| The client | Founder of a social enterprise in Denver, Colorado, serving nonprofits |
| The challenge | Strong word-of-mouth growth, but no real brand presence or growth strategy |
| Jaclyn’s role | Marketing and business development leader |
| What we built | Brand character, Points of Difference and Points of Parity, a fresh visual identity, refreshed templates and tools, and a 360° marketing campaign |
| The results | Named to the Inc. 5000 in year one, 90% growth in year one and 40% growth in year two |
The starting line
This small consulting firm was already doing something special. Clients loved the work, and year after year the business grew by word of mouth alone. There was a website and a logo. But there wasn’t a brand that matched the magic, and there wasn’t a plan to grow on purpose.
The founder was looking for a leader who understood the philanthropic and nonprofit world and knew marketing and business development inside and out. That’s where I came in.
From dark and academic to bright and accessible
The old look felt dark, heavy and academic. Smart, yes. Inviting, not so much. The people this company serves are busy nonprofit leaders doing hard, meaningful work. They deserved a brand that felt fresh, bright and easy to say yes to.
So we rebuilt the brand from the inside out:
- A brand character. We defined the personality behind every word and image, so the brand sounds and feels like the same trusted partner everywhere it shows up.
- Points of Difference (PODs). The things that make this company uniquely valuable and hard to copy. We put them front and center.
- Points of Parity (POPs). The table stakes clients expect from any great partner. We made sure the brand clearly checked every box.
- A fresh visual identity. Bright, light and accessible, with a look that feels as optimistic as the mission.
- Refreshed templates and tools. Proposals, presentations and client materials rebuilt so the whole team could show up on brand, every time.
- A 360° marketing campaign. An integrated launch across channels to introduce the new brand and turn word of mouth into real momentum.
The results
- Inc. 5000 honoree in the very first year
- 90% growth in year one
- 40% growth in year two
The brand kept growing and scaling. And then real life happened.
Peaks and valleys
This company’s clients are nonprofits, and the social sector has been through a crisis. Here’s a truth every service business learns: when your client is in crisis, you’re in crisis.
Growth brings its own growing pains, too. We’ve navigated team onboarding, training, systems and operations. Some days were peaks. Some were valleys. All of it has been an incredible journey, and I wouldn’t trade it.
Why this work matters to me
I’m passionate about shifting power dynamics in the social sector. Nonprofits deserve the tools to use their own data to run efficiently, prove their programs work and create even greater impact. Helping build that capacity is the kind of work that lights me up.
My favorite moment
Here’s the thing. My favorite part of this story isn’t the growth numbers or the award. It’s watching the founder transform. Learning, stretching, growing into the leader of something big.
The best day? She turned to me and said:
I have to remind myself I have a company. We’re not a startup anymore.
The founder
The brand had become so strong that the people applying weren’t joining a small start-up. They were being hired by a real company, for a big job. And we all needed to own that. I love it!
Your turn
Growing fast on word of mouth but not sure how to scale on purpose? That’s the perfect moment to build a brand and a plan that match your ambition. Let’s spark what’s possible.
Ready to grow your brand? Explore Fractional CMO or let’s connect!
Leave a comment