How I Helped a Financial Firm Build Their Brand from Scratch
Launching a new financial advisory firm is no small feat, especially when you don’t yet have a name or brand identity. An established financial firm came to me with a blank canvas and asked me to develop a brand identity that balances modern innovation with timeless values. Through deep competitive research, creative collaboration, and strategic execution, we developed a name, logo, and comprehensive brand kit that positioned them for success.
Discovery
We began by understanding the competitive landscape and target audience. During the competitor analysis, we analyzed names, branding, and design trends int he financial advisory industry. For the audience surveys, we gathered feedback on naming trends and expectations for financial firms. Through this process, we uncovered the need for a name and brand that conveyed trust, stability, and a modern, client-focused approach.
Naming Workshop
I organized a collaborative session where we brainstormed names using inspiration based on values we identified for the client and its target market. We used AI tools to generate a wide range of ideas, explore domain name availability, and social media handles. Using a third party, we conducted trademark checking, audience surveys, and even linguistic analysis to ensure the name resonated across cultures and languages.
Brand ValuesAudienceRound 1Round 2Recommendations
Values
The company is a modern advisory firm specializing in building strategic partnerships, mitigating risk, and driving growth for high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional investors.
The company connects quality real estate sponsors with tailored capital strategies, leveraging expertise in equity, debt, and joint venture opportunities. Using a data-driven approach, the company simplify complex transactions while ensuring discretion, stability, and long-term value.
Target Audience
- High-Net-Worth Families: Individuals and family oces seeking guidance in managing real estate investments, capital strategies, and confidential acquisitions.
- Institutional Investors: Funds and organizations looking for vetted opportunities to diversify portfolios with low-risk, high-reward real estate projects.
- Real Estate Sponsors: Developers and operators seeking capital and strategic partnerships to bring projects to life.
Strategic Partners: Stakeholders looking to co-invest, align with top-tier sponsors, and navigate the complexities of real estate and investment.
The audience can be described as Prestigious, Focused, Strategic, Established, and Measured.
Names, Round 1
Round 1: Sometimes you need to throw out some not-so-great ideas in order to get to something better. Here are names we started with:
- SponsorCert – emphasize connection to sponsor and credibility through certification.
- TrustFundr – playful, yet professional. Focus on trust and funding.
- Vetta – simple, sleek, inspired by “vetting”
- ProjectIQ – suggests AI or expertise in the process
- BuildMetrics – build like building and metrics for performance tracking
- PillarPoint – represents strong foundations and multi-directional support
- LandMarkt – combines “landmark” and “market”
Round 2
Round 2: We wanted to add more names that started with the founders initial of “S”.
Some new concepts created were:
- Stratium – Inspired by “strategy” and “stratum” (layers, as in depth and complexity).
- Summit Capital – Reflects achieving high-value outcomes and top-tier partnerships.
- Steadpoint – Suggests reliability, stability, and a strong foundation.
- Strivo – Modern and sleek, derived from “strive.” Reflects ambition and progress.
- Statera – Latin for “balance,” symbolizing stability and growth. Perfect for a high-end, strategic firm.
Tagline Options presented:
- “Balancing Growth and Strategy”
- “Strategic Partners, Steady Growth”
- “Building Relationships, Balancing Risk”
- “Where Opportunity Meets Stability”
- “Equity and Strategy in Harmony”
Domain Options presented:
- statera.com (ideal, but would require negotiation).
- statera.io (top recommendation. modern, popular among tech-forward businesses).
- stateracapital.com (adds context for real estate and investment).
- staterapartners.com (emphasizes relationships).
- stateraadvisors.com (sophisticated and professional).
The client ultimately selected “Statera”meaning balance in Latin—a perfect reflection of their values and mission. The word has special symbolism because it starts with the letter “S”, coincidentally the initial of the founders’ last name.
Design
I designed dozens of logo concepts before presenting the 5 best to share with the client. Each design focused on a symmetrical “S” to embody the concept of balance. For colors, the client requested rich, masculine tones like navy and gold.
Develop
I presented multiple logo concepts to the client, each representing the company and its values of timelessness mixed with modern innovation. The client selected their favorite logo and we refined the logo to make it ready for print and digital platforms.
The Brand Kit created for the client included Business cards, letterheads, and PowerPoint templates. We are working on the next phase of the project: Website design. After that, the client will be ready to launch their new venture.
Learnings and review
- A distinctive name and identity: “Statera” stands out in the financial sector and resonates with the target audience.
- A timeless brand: The logo and brand kit establish trust and professionalism, while remaining modern and versatile.
- A strong foundation: The client now has a cohesive brand to grow their business and connect with their audience.
“
We came to Gibson without a name, logo, or direction, and he transformed our vision into a brand we’re proud to call our own. The process was seamless, and the results exceeded our expectations.
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Hi there!
Gibson Hall
Hi, I’m Gibson Hall — a creative strategist, web designer, and digital marketer based in Austin, TX. From boutiques and scale-ups to Fortune 500’s, I’ve helped over 50 organizations reach more customers online.