Category: Branding

  • Flight Evolved

    Flight Evolved

    Flight Evolved is is a remote sensing company in San Diego, CA. Their clients include professional sporting leagues, Fortune 500 electric utilities, oil & gas companies, and engineering firms.

    As their business grew exponentially, they reached out to us to help focus their offering and communicate their value through a custom website.

    Distilling data services

    Leading up to, and during, our partnership with Flight Evolved, the firm was scaling fast. They were adding new clients, bulking up their team, and expanding their service offering to better serve their clients. It was all happening so fast that they had difficulty communicating what they did anymore. 

    Flight Evolved Website Home Page

    Through strategic workshops with leadership, we revealed that all their work boiled down to helping their clients do three things: Aquire Data, Process Data, and Understand Data. This process gave us a framework for how to communicate their offering effectively. So we split it up into three related services: Data Acquisition, Data Processing, and Data Consulting.

    Designed to impress

    Embracing Flight Evolved’s sleek brand identity and data-based approach, we designed a website that felt minimal in nature while looking technical in appearance.

    The details make the difference. That’s why we introduced interactive UI (user interface) elements like a sandwich menu that turns into an arrow—and an overlay menu that slides in from the left.

    UI animation

    We also implemented animated line art illustrations of their equipment. We worked directly with their motion design team to prepare an animated drone, rover, and helicopter.

    Animated SVGs

    Using advanced Java, we facilitated smooth background image and video transitions between sections.

    Background fade

    Each service even got an animated illustration. We aimed to communicate Flight Evolved’s minimal yet technical approach.

    Animated service icons; branded services

    Showcase the work

    Historically, Flight Evolved’s website led prospects down various roads, many leading to empty pages and dead ends. Unless you knew what to look for on their website, it was challenging to find what you’re looking for, let alone understand what they did.

    Drip, Sip, Drink website flow

    Working directly with their team, we mapped out a Drip, Sip, Drink user path that would break their services into bite-sized categories and methodically communicate information. The end goal was to prove up every service with a handful of fascinating case studies and, in turn, invite the captivated readers into a sales conversation.

    “Structure had great insight and was very responsive and attentive. Tough to find this level of professionalism and customer service. Would, and have, recommended Structure to help grow your business.”

    David Ilgenfritz, COO at Flight Evolved

    That’s the good news; here’s the bad.

    In the spirit of our firm belief that vulnerability is valuable in every relationship, life, and work, we want to disclose the good and the bad of this project.

    At the end of the project, the leadership team made a few critical business decisions that shifted the company’s direction and prohibited them from launching the website we worked on together for months. To be honest, it sucks.

    In the end, Flight Evolved was a great partner. We felt like a literal extension of their team. I’m confident that, if you asked them, they’d say the same thing.

    If you want to see the work in-action, you can view the fully developed staging website here.


    Strategy

    Brand Strategy
    Content Strategy
    UX Strategy

    Design

    Brand Design
    UX / UI Design
    Creative Direction
    Visual Design

    Content

    Copywriting
    Art Direction

    Engineering

    Front-end Development
    Back-end Development
    Deployment Architecture
    Content Management System
    Quality Assurance

  • Edifice

    Edifice

    Edifice delivers storage sheds, tiny homes, and small structures with character to residents in New Mexico and the Great Southwest. Over a few months, we helped them establish a brand identity that felt familiar yet differentiated them from an ever-increasing field of competitors.

    Unearthing Identity

    Without an existing brand identity in place, we set out to unearth a meaningful story that would guide the project. Practically, our goals were to develop something that felt New Mexico in-nature, communicated uniqueness but familiarity, and was easily ownable by the team. We dove in, starting with the logo.

    Edifice Logo Comps

    We designed 22 logo concepts in various styles and compositions. Initially, the team wanted to take a minimalist approach, but we quickly shifted directions after an initial round of audience feedback made it clear that the route felt too impersonal. We went back to the drawing board and spent a little more time uncovering their vision before a more contemporary concept clicked.

