Pen and Paces: From Scattered Identity to Brand Ownership
SUCCESS STORIES
brand identity
website design
brand messaging
brand photography library
content strategy
custom design templates
“Calvina’s iterative approach, where she asked thoughtful questions to really understand what I wanted, was instrumental in helping me find the right direction for my brand. Her expertise as an outside resource was invaluable in pushing me to explore new possibilities.”
– Cindy Smith, Founder
Personal Passion to Professional Brand
Cindy, the founder of Pen & Paces, reached out to me because her brand lacked the cohesion and professionalism needed to take her business to the next level. As an avid runner who created products for fellow women runners, she had built a loyal following for items like her popular “Yell My Name” bib kits, but her visual identity felt “scattered” and “bland” by her own admission.
The biggest challenge was helping Cindy develop a consistent brand identity. She didn’t have confidence in her creative decisions and felt uncertain about balancing her personal aesthetic preferences with what would appeal to her customers. What she needed most was a cohesive, professional brand that would connect with her target audience of women runners while authentically reflecting her own vision and voice.
From scattered elements to strategic brand: Pen & Paces found its identity through visual discovery
1. Finding Authentic Voice
One of Cindy’s primary concerns was that her personal design preferences might not resonate with her target customers. Our breakthrough came through a guided visual discovery process where I helped her understand that her authentic voice was precisely what would attract her ideal audience. I explained to her that her brand is the center part where her identity and her audience’s identity overlap.”
This concept transformed Cindy’s perspective, helping her see that she didn’t need to choose between her personal aesthetic and what would appeal to customers. By going through an in-depth moodboarding exercies, Cindy was able to put words to the style that felt the most authentic to her.
2. Visual Consistency & Design Confidence
Without formal design training, Cindy is extremely talented. However, like so many artists and creatives too close to her her genius, she struggled to create a cohesive look across her products, website, and social media, with her products “starting to look like a lot of different styles.” Our approach focused not just on creating a beautiful brand identity, but on empowering Cindy with the skills to maintain it through a month-long visual discovery process.
The resulting brand featured clean lines with flowing elements, balancing femininity with professionalism. Cindy’s reaction was immediate: “It accomplishes some of the things that I wanted, which is like clean. And it has this flowy feel to it. It’s got some element of fun and femininity, but not too much. It makes me feel like this is something I could be super proud of.”
3. From Self-Doubt to Creative Ownership
Perhaps the most significant transformation was in Cindy’s relationship with her own creative abilities, as her absence of formal training had created a sense of self-doubt that limited her vision for the business. By providing targeted training on tools like Illustrator, I helped her overcome technical hesitations, focusing only on the specific skills she needed rather than overwhelming her with the entire application.
This approach built Cindy’s confidence in her own creative decisions, allowing her to see possibilities for expanding her product line and elevating her brand presence. The transformation was evident when she shared, “Before I felt kind of limited by the things that I could do myself, but now I feel like there could be so much opportunity to use my brand in many different ways.”
From hesitation to excitement: Embracing brand investment
Like many business owners, Cindy initially hesitated about investing in professional branding. She worried about whether her personal preferences would connect with customers and whether changing her brand might disrupt her successful product lines.
Our process began by addressing these concerns head-on. I reassured her that her personal vision should be the foundation, not an obstacle: “The weirder you get, the more they will like it.” This perspective helped Cindy understand that her unique aesthetic would be her greatest differentiator in a crowded market.
Rather than suggesting a complete overhaul, we focused on evolving her brand to enhance her existing products while creating room for growth. I explained that by developing a strong brand foundation, she would be able to more effectively market her popular items while expanding her offerings.
The shift in Cindy’s mindset became evident as she embraced the process, saying, “I had no expectations. I did not try to overthink things. I just tried to have a blank slate, just wait and see.” This openness allowed her to fully engage with the brand development and ultimately create something she was excited to share with the world.
The emotional impact of creative confidence
One of the most powerful insights from Cindy’s brand transformation was discovering how deeply her previous brand limitations had affected her confidence as a business owner. The disconnect between her vision and her ability to execute it created an emotional burden that limited her growth.
After developing her new brand identity and gaining technical skills, Cindy experienced a profound emotional shift. “It represents opportunity for me,” she shared, describing a feeling of possibility that hadn’t existed before. This wasn’t just about having a more attractive brand—it was about feeling empowered to express her creative vision without limitation.
The emotional impact extended beyond aesthetics to Cindy’s entire relationship with her business. Where she once felt constrained by her perceived limitations, she now saw endless possibilities for growth and innovation. This newfound confidence became the foundation for strategic business decisions, from product development to marketing approaches.
Unlocking creative potential through focused learning
A unique challenge in Cindy’s brand journey was her intimidation by professional design tools. Despite being naturally creative, she felt overwhelmed by the learning curve of programs like Illustrator, which limited her ability to bring her vision.
Instead of providing a brand that Cindy would struggle to maintain, I took a coaching approach. We went through a month-long coaching process where I worked with her one-on-one and helped her complete exercises to gain confidence and knowledge I explained. This process was designed to build both her visual identity and her technical capabilities simultaneously.
The key insight was recognizing that Cindy didn’t need to master every aspect of design software—she needed specific skills relevant to her brand needs. I was able to guide her through learning the exact things. She didn’t need to learn all of Illustrator. She only needed to learn Illustrator for specific needs required from her brand.
This focused approach made the learning process manageable and directly applicable to her business needs. Cindy appreciated this practical strategy, noting, “As creative as I am, I’m a total nerd when it comes to making things really accessible, easy… like your systems when you’re creating things.”
She now knows how to create more on her own
When Cindy first saw her completed brand identity, her excitement was palpable. “It’s a fresh look, and it’s not fresh in the way that it’s trendy. It’s fresh in the way that I could use it as a foundation to build the company of my dreams,” she shared.
The transformation from her previous scattered branding to a cohesive identity was dramatic. Beyond the visual elements, Cindy gained the skills and confidence to maintain and evolve her brand independently. We created a really great brand for her that is beautiful, but I think her most valuable takeaway is that she now knows how to create more on her own and how to truly owns her own presence and brand.
This combination of professional brand identity and personal skill development created a sustainable foundation for Pen & Paces’ future growth. Rather than being dependent on ongoing design support, Cindy now has both the visual framework and technical abilities to evolve her brand as her business expands.“I don’t know that I would have been able to get to this place on my own,” Cindy reflected. “This brand is a true reflection of who I am and where I want to take my business.”
“One of the most valuable aspects of working with Calvina was her ability to help me overcome the internal limitations and self-imposed blocks that were holding me back. Her guidance during the exploration process was instrumental in helping me define a brand that truly represents my business and vision.”
– Cindy Smith, Founder