Interview with Cass Taylor, Presentation Expert and Brand Strategist
Q&A with Cass Taylor, who is presenting at the 2026 Presentation Design Conference for CreativePro
Cass Taylor is a seasoned creative professional with extensive experience in visual storytelling, brand strategy, and creative production. Currently, Cass is working as a Senior Presentation Specialist and Principal Brand Strategist, offering design strategies for various venture capital firms, where he directs brand alignment and presentation concepts for high-stakes fundraising events worldwide.
Cass is also speaking at our upcoming online event, The Presentation Design Conference, which takes place February 17-20, 2026. We thought it would be fun to get to know him better with some Q&A.
Tell us a bit about your background. What led you to design and eventually presentation design?
I was that kid who was obsessed with comic books! I’d spend hours drawing and redrawing covers, creating my own stories and my own versions. Looking back, that was really my first introduction to visual storytelling; I just didn’t know it at the time. It wasn’t until much later in my career that I connected those dots and realized presentation design was the perfect outlet for that same passion. It’s all about telling stories visually, just in a different format.
How has your approach to presentations evolved over the course of your career?
The biggest shift for me has been starting with “why” instead of “what looks cool.” Now I design with the end goal in mind: What do we actually want this presentation to achieve? and work backwards from there. I’ve also become obsessed with the audience and their emotional journey. It’s not just about making something beautiful anymore; it’s about creating something that works and drives the outcomes we’re after.
What’s the most common slide problem you see in conference decks, sales decks, or internal presentations?
The disconnect between the slides and the speaker. I see it all the time, gorgeous decks that look amazing but feel totally separate from the person presenting them. The design doesn’t match the presenter’s personality or reinforce their key messages, so the audience walks away thinking “that looked nice” but can’t remember the actual points. The slides should amplify the speaker, not compete with them.
What are you most excited to share at the upcoming Presentation Design Conference?
I’m really excited to shorten years of hard-learned lessons into one hour! I want to show people how applying fundamental graphic design principles, things like layout, positioning, and visual simplification, can transform their presentations from forgettable to impactful. These aren’t complicated tricks; they’re fundamental disciplines that can help anyone create a consistent, memorable visual story.
Where do you find inspiration for storytelling outside of presentation work?
Movies, hands down! I’m a total film nerd. I love studying how directors use camera angles, character positioning, color grading, and all these cinematic elements that make scenes stick with you and create those unforgettable emotional moments. I try to bring that same intentionality to my presentation designs. It’s not just about showing data or images; it’s about crafting a connected story that pulls the audience in and keeps them engaged from start to finish.
This article was last modified on December 30, 2025
This article was first published on December 29, 2025
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