    Edifice Logo Stages

    The thumbprint inside the house represents Edifice’s dedication to making more than structures. It represents their focus on people over profit and communities over conversions. In short, the thumbprint represents humanity in every aspect of their work. It’s a simple, versatile element that helps a simple house illustration permeate meaning into every aspect of their brand.

    Edifice Logo

    To cap off the logo, we delivered a set of guidelines to help the team stay consistent as they fully owned this brand and took Edifice to the streets. These Visual Identity Guidelines defined various elements of the brand:

    • Primary, secondary, and tertiary logo marks
    • Primary and secondary colors
    • Heading and body fonts
    • Usage guidelines

    Creative Collateral

    In essence, while there was a significant physical brand reputation, there In this project, the logo set the stage for essential business collateral. We delivered personalized business cards and a fully-optimized email signature for each of their team members.

    Edifice Business Cards and Email Signature

    We also designed a cast-iron badge that Edifice will nail to each of the structures they build, reinforcing the personal-touch that flows through everything they do.

    Business Is Personal

    Here at Structure, we align closely with Edifice’s approach to business and relationships. It’s a very human, personal approach. Our goal is to make everything about the client and use our skills to benefit them, first and foremost.

    The relationship continues and we’re looking forward to partnering with Edifice to see their unique story unfold.


    Strategy

    Brand Strategy
    Research

    Design

    Brand Design
    Illustration
    Art Direction


  • Supportist — Reinventing Local Philanthropy

    Supportist — Reinventing Local Philanthropy

    People spend an estimated $1B in Central Oregon every year, with the majority of the money flowing through Bend.

    America’s fastest-growing town boasts a booming local business scene that acts as the backbone to the prosperous economy. However, while there’s no problem getting what you want in Central Oregon, there is a problem with giving to those in need.

    That’s exactly the problem that the founders of Supportist, Bend’s local coupon app, set out to solve.

    They developed what they’d call a “win-win-win” model: Local supportists pay a small monthly fee to access discoverable deals by local businesses, meanwhile, local nonprofits get 20% off the top of each member’s fee. All this works to build a generous, giving local community. 

    The model relies heavily on local businesses to offer product and service discounts to members. And it’s the members who provide revenue by paying for a Supportist membership—even though 20% of the membership fee goes directly to a local nonprofit. 

    And while giving is great, nobody is complaining about awesome discounts to the local places they shop every day. Except, there was one problem: Bend already had well-established local leaders in the coupon-ing category.

    Building a coupon app is one thing. Entering a crowded category with well-established market leaders is another.

    Challenge

    How could Supportist boldly enter a crowded category with established local market leaders—and take the lead?

    The founders tried everything from coupon books to punchcards. They tried selling them door-to-door and through sports teams. But the idea wasn’t catching on.

    The founders were determined to make a difference. There had to be a way.

    Businesses were skeptical of investing in advertising in yet another local coupon book—and locals were already overwhelmed by the number of coupons they were already receiving in the mail. And without businesses or locals on-board, the model just didn’t work.

    But the story doesn’t end there. Here’s how Structure helped Supportist find a big breakthrough.

    Solution

    When our founder first met Supportist over coffee at a local coffee shop, they’d already been through a couple of tough years of trial and error. To be frank, they were heading down a road of immanent startup death. 

    Supportist had a good idea . . . in fact, they had a great idea that solved a real problem for real people. But they felt stuck.

    So, as we often do, we started seeking a deeper understanding of the challenge with branding research and in-person workshops. These revealed a few keen insights that helped Supportist think outside of the box.

    Supportist Discount Framework

    We then used the data points to develop a Brand Framework that helped them find a breakthrough in their thinking and launch into a new season of product development and business growth. 

    “Simon and his team are exceptional marketing guides—and are worth their weight in gold. They’re pleasant and easy to work with. They’re organized and available. They’re process-driven. And, best of all, results-oriented.”

    Steve Swan, Founder of Supportist

    Once we had built a strong framework for the business to build on, we set out building the product: an iPhone app.

    Supportist Screens on Desktop, Mobile, and Tablet

    Then we delivered a responsive website that was beautiful and stood out from the competition. We developed the site on Webflow so the client could easily update content and make copy changes without digging into code.

    Left: Homepage Wireframe | Right: Homepage Final Website

    We dug in deeply to be a true partner that synthesized nuanced brand and complex technical information to create an app that represents the best of Bend. 

    In other words, we helped Supportist build their app from scratch through every step of the product development process—from strategy to shipment. 

    But we didn’t just consult from a distance. We dove into the trenches and designed every button and wrote every word. And thanks to a great development partnership between our team and a local developer, we ended up with a tremendous product that’s simple, easy to use, and works like a charm.

    Uniting a local team

    The last major challenge was that Supportist wanted to assemble a team that could product take their product forward into startup success. 

    As a true partner, we jumped in and helped build a multi-disciplinary team with a range of expertise to be deeply involved and thoughtfully vocal in all project stages. We all collaborated at every step, through weekly work sessions, active copy discussions, and work-in-progress sharing and conversations. 

    The entire Supportist team was enthusiastic and willing to be open and introspective, which allowed us to push boundaries and add unexpected interactive magic—while keeping the experience simple and clear.

    Business is personal

    Just as New York City never sleeps, work still continues on Supportist. We’re in close contact with the founding team and are continually involved in Supportist’s ongoing development. 

    To be honest, even the act of typing Structure and Supportist in this case study feels strange as our collaboration feels more like a personal friendship than it does a business relationship.

    But we’re not complaining. This is exactly the kind of approach we aim to achieve in every project. Care over cash. Wellness over work. People over profit. 

    You can learn more about our uncommon approach to client relationships or contact us about a project you’re working on.

    If you want to see what other clients have said about us and our work, you can do so here. We’ll look forward to talking to you soon.


    Strategy

    Product Development
    Brand Strategy
    UX Strategy
    Information Architecture
    Content Strategy
    Launch Planning

    Content

    Photography
    Copywriting
    Video Production

    Design

    Creative Direction
    Art Direction
    Visual Design
    UI/UX Design
    Motion Design


  • Black Rock Coffee / FUEL

    Black Rock Coffee / FUEL

    Turning internal ambiguity into a brand voice—and then putting it on the can

    Black Rock Coffee Bar is one of the fastest-growing coffee chains in America. They came to us to give their team a voice and help launch FUEL, their new line of premium energy drinks.

    At the time of our work together, Black Rock Coffee Bar was approaching 100 locations and growing quickly.

    That growth was creating a new problem.

    Leadership had a strong sense of what Black Rock stood for, but that vision wasn’t always translating consistently across teams. People were getting pulled in different directions, creating friction internally and making it harder to move new ideas forward with a shared point of view.

    Black Rock didn’t just need more marketing.

    It needed a clearer language for who it was.

    FUEL Instagram Story @blackrockcoffeebar

    The challenge

    As the company expanded, the distance between leadership and the employees closest to customers was growing too.

    Different teams were interpreting the brand differently. There wasn’t a shared vocabulary for making decisions, communicating internally, or translating the founders’ vision into the customer experience.

    At the same time, Black Rock was preparing to build something new: FUEL, its own premium energy drink.

    The opportunity wasn’t simply to launch another product.

    It was to clarify the Black Rock story deeply enough that the company could express it through a completely new product and customer experience.

    Black Rock Coffee Bar in Arizona

    Creating alignment before creating the campaign

    We started with a strategy workshop involving Black Rock’s leadership team.

    The goal wasn’t to arrive with a prewritten answer. It was to surface the different assumptions already operating inside the company and create enough shared understanding to move forward together.

