Fran is a Client Experience Architect over at The Passions Collective. The Creative Direction process she learned in Brand Ed showed her how to channel her detective-level, puzzle-piecing, problem-solving instincts into her DIY branding.
After 5 years in business, she was finally able to make the right connections, discoveries, and decisions about her brand that represented her unique approach.
It shows just how deeply she advocates for finding the right kinds of solutions, systems, and setups that center the real human experience.
This didn’t just come together out of thin air, though…
Fran tried rebranding on her own for over 6 months before joining Brand Ed, because she couldn’t pinpoint why things weren’t clicking.
Before her Brand Ed experience, Fran felt unsatisfied with the branding attempts she tried to come up with on her own. She didn’t necessarily dislike previous versions, but she knew none of them felt quite there yet. This misalignment kept preventing her from having a consistent online presence before ultimately deciding to try Brand Ed.
During the creative process, Fran was surprised by how much she was learning about herself and her business, and how quickly things were finally coming together compared to before—even as someone who has had previous education and experience with design.
In her words, she felt like the Discovery Phase (phase 1 out of 3!) was worth the investment alone:
Her favorite lessons in Brand Ed were all from the Discovery Phase, which were:
- Lesson 2: Self-Discovery Session
- Lesson 6: Brand Emotional Impression
- Lesson 7: Personality & Themes
These were the major areas she was lacking in her previous branding attempts, that Brand Ed solved.
From months of spinning in circles, to confidently defining a whole brand identity in just a few weeks.
Uncovering her brand’s unique identity and creative direction was the missing piece of the puzzle, which I find is often what most DIYers are missing and struggling with, when they don’t have a step-by-step framework for it—Even for those who generally know a bit about designing graphics.
“I really felt like I was able to fully step into the role of Creative Director for my business and pull together inspiration and themes and then translate them into tangible branding, in a way that I never would have been able to otherwise.” – A quote pulled directly from Fran’s student feedback form!
In particular, Fran explored themes around being the “detective” for her clients, collecting inspiration from Nancy Drew and puzzle games, then blending that with the cozy feeling you get watching Friends.
Fran has continued to utilize her branding and Creative Direction skills for more—such as physical thank you cards for her clients and new brand photos on the way for her website.
Along with getting the results she came for, Fran also appreciated how supportive the course structure was for how her own brain works.
Even with an ADHD brain, she found the course comprehensive without feeling overwhelming.
“Brand Ed was such a comprehensive course, without feeling overwhelming, which was hugely important for my ADHD brain to actually complete it!” – From Fran’s testimonial
With tons of examples to help explain concepts, said said the lessons make complex topics seem approachable and easy to navigate. The pride and confidence Fran gained from the experience made it “one of the best investments” she’s ever made for her business!
FAQ: “Which tier of Brand Ed should I join?”
The most preferred option is the Homeroom program tier, which is the full Brand Ed experience that includes collaborative creative support and one-on-one feedback from Kristina. Most students get best results in Homeroom because this program is mainly created for non-designer entrepreneurs, where it helps to have a branding expert with you to bring it to it’s full potential.
In this case study, Fran went through the Self-Study course only, and having had previous education and experience with design, she was able to achieve incredible results just from the course alone. Self-Study usually opens after Homeroom closes, and students can upgrade into a Homeroom cohort later.
Homeroom usually runs only twice a year in the spring & fall—so if it’s now enrolling, let’s take your branding off the back burner and enroll here!
you might also like:
When Is It Time to Rebrand? 3 Signs for Service Providers & Small Businesses
read the 3 main signs →
Brand, Branding, Brand Identity: What’s the Difference?
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5 Design Mistakes That Make Your Brand Look Amateur (and How to Fix Each One)
coming soon
Meet Kristina Bleiler
creative brand designer & Diy educator
I want both DIY-ers and custom design clients to take pride in their brands.
Whether you hire my services or DIY it with me, my branding process helps you find the hidden gems in your business so you can become better known for what’s unique to you.
