At this time, Schildbach Design is a sole proprietorship. I, Stephen Schildbach, own and operate Schildbach Design. I do almost all the branding and marketing, and only outsource if I’m over booked or my client needs a skill I can’t provide. Those revisiting the site, you probably noticed a completely new design.
Rebranding my own business in 2023 had a couple of core reasons:
These are arguably more serious times, with our society going through many layers of change during what is hopefully the tail end to COVID. In my personal life, I enjoy iconoclastic imagery, but it hasn’t felt right these past couple of years for my business to project that personality. I also have a serious side, and have decided to match the present times and send out a more serious mood in my branding.
The other reason for my rebranding is people want clarity. In the last decade, websites, and even businesses, could be design and art experiences in and of themselves with no clear portfolios or branding message. This was attractive to a certain client, but now, because of the increased instability in our day to day lives, this kind of elusive branding seems to confuse and turn off clients. More than ever we are image-saturated and time-deficient. People increasingly want clarity, with a “show me the work” attitude.