    We explored:

    • Brand character and personality
    • Voice and tone
    • Customer motivations
    • Leadership vision
    • Internal culture
    • How the brand should make people feel

    The conversations weren’t always neat. People disagreed. Different perspectives surfaced.

    That was part of the work.

    By the end, the team had aligned around a clearer point of view and a more consistent language for expressing it.

    Black Rock Strategy Workshop: Brand Character & Personality Exploration

    Turning the workshop into a brand framework

    We translated the workshop findings into a practical Brand Framework.

    The framework defined the character, personality, voice, and strategic language Black Rock could use across the organization.

    It wasn’t meant to sit in a presentation.

    It gave leadership and teams a shared foundation for communicating with:

    • Employees
    • Customers
    • Investors
    • Shareholders
    • New hires
    • Creative and marketing partners

    The strategy created a bridge between what leadership believed and how the brand could actually show up in the world.

    Miles Albritton, Creative Director

    “Simon and his team brought a fresh vision to our business. He helped to put a voice to our brand and customer so that we were able to speak and market to them.”

    Black Rock Brand Character from Brand Framework

    Last but not least, the Brand Framework and its strategies—brand character, personality, voice, and tone—overflowed right into their next product launch: Black Rock FUEL.

    Simon and his team brought a fresh vision to our business. He helped to put a voice to our brand and customer so that we were able to speak and market to them.

    Miles Albritton, Creative Director

    Taking the strategy into a new product

    The framework quickly became useful in a very tangible way.

    Black Rock was preparing to launch FUEL, its own premium energy drink.

    FUEL had started as a practical business opportunity, but the product also created a chance to tell a new story about Black Rock and the people who bought from it.

    Black Rock asked us to develop the narrative around the product.

    The question became:

    What role does FUEL play in the customer’s story?

    We analyzed competing products and interviewed stakeholders to better understand how FUEL fit into Black Rock’s broader brand and customer experience.

    From that research, we developed three distinct narrative territories, each connecting the product to a different aspect of the customer’s life.

    One direction emerged as the strongest.

    The concept was simple:

    FUEL shouldn’t just give customers energy. It should fuel whatever story they were already trying to live.


    Putting the story on the can

    That idea became the narrative for the product itself.

    I wrote the final on-pack story:

    Fueling your day might feel like catching lightning in a bottle. It’s a rare feat—either a moment of sheer luck or utter brilliance. That’s why we caught it in a can and packaged it for you. In FUEL, we’ve captured something powerful. Something that will put a spark in your step and illuminate the path ahead. So whether you’re working or playing, at home or on the road, drink up. #fuelyourstory

    The strategy had moved all the way from an internal leadership conversation to something customers could literally hold in their hands.


    The result

    Black Rock emerged from the work with more than a product narrative.

    The team had:

    • A clearer articulation of the brand
    • Shared language for leadership and employees
    • Defined brand character and personality
    • A stronger voice and tone
    • A strategic framework for future communication
    • A customer-centered narrative for FUEL
    • Finished packaging copy that brought the strategy into the physical product

    The project is one of my favorite examples of what good brand strategy can do.

    It can create alignment inside a company while also creating something memorable outside of it.

    The Brand Framework helped Black Rock clarify what it wanted to say.

    FUEL gave us the opportunity to actually say it.


    My role

    I helped lead the strategy process across workshop facilitation, stakeholder discovery, brand character and personality development, voice and narrative strategy, competitive analysis, and product storytelling.

    For the FUEL launch, I helped develop the narrative territories and wrote the final on-pack copy, working alongside Black Rock’s creative leadership to translate the strategy into a customer-facing expression.

    Strategy

    Brand Strategy
    Stakeholder Discovery
    Workshop Facilitation
    Brand Voice
    Narrative Strategy
    Competitive Research

    Content

    Copywriting
    Product Storytelling
    Narrative Development
    Launch Messaging

  • Warrick

    Warrick

    Repositioning a 20-year leadership consultancy around the work it had grown into

    For more than 20 years, James Warrick had advised CEOs and leadership teams at companies including Nike, Intel, Merrill Lynch, and Williams Sonoma.

