BRAND:NEW

Send us Fan MailThree quick diagnostics for your own website: what actually makes one good, the quiet warning signs that yours is failing (starting with whether you hesitate to give out your own URL), and why asking your developer to design it is like asking your architect to wire the electricity.If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: [email protected]. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailThe Website Design episode opens with the timeless wisdom of the great David Ogilvy - and makes the case that most websites are still getting it backwards sixty years later. Do you need a professional site, can Wix or Squarespace actually cut it, and does "pretty" mean anything if your customer can't tell what you do in five seconds?If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: [email protected]. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailYou can't put lipstick on a pig — but in design, you absolutely can, and Donovan explains exactly why that's still not good enough. The full Photography chapter: why professional photographs make all the difference - plus - the real story behind the "Million Dollar Headshot," and why no amount of Photoshop can save a bad photo.If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: [email protected]. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailClosing out Typography: why using one font family everywhere beats switching things up, the real difference between legibility and readability, and a war story about a legacy font that turned a simple PDF job into a genuine nightmare. Includes the best piece of advice Donovan's father ever gave him.If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: [email protected]. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailTypography episode opens with a hard truth: choosing a font is not a five-minute decision. Donovan breaks down why your logo font is sacrosanct, why more than three fonts turns your brand into a ransom note, and settles the Comic Sans debate once and for all.If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: [email protected]. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailClosing out the Color chapter: how many colors does a brand actually need, and what happens when it goes wrong? Donovan shares two real stories — the "Spouse Trap" that nearly cost a retail giant fifty-six years of brand equity over dinner, and the client who wanted his logo bigger after learning why his color choice physically hurt to look at.If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: [email protected]. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we discuss the emotional and technical process that goes into choosing your Brand Colors. We also discuss what happens when you share a base color with a competitor.If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand, your Colors - reach out to us today with your details to this address: [email protected]. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWhat actually happens when someone gets your brand wrong — a stretched logo, the wrong Pantone, a font nobody approved? Donovan closes out the Brand Manual chapter with why bringing on a new designer without a manual is the single riskiest moment in a brand's life.If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: [email protected]. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWhat actually belongs in a beginner Brand Manual — and what can wait? Donovan lays out the essentials, answers the questions clients ask most (do you need to print it? do you need a dedicated Brand Manager?), and settles the argument once and for all: no, your web developer does not know better without one.If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: [email protected]. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWhat is a Brand Manual, really — and why do so many business owners skip it, only to regret it later? Donovan calls it your brand's Atlas, breaks down the real difference between a Brand Manual and a basic style guide, and makes the case for why even the smallest business can't afford to go without one.If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: [email protected]. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWhich type of logo fits your business, and do you need a designer who specializes in your industry? Donovan also breaks down why he only presents one logo concept — not twenty — and how too many choices ends up creating Frankenstein’s monster. Plus, the real reason a fifty-dollar logo hands you a useless file instead of a usable brand.If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: [email protected]. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailTen episodes in! — What actually makes a logo good? Donovan breaks down the four traits every great logo needs (using Metallica and the Rolling Stones as unlikely brand case studies), then tackles the bonus question every dentist ever has asked him: does your logo need to literally show what you do? Featuring a molar. Wearing a top hat.If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: [email protected]. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWhat does a professionally designed logo actually cost — and why? Donovan makes the case that you're not paying for an afternoon's work, you're paying for the decades it took to know exactly which shape to draw. A real look at what goes into the craft, and why a logo built by the right designer is a wealth-generating asset, not an expense.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailThe last piece of brand strategy before we get specific: what are the actual building blocks of a brand? Then Donovan dives into logo design proper — do you really need a professionally designed logo, and what's the real, hidden cost of using a cheap or temporary one to start? Includes the story of the "interim" logo that outlived its expiration date by two years.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailBrand strategy and the true cost of branding, explained honestly: what does it actually cost to build a brand properly — and what does it cost when you get it wrong? Donovan breaks down real cases (Fendi, Bud Light, Jaguar) on cost and risk, then tackles whether brand value actually pays off when you sell your business.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWhat actually happens in a Brand Audit — and is it just a fancy word for "pay me to tell you what you already know"? Donovan breaks down exactly what gets examined, why skipping this step is one of the most expensive mistakes in rebranding, and when you genuinely need one.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailRefresh or rebrand? Donovan breaks down the real difference with two client stories — one company forced into a full rebrand through no fault of their own, and one that thought they needed surgery but only needed a facelift. Plus: how do you actually know if your brand is working?Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailStartup, refresh, or full rebrand — there's a right time for each, and Donovan breaks down all three so you know exactly which one you're actually facing. Bonus: can you build your own brand, or is it time to call in a professional? The honest answer might sting a little.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail"My business is small — do I really need a brand?" Yes. And Donovan makes the case that small businesses need branding more than the big guys, not less — plus why a genuinely good product still won't sell itself without one. Real examples included.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailYour logo is not your brand. It's the foundation — but the brand is everything built upon it. Donovan unpacks the famous Bezos line about brands being "what people say about you when you're not in the room," and why every color, font, and photo you use is either building that reputation or quietly working against it.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWhat's the actual difference between "branding" and "a brand"? Most business owners use the words interchangeably — and it's costing them. In this opener, Donovan breaks down the split that everything else on this show hangs off, explains what BRAND:NEW is really about, and answers the question nobody wants to ask out loud.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode.BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’.Questions or episode [email protected]