FAQ

A transition like this could make or break your company. You deserve as much information as you need about how we think and work to make an informed decision. We’ve collected these frequently asked questions to help you decide whether our expertise suits your needs. If we work hard to ensure it’s a good fit, we’ll both be happier.

Is my company a good fit?
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Consider yourself a good fit if you meet all or most of the criteria below. Our ideal client has...

  • A significant and measurable business problem that needs to be solved
  • Direct participation of all decision-makers throughout the entire engagement
  • Ability to profitably invest a minimum of $10,000 (plus implementation costs)
  • Understanding that the cost of inaction far outweighs their investment
  • Eagerness to listen, learn, and take massive action
  • Open-minded, engaged, and highly motivated leadership
  • Respect
What size companies do you work with?
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We typically support US-based companies with 2–100 employees generating between $500K–$10M in annual revenue.

Do you work with startups?
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Yes. Some of our clients are startups who would rather get it right from the start than fix things later.

Why might it not make sense to work together?
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A poor fit for us...

  • Does not have a significant problem that is worth investing their time and money to solve
  • Disinterested in being challenged on their beliefs, thinking, and actions
  • Has uninvolved decision-makers or requires third-party approval
  • Looking for a quick fix to their self-diagnosis
Why should we hire you?
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It's not our job to convince you of anything. You can decide for yourself if we might be a good fit. Our clients are typically experiencing one or more of the following scenarios:

  • Struggling to stand out in a competitive market
  • Facing obstacles within their business that are holding their company back from achieving growth and higher profitability
  • Craving to build something meaningful for themselves, their community, and the world
  • They don't have an in-house marketing team, or do, but are in need of some additional support
  • Challenged by scaling their business or implementing a growth plan that actually delivers intended results
  • You are an entrepreneur preparing to launch a new business, product, or service
  • Facing a change in leadership through merger, acquisition, or geographical expansion

If it seems like we might be a good it, you may apply to work with us.

Have you ever worked for my industry?
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In most cases, yes. After hundreds of branding projects, we've found that every business struggles with a lack of focus. Our process delivers consistent results regardless of your market.

Do you write business plans?
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No. However, we believe brand strategy is essential business strategy. Many elements of a traditional business plan – company overview, mission and vision, customer demographics and psychographics, competitive analysis, unique value proposition, sales and marketing – are covered in our BrandPlan intensive.

I already have my logo sketched exactly the way I want, can you help finish it?
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No. If all you're looking for is a set of hands to create something you like, we will not be a good fit for your project. There are plenty of cheaper options for you to consider. We believe our clients deserve better than subjectivity and speculation.

What should I expect?
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Our framework is intensive. You will be forced to consider, reconsider, and articulate in ways you have likely never done so before. You are the expert in your field, and we will never know as much about your company as you do. Yet, it is difficult to read the label from inside the bottle. Our goal is to draw out the things that set your company apart and help you see things from a new perspective. Early on, we will ask lot of questions, challenge your assumptions, and speak candidly about what’s working and what isn’t. Throughout an engagement, we will provide our best recommendations, support our reasoning, and share viable alternatives. We do not shy away from difficult conversations, and our delivery is both kind and direct.

What is expected of me?
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Timeliness. Attention. Open-mindedness. Respect. Eagerness to learn and take massive action.

How do the workshops work?
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All diagnostics and workshops are conducted via ZOOM – unless you’re local – Monday through Thursday between 8:00am–4:00pm (EST). We use screen-sharing to complete the exercises together and provide written summary within 48-hours.

How long will it take?
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A typical engagement requires 10-12 hours of your time over 2-6 weeks.

1. Prequalify: 3-5 Minute Application

2. Fit Call: 30-Minute Interview

3. BrandScan: 2-Hour Diagnostic Session

4. BrandPlan: 8-Hour Clarity Workshop

5. Branding & Design

6. Advisory Services

You may visit our Process page for more information.

Do I have to do the workshops first?
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Yes. Our diagnostic and clarity sessions are the required first step for all new businesses. We believe prescription without diagnosis is malpractice. Diagnose, prescribe, treat. No exceptions.

When can we get started?
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Our earliest availability is typically 2-6 weeks as we only accept two projects each month. Projects may be scheduled up to 3 months in advance with a non-refundable deposit of 50%.

Do you respond to RFPs?
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No. We typically don't respond to RFPs. It's our policy that we don't write our proposal without first determining fit with the senior decision-makers. We'd be happy to get you a proposal if it makes sense to do so after determining fit.

Who will be working with us?
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Blake Stewart interviews prospective applicants. Aaron Johnson facilitates our diagnostic and clarity workshops. Both share our recommended solutions and offer advisory services.

Can I start with something small?
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Absolutely. In fact, our first step is always a quick diagnostic. This session allows us to get to know your business, challenge, and scope before moving into a full-fledged engagement to see if and how we might be able to best help.

If I can’t attend the workshops, can I send someone I trust?
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No. We require direct participation of decision-makers throughout our entire engagement. Organizational change and buy-in requires clarity from the top down. We believe people make time for the things that are important to them. If your problem is not worth spending a few hours to solve, it is not worth your investment or our time.

Do I have to work with you for everything?
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No. You have the freedom to work with whomever you choose. While many of our clients prefer total brand management, we deliver the tools you need to launch and grow your business with the vendors of your choice and remain available for ongoing consultation.

Who owns the work?
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You do. Anything else would be unfair. Upon completion, we release the full ownership and exclusive rights of all creative work provided throughout an engagement. However, we reserve the right to display all work created for our own marketing and advertising purposes.

How much does it cost?
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It depends. Our compensation is typically between $15,000–$100,000. Projects on the high-end include strategy, identity design, digital assets, and total brand management for a year or more. Alternatively, projects on the low-end might include strategy and a few basic visuals over a couple of weeks.

What’s your shared revenue option?
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For select clients, our compensation may be negotiated as a percentage of increased gross revenue for a period of time following an engagement, typically between 5–25% depending on your margins. If your bottom line moves, so does our compensation on a shared revenue engagement.

We never want to become an expense. We believe the money you invest in your business and brand should more than pay for itself 5X, 10X, even 100X. Our shared revenue option ensures we’re focused on the same long-term outcomes. Plus, it allows us to serve startups and smaller businesses with tight budgets.

Why are you more expensive than other options?
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An expense costs you money while an investment is supposed to make you money. We refuse to be an expense and will only accept an engagement with the opportunity to yield significant ROI. However, if cost is the most important factor in your decision, there are many cheaper options that will help you stay at or under budget.

Here are a few better questions for you to consider:

  • What is doing nothing costing me?
  • What are the outcomes I desire worth?
  • What would be fair compensation to make this problem go away?
What are typical payment terms?
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BrandScan – Diagnostic Session: 100% payment in advance

BrandPlan – Clarity Workshop: 100% payment in advance

Branding & Design: 50% payment in advance, 50% upon delivery

You may visit our Process page for more information.

What if nothing changes or the project fails?
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We offer the following guarantees at various levels of engagement:

Confident Clarity: Our proven process delivers clarity to act with confidence. If you are not confident that our plan will help your company grow after our first session, we'll refund your money and pay you for your time.

Proud Promise: We believe brands are banners we should be proud to wave high. We promise to deliver pride in your brand. If you are not entirely satisfied with the project after 90 days, you may pay what you'd like.

The Return Rule: Big projects are risky. The bigger the investment, the bigger the risk. The Return Rule guarantees ROI in 12 months for brand management projects, or we'll work for free until your investment generates a positive return.