    His work had evolved considerably over that time.

    His brand hadn’t.

    People encountering James online often assumed he was a traditional life or executive coach. That description wasn’t technically wrong, but it no longer captured the caliber of the work, the clients he served, or the role he actually played in their lives and organizations.

    James wanted to enter the market in a new way.

    The problem was that after two decades inside the business, he was too close to it to clearly articulate what made his work different.

    That’s where we started.


    The Challenge

    Warrick didn’t need a prettier website.

    It needed clarity about what the company had become.

    The existing brand—Take Flight Coaching—was rooted in an earlier chapter of James’ career. His reputation and client work had moved far beyond it, but his positioning, language, and digital presence still told the old story.

    Before creating anything, we needed to understand:

    • How that strategy should shape the name, language, identity, and customer experience
    • Why accomplished CEOs actually hired James
    • What they experienced in the relationship that was difficult to describe
    • Which problems James was uniquely equipped to solve
    • What his company should stand for going forward

    Discovery before answers

    Rather than beginning with assumptions about what the new brand should look or sound like, I started with discovery.

    I interviewed James and five longtime clients to understand the company from both sides of the relationship.

    We explored why clients initially engaged him, what changed through the work, why they continued working with him, and what differentiated James from other coaches and advisors.

    We also worked through his beliefs, mission, vision, values, character, and ambitions for the next chapter of the business.

    Strategy Workshop: Brand Character & Personality Exploration

    A deeper pattern began to emerge.

    Clients weren’t simply hiring James to become better professional leaders.

    They relied on him for the confidence, clarity, and perspective required to make difficult decisions and move forward.

    James wasn’t merely coaching leaders.

    He had become a leader to leaders.

    “We now have a framework for how to communicate and a clear plan for leveraging our brand with new and existing clients. My brand is stronger than it’s ever been.”

    James Warrick, Principal


    Turning insight into strategy

    The discovery work became a 27-page Brand Framework that gave James and his team a shared foundation for the business.

    Warrick Brand Framework: Cover

    It included:

    • Customer insight and motivations
    • Three differentiated value propositions
    • Mission, vision, and values
    • Brand character and personality
    • Voice and messaging direction
    • Brand pyramid
    • Strategic principles for future marketing and communication

    The framework mattered because it created more than marketing language.

    It gave the team a common understanding of who they were, who they served, why the work mattered, and how to make future decisions consistently.

    Warrick Brand Framework: Value Propositions (left) & Brand Pyramid (right)

    Becoming Warrick

    The strategy also exposed a fundamental issue with the existing name.

    “Take Flight Coaching” reinforced the exact perception we were trying to move beyond.

    We developed 13 naming directions using a structured naming process and evaluated them against the company’s positioning and long-term ambitions.

    Then we discovered something hiding in plain sight:

    Warrick means “strong leader.”

    The name connected naturally to James’ own identity, the work he had spent decades doing, and the people he served.

    The decision became obvious.

    Take Flight Coaching became Warrick.

    From there, the team developed a bold typographic identity designed to preserve the simplicity and authority of the name.

    Original logo sketches (left) & Final Warrick logomark

    Turning the strategy into an experience

    The next question was how the brand should actually feel.

    One phrase from James’ work became especially important.

    At the end of a meeting, he would often ask:

    “What’s our movement?”

    It captured something central to the brand: clarity should result in forward motion.

    That idea became a creative principle for the website experience.

    Rather than simply publishing a new brochure site, we used movement and interaction throughout the experience to guide visitors deeper into the Warrick story and reinforce the feeling of progress.

    The final experience brought together:

    • Brand strategy
    • Positioning and messaging
    • Naming
    • Creative direction
    • Copywriting
    • Information architecture
    • UX strategy
    • Visual and motion design
    • Front-end and back-end development

    The website wasn’t the strategy.

    It was the expression of the strategy.


    The result

    Warrick emerged with a brand that finally reflected the work clients had already been experiencing for years.

    The project gave James:

    • A clearer articulation of his value
    • A deeper understanding of his customers
    • A differentiated market position
    • A new company name and identity
    • A shared language for his team
    • A strategic framework for future decisions
    • A digital experience capable of expressing the caliber of the work

    Most importantly, James had greater clarity and confidence about the direction of the company.

    “Simon and his team were crucial for the direction that I am now taking my company. The relationship I have with Simon is irreplaceable.”

    James Warrick, Principal


    My role

    I led the strategy and discovery process, including founder and client interviews, workshop facilitation, customer insight synthesis, value proposition development, brand positioning, naming, messaging, and content strategy.

    I then translated that strategic foundation into creative direction and worked with Structure’s design and development team to bring the new identity and digital experience to life.

    Strategy

    Brand Strategy
    Customer Research
    Positioning
    Naming
    Messaging
    UX Strategy
    Content Strategy

    Creative

    Creative Direction
    Copywriting
    Identity Direction
    Digital Experience


  • BookWorthy: How To Self Publish A Book

    BookWorthy: How To Self Publish A Book

    It turns out that the crazy idea that you have a book in you isn’t so crazy after all. A 2002 New York Times article stated that 81 percent of Americans feel they have a book in them. So we helped BookWorthy seize the opportunity to teach people how both write and how to self publish a book.

    Context

    Aaron & Jennifer Smith are self-publishing pros. Together, they have written and self-published 11 books, selling over 600,000 copies. They’d cracked the self-publishing code and wanted to create a way to teach others how to do it as well.

    Becoming a published author was once Jennifer’s childhood dream. And now that dream had turned into a self-publishing empire. Along with it came a social media platform in the millions. Most people follow them for their marriage advice. But over the years, they’ve received hundreds of emails from aspiring authors who want to know how to do what they did.

    Aaron & Jennifer came to us with an idea: teach other people how to do what they’ve done. So together we dreamed. We developed. And we launched BookWorthy, an online self-publishing course for aspiring authors.

    BookWorthy Website Homepage
    BookWorthy.com Website

    Challenge

    Having their own publishing company and personal brand to manage, Aaron & Jennifer didn’t have the time to make their own dream a reality.

    Furthermore, they were so close to the business idea itself that they had a hard time seeing the full picture from an outside perspective. They didn’t know what to name it, what the best product offering would be, how to talk about it, or how to bring it to market. But they wanted to see it happen.

    Solution

    We came in on day numero uno. In fact, Aaron invited himself over to dinner at my (Simon) house to hire me. And he did. So away we went, developing the idea and building something meaningful.

    And we did. For real. I mean, just read the self-publishing stories on BookWorthy.com.

    • “If it weren’t for BookWorthy, I wouldn’t be a published author. But because of their helpful guidance, I was able to do in 30 days what I had been trying to do for 20 years.” —Tiffany

    • “I was stuck and unmotivated for years by the fear of the unknown. But when I found BookWorthy, I finally had a roadmap. Becoming a published author became a reality.” —Laura

    • “Writing and publishing a book seemed like a bizarre dream that would never come true. Looking back, what I wish I would have known that all I needed to do was start. Thanks to BookWorthy, I am now a published author.” —Megan

    And those are only three of the success stories we heard after getting the project off the ground. There are many, many more.

    Here’s what Aaron had to say about the work we did:

    “Without Structure, we would’ve never launched our online course. He helped us build the company from the ground up—from branding and product development to finding our first few customers. My experience with Simon is something I couldn’t get anywhere else.”

    Aaron Smith

    By creating the brand proposition around the idea of “Your Story Is Worth Publishing,” we developed a story, product roadmap, and launch-plan built around the 81% of people who have a book inside of them.

