What a better time to launch a new brand identity (aka business identity) than on a new moon (and the Chinese New Year). Farmers know that you plant crops at certain times of the moon’s cycle, but most business owners make their advances forward using more rational means—like during a good economy or after analyzing favorable statistical results. Something I’ve cultivated (especially the past few years), is paying attention to rhythms and patterns in life, people and nature. Noticing these messages requires using our intuition. In the technical and rational field of web development (and the internet age we live in), intuition is not talked about very much. It even seems to me that many people completely disregard intuition, to be replaced with the use of only rational thought. For me, intuition is essential to the success of my business and my happiness.
What my intuition has been telling me in the beginning of 2015 is to expand my business, improve my design skills, and cultivate a different perception of work, more specifically, my business, Schildbach Design. This new brand identity launch did not start this year. I created a large portion of it the beginning of 2014. But, personal, family, and work commitments forced me to put the project on the back burner. What I thought would be a couple of weeks of waiting, turned in to a year-long overbooked schedule.
Schildbach Design was formed in 2008, after my illustration career shriveled up from the double recession in the 2000’s, and computer technology replacing more traditional illustration mediums. I attempted two new business identities following the initial launch of Schildbach Design, but they were sort of half-baked. Simultaneously, my personal life and work load became so over-full that I decided to run my business without much marketing. My busyness consumed me—the most import thing is providing my clients with their work after all!
Then, at the very end of 2014 and into January and February of 2015, something shifted. Negative internal thoughts and external overwhelming responsibilities lifted, and a new enthusiasm and awareness grew. This is where intuition is so valuable—to guide us when it is the right time to act. (I’ll save the specific reasons why I decided to move forward with this launch for now.)
My initial Brand Identity launch is small—not an approach I often do with my clients. Normally, we do a more thorough job on the business identity before we launch. My reason for breaking that rule was I didn’t want this enthusiasm to loose it’s power! So, I am launching with work that is incomplete to my vision, but built to allow the process of growth. There is much more coming to the website. Additions will be made weekly. I plan for a section of tech tips for my clients and the general public. Philosophies on life and my line of work, and adding presentations of the projects I am doing.
Brand Identity at the Year’s End
It’s almost December and I can now report on what my new Brand Identity has done for my business. I got the reaction I was expecting. People who understand my intentions of not wanting to please everyone and stay true to my personal aesthetics, embrace my branding approach. Others who expect to see what everyone is doing now, I get silence. That is fine. I’ve been fortunate in that a full workload continues. Mostly, the new brand identity gives me happiness. It’s like wearing the clothes you want to wear versus someone dressing you.
I’m starting to notice other business that are taking the similar niche approach. My hope is that they too are in that niche because they like being that way, not because it is a marketing tactic. Hendricks is such a company that tells the reader to, “Join the Society of the Unusual”. Even more surprising to me was the illustrations on their website resembled my own. And, I sincerely promise, I saw this website AFTER I created my brand identity.