I blew up the traditional branding process. Here’s what I built instead.

I had a grad school professor whose motto was, “No repeat clients.”

I laughed when I first heard her say it. And then I thought... yeah, I get it.

By the end of a traditional branding project, everyone’s just done.

How it usually goes (badly)

Here's how my projects used to go…

A brief discovery call leads to a proposal where I’m essentially guessing what you need.

I draw up a detailed schedule with three rounds of revisions built in.

Gathering content is time-consuming and overwhelming. And of course you’re busy, so everything comes in late and the schedule immediately goes off the rails.

I present three options, which opens a can of worms of even more options.

Scope creep sets in because we didn’t do enough discovery at the start, so we keep realizing mid-project that you need something different.

By launch day, we cross the finish line exhausted. And we're both just relieved it's finally over.

I used to think that was just how it had to go. It's how I was taught. It's how designers have done it for generations.

But it sucks.

Designers often blame the clients. And clients probably (rightly) blame the designers.

But the real problem is the process.

So I blew it up and built a new one.

How I do it differently

Now I start every project with a 90-minute deep dive. I get everything I need — your story, your ideal clients, your goals, your voice — in one conversation. I write the copy. I manage the photo shoot if you need one. I handle almost everything.

All I usually need from you is your testimonials and a bio (which can really just be bullet points and a CV when it comes to me).

The whole thing takes two weeks. And I only need three days of your time.

Really.

And there’s no need for that “no repeat clients” motto. Because at the end of every project, my clients and I feel excited and connected, not depleted and relieved to be done with each other.

My clients haven’t changed. They’re still busy and still want the best possible result. But a different process makes all the difference.

If you've been putting off a rebrand because you're dreading the process, I get it.

And if you're curious what it could look like to do this differently, let’s find out if it’s a fit. Book a quick call here.