    Naming

    Aaron’s original idea was to create an uber-technical course on the nuts and bolts of self-publishing. We started by calling it AdvancedSelf-publishing.com.

    But it became clear that most everyday writers are creative—not technical.

    So, we went with a different name that focused on inspiring belief in an everyday person to write a book. We wanted a name that didn’t show someone how to do it but make them believe that their book was worth publishing. So we called it BookWorthy.

    Product Development

    We had been throwing around the idea of developing an online course from the beginning.

    A close friend of Aaron’s had moderate success with an online course. We did some research and saw that it was a great way to teach and communicate lots of information. So we used the online course framework as a place to start.

    After six months of content development, script writing, set building, and filming production, we had a course. It was a comprehensive learning experience: 16 video lessons on an online dashboard where students could watch lessons, track progress, and communicate with other students. We also designed a physical workbook to ship to each member’s doorstep a few days after they joined the course.

    Marketing Strategy

    People can’t believe in something that doesn’t exist. So, for BookWorthy, we invested in a responsive website that wasn’t just informational but also transformational. It was something customers could believe in.


    Since the product helps people write and publish a story, we focused on telling stories. At the top of the homepage, we start with a sales video that tells Aaron & Jennifer’s story. About halfway down we feature half-a-dozen testimonials from BookWorthy authors. We also created a Stories page to feature long-form stories from self-published students.

    Why startups need brand strategy

    Needless to say, this project didn’t take off like The Wicked Witch of the West. During the launch period, we acquired about 100 students within 72 hours. No bad if you ask me. But our super-duper storytelling powers only went so far.

    It was difficult to get everyday writers to buy into a premium publishing course. The BookWorthy brand is beautiful. The product is effective. And thousands of everyday writers now believe that they can become published authors. But a startup is like a diesel truck. The engine will only work with enough fuel. And if it runs dry, it’s dead. In the same way, strong execution can only go so far without strategy.

    We did some preliminary brand strategy work to understand BookWorthy’s competition. It helped us and better position them in the marketplace. We developed rough customer profiles. And we created character and personality traits so we could communicate consistently. We covered the basics of what Eric Ries calls a Minimum Viable Brand (MVB), but didn’t do enough market research to confirm whether our assumptions were fact or our hopes and dreams from Peter Pan’s Neverland.

    Brand strategy is business strategy

    A common mistake when building and a new company is ignoring strategy. The launch timeline was so aggressive that we settled for working harder to “get it out there” instead of working smarter and getting it right. But we learned a timeless lesson. When developing a product or service, there’s a difference between getting the right idea and getting the idea right.

    When developing a product or service, there’s a difference between getting the right idea and getting the idea right.

    That’s why copywriter Steve Bautista wrote: “When people talk to themselves, it’s called ‘insanity.’ When companies talk to themselves, it’s called marketing.” The trick is to make sure your company isn’t just talking to itself. Close the feedback loop on your company or product before you go to market.

    Whether it’s pricing or packaging, the best way to spend your limited amount of time or money is on brand strategy. To better understand yourself and the people you’re selling to. Sure, it costs some money upfront but it’ll save you tons of money down the road.

    We tell the truth

    You may be wondering, “Why does he tell us what they did wrong?” “Isn’t he worried no one will hire him?”

    I’m not worried. We tell the truth. Authenticity builds trust and develops deeper, more sustainable relationships. And, if you’re a potential client, we want you to know what to expect when you work with us.

    We’re human and we screw up. We make mistakes. And we’re humble enough to tell you when we do. We’re trying to be different. The other consulting firms and branding agencies whose websites you’ll look at and whose stories you’ll read that only tell you what you want to hear. I share the things you don’t expect to because I want to create trust.

    If you’re looking to launch a new product, validate growth opportunities, better understand your customers, or refine your business strategy, we can help. Contact us to start a conversation.