ImageImage

S T A R T U P S

Early-stage startups need investors to believe in their viability—and quickly. If you’re a manufacturing, tech, or other complex B2B startup seeking $1 – $5 million, a branding foundation built on strategy can give you extra leverage with investors by speeding comprehension and increasing confidence.

Early-stage startups need investors to believe in their viability—and quickly. If you’re a manufacturing, tech, or other complex B2B startup seeking $1 – $5 million, a branding foundation built on strategy can give you extra leverage with investors by speeding comprehension and increasing confidence.

commmon startup branding pitfalls

A look and feel that clashes with your message or doesn’t stand out
A pitch deck that focuses on how a thing works instead of why to invest
Complex graphics that don’t address investors’ concerns or match their level of understanding
Visually inconsistent assets can create investor doubt around marketing skills
Unpolished design that decreases confidence

What can we do to bridge those gaps?

A strategic visual system that sets the right tone and clarifies what makes you unique
A focused pitch deck that reinforces viability
Easy-to-understand data visualization that speeds comprehension
A brand guide and templates that increase consistency while saving you time
Well-designed collateral that implies traction and marketing savvy

How will we do it?

Image

Phase 1

Foundational
clarity

Clarify your product, your audience, and your competition through founder workshops, marketing/design audits, audience research, and a competitive review.
Image

Phase 2

Design
strategy

Define a position, promise, personality, and other insights that will become your guides for making strategy-based creative decisions.
Image

Phase 3

Visual
system

Develop a robust visual system rooted in strategy, not just aesthetics, and put it all in a brand guide with logos, colors, fonts, styles, shapes, and example layouts.
Image

Phase 4

Collateral application

Build templates and assets that elevate your position and emphasize viability with consistently professional pitch decks, website, banners, sales sheets, and social media.

Why invest now?

Decks from pre-seed startups are reviewed brutally fast by investors who get bombarded with pitches. If your first impression doesn’t read as valuable, has a muddy visual hierarchy, or isn’t aligned with your other collateral, your funding may stall there. A strategic brand visual system is a strong fundraising tool that can elevate your startup in investors’ minds.

startup founder packages

Design Strategy Sprint 

Set up your design strategy so you have a metric for the creative decisions that will happen in following phases.
(Steps 1 and 2)

Full Visual System

Define your brand strategy and use it to make design choices that lead to more effective and efficient communications.
(Steps 1 - 4)

Book a 30-minute design review to find out how you can strengthen your pitch.

  • Tricia is able to deliver concepts that are on strategy and on brand. I never felt like we were working with a freelancer but rather an internal team member who understands our business well.

    Natalia Aguiluz, American Modern Insurance Group
  • Tricia understands how to integrate design with the message. She has a very keen marketing sense and can develop an integrated product so it both looks good and is effective.
    Carol Evans, Legacy Parks Foundation
  • Tricia is timely (meets deadlines, provides updates), reliable (not a flaky designer), frank and forthcoming (about limitations and budgets), and just pleasant to work with (no ego issues).
    Ashley Maynor, The Library Collective
  • I’m able to be much more hands off with Tricia than with other freelancers. I know she will ask smart questions, stay on schedule, push the client a bit and provide distinctly different concepts.
    Grace Ring, Vehr Communications
  • Tricia can take a project all the way from concept to production. She offers strategic insights and solutions. She anticipates issues and helps solve problems.
    Michelle Taute, Shattles Communications
  • Tricia understands how the objectives of the project can define the project itself. The scope of research she brings to the table often takes the project further than originally imagined.
    Robin Thomas, Downtown Knoxville Alliance