Hello!

I started Wise Ape to work directly with small businesses and startups to see first-hand the results of my efforts in building a strong brand.

After stints in LA and Chicago and a fair amount of time in the Bay Area, I returned home to Colorado. I now focus my energy on helping businesses stand out and attract higher-paying customers. I work matter-of-factly without all the design buzzwords and hype, and I like deadlines – I‘m looking to get things done!

HOW IT WORKS

Start with a 15-minute fit call
If you’re a small business owner or startup founder looking to build a strong brand, we should meet. Schedule a brief 15-minute call here. This will not be a sales call. I’ll ask some basic questions about your business and goals. If we agree to move forward, the next step is to book a Brand Plan session.

Brand Plan - $500.
During a 1-hour Zoom call, we will discuss your business, opportunities, challenges, and goals.

About a week later, I’ll provide you with your customized Brand Plan that includes your unique brand opportunity to grow your business and a clear outline of what you need (and don’t need) to reach your goals.

Take my recommendations and use your Brand Plan to implement everything yourself with confidence or hire me to do it for you. The cost of the Brand Plan will be applied toward any Brand packages.

Let’s get to it!
The traditional branding model involves a long, drawn-out process for creating your brand, website, and visual assets, which can take months.

The Intensive process is different. Wise Ape only takes on one client at a time, making you and your brand the top priority. This allows your new brand to affect your business plan and be in the market as fast as possible.

Basic Brand Intensive $6,000
This 2-3 week process typically includes brand strategy, your logo, brand guidelines, brand identity elements, and brand schwag.

Basic + Website Brand Intensive $9,000
This 4-6 week process typically includes brand strategy, your logo, brand guidelines, brand identity elements, basic website, copy editing, and brand schwag.

Basic Scale-Up Company Intensive $4,000
This package is for startup companies moving to the next level of maturity. This 2-3 week process typically includes a messaging platform (who you are, what you do, why it matters) developed through creating a basic pitch deck. The messaging platform is then implemented across your existing website.

Scale-Up Company + Brand Intensive $10,500
This package is for startup companies ready to upgrade from a visual brand developed from resources at hand to something more professional. This 6-8 week process typically includes your logo, brand guidelines, brand identity elements, and a messaging platform developed through creating a basic pitch deck. The messaging platform and new visual identity are then implemented across a new website.

What’s with the name?

The “wise” part is because I’ve been in the strategic design business for 20+ years and have seen a lot. I was in San Francisco during the dot-com boom and bust. I’ve worked with CEOs of Fortune 500 companies and founders of the latest and greatest startups. I’ve spent enough time with consultants from McKinsey and Deloitte to have earned an honorary MBA. Approaching things from an experienced designer’s point of view usually uncovers opportunities. 

The “ape” part is to not underestimate intuition. Research is great, but often, to take things to the next level, you need to tap into human instinct and emotion and take a leap of faith. Legendary ad man George Lois once said, “You can’t research a big idea. The only ideas that truly research well are mediocre ideas. In research, great ideas are always suspect.