-soaked strolling through Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. 🌿☀️

And yes… we absolutely made everyone stop for a branded team photo before we left.

Feeling refreshed, recharged, and excited for what’s ahead. 🚀

04/09/2026

Ever feel like you’re stuck in a box that doesn’t fit?

That’s exactly what St. Joseph’s Villa experienced before embarking on an ambitious plan to turn its Sara Dooley Center into a state-of-the-art center for autism.

Donors thought of a university, hospital system, or a major museum when it came to making million-dollar gifts … not a health and human services organization like theirs.

That is, until they launched RISE UP with help from 93 Octane.
The bold campaign expanded donors’ vision of what they were capable of, inspiring them to step up in ways they never had.

It not only proved that the Villa could steward a seven-figure gift, but also that supporting them could make an outsized community impact.

“It really broke a ceiling for us in a way that I think people saw us differently,” said CEO Jenny Friar.

The result? Not only did the Villa receive its first million-dollar gifts in its 200-year history, but RISE UP exceeded its fundraising goal by 20% — even during the pandemic!

The campaign raised over $30 million, underwriting the renovation, capital improvements, and programs, and bolstering their endowment.

“At the end of the day, you know, a building is just a shell. It’s really not that exciting, and so you need a vision to kind of bring it to life,” said Friar. “Donors gave to create the environment where lives could be changed. 93 Octane did a good job of demonstrating that.”

Want to grow your donations?

Expand the box your donors have you in. When you enlarge the vision, the donations will follow.

04/02/2026

We don’t know about you, but this time of year is always a breath of fresh air — invigorating 🎨creativity, 💛hope and 🙌fresh perspectives. We hope you get a minute to breathe it all in (figuratively, of course … because allergies 🤣).

Happy Spring, Happy Passover and Happy Easter!

03/27/2026

Here’s a little Friday inspiration for you …

Instead of waiting to adapt, start building.

In marketing, that means moving beyond trendspotting and becoming a trendsetter.

→ Don’t just chase algorithms—shape them.
→ Don’t just follow audiences—lead them.
→ Don’t just react to culture—drive it.

Great brands don't wait to see what happens; they make things happen.

Isn’t it time to take the wheel?

03/13/2026

How do you top your best year ever? With a repeat.

EverBless Foundation closed 2025 with $311M in assets under management, delivering its second consecutive record-breaking year.

It’s not a fluke. EverBless has doubled its AUM in the 10 years they’ve worked with 93 Octane, with $27.5M in contributions last year alone.

Results like that don’t happen by accident. They happen when people believe their generosity can actually change things.

To bring that message to life, we leveraged the usual channels… website, social media, email, and advertising. But to forge deeper connections, we also invented one-of-a-kind tools, like IMAGINE magazine, UNSTOPPABLE Bible study, and regional outreaches.

More importantly, we didn’t just tell people what EverBless does. We showed how their charitable giving strategy could maximize generosity and multiply impact.
Because when someone truly believes, everything changes. Suddenly, the power to sustain their church, fund a child’s education, or support a dear cause becomes possible. And a charitable account becomes more than just a financial tool…
It becomes a vehicle for impact.

That’s the power of connections. Not louder. Clearer. More human. More real.
And sometimes, it even leads to another “best year ever.” 🚀

93 Octane is a full-service direct marketing agency in Richmond, Virginia with a focus on print design, branding, website design and direct mail.

03/06/2026

If you want to build a better PowerPoint, don’t just look at other PowerPoints. That’s like trying to discover a new color by staring at beige. So, what does our Art Director, Dani Reynolds, do when stuck on something painfully practical — say, a quarterly investment review with graph after graph?

Take a sharp left turn. ⚠️

A menu at the newest spot in Scott’s Addition becomes a typography lesson. Authoritative slab-serif headers. Clean geometric sans subheads. Suddenly, we’re not designing slides; we’re designing tone.

A scene in Avatar: The Last Airbender, when Iroh sings “Leaves from the Vine” (https://bit.ly/46LTx45) illustrates how a single quiet scene can carry enormous weight. What happens if a financial presentation borrowed that kind of gravity instead of racing to the next bullet point?

A playthrough of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (https://bit.ly/4b7WA85) empowers one to think cinematically. The Paintress’ palette is lush, dramatic, unapologetically bold. It proves numbers don’t have to feel sterile. They can have contrast, depth, light against shadow. Even data can tell a story if you give it a stage instead of a spreadsheet.

Here’s the unexpected part: when you pull ideas from outside your lane, you’re not only expanding creativity — you’re borrowing principles that can strengthen strategy.

💡Restaurant menus can teach hierarchy.
⏳Cartoons can teach flow and pacing.
🎨Video games can teach immersion.

And that’s how even an investment review can feel intentional instead of inevitable.

The world is wacky and generous with ideas — if we’re willing to look sideways. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever used as inspiration for a project? 🤓

02/25/2026

🌱Brand updates aren’t about chasing trends—they’re about making room for what’s next.

🤝When we first partnered with Youth With A Mission Virginia more than 20 years ago, they needed a bold, youthful identity to stand apart. It worked. Enrollment grew. New locations launched. And over time, each developed its own expression.

But as the organization expanded, “Virginia” began to feel too small for the vision.

💧In 2025, we helped bring everything together under one unified identity: YWAM River City - Richmond.

The result is a brand no longer confined by geography, but anchored in purpose—connecting students to the “river of life” and a mission that flows far beyond any one place.

💥That’s not just a refresh. It’s a clearer, stronger expression of who they are becoming.

02/19/2026

We’re growing—and we’re looking for a part-time Account Manager to join our team!

Do you thrive on turning deliverables, deadlines and details into a clear, organized plan? 🧩
Are you a spreadsheet wizard? 📊✨
Do you love workdays that never look exactly the same? 🔄
Are you energized by conversations and building new relationships? 🤝
Do you have hidden superpowers—like writing headlines or crafting social posts? 🦸‍♀️📝

If this sounds like you, we’d love to connect.
Learn more and apply here: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4372911066/

02/13/2026

💌 TO: YOU 💝
💘 LUV: 93O 🥰

Hoping your weekend is full of puppy love, head pats, and loads of treats.

Happy Valentine’s Day from the humans — and pets — of 93 Octane

02/12/2026

Richmond remembered the legendary leader of the Valentine Museum this past weekend. In his honor, we're passing along these 5 principles he embodied (courtesy of John Sarvay's Substack). We've already added them to our repertoire.

🤔 Ask the 100-Year Question — Even When It Slows the Meeting — What really matters after we are gone?
🗣️ Treat New Voices as Essential, Not Symbolic — When someone new enters a room, assume they see something you don’t, and ask.
😜 Be Serious Without Being Earnest — Humor wasn’t deflection for Bill; it was accessibility.
💡 Invest Before There’s Proof — The Valentine amplified stories on the margins before funders were ready. That’s leadership, not performance.
👀 Keep Going. Not relentlessly. Not blindly. But adaptively. Curiously. With eyes wide open. Like Bill.