Why We Made Ourselves Our Biggest Client

Last year, we spent over 15% of our time working on our own brand. That’s a hefty chunk—more than we dedicated to any single client. At first, it felt like a luxury. But looking back, it was one of the best investments we made.

Why? Because when we took our own brand seriously, others did too.

The Rise of Internal Branding

More and more businesses are treating their internal brands as a priority. A recent article in Design Week highlighted how companies are investing in their own identities—not just for marketing, but for employee engagement, culture, and long-term business strategy.

For us, this shift was clear: if we wanted to help clients build great brands, we had to lead by example.

What We Focused On

Instead of just tweaking our logo or refreshing our website (we’re designers, we’d do that anyway), we focused on:
  • Messaging – Getting clearer on how we talk about what we do
  • Social Presence – Being more active and engaging online
  • Employee Engagement – Making sure the team feels connected to our brand
  • Culture – Creating an environment where people genuinely enjoy working

The Results (AKA, Was It Worth It?)

💡Spoiler: It was.
  • Inbound leads increased in Q4 2024 and Q1 2025
  • Prospects engaged with us faster because everything felt more cohesive
  • Team morale stayed high, and that positivity carried into our client work

The Challenges

Was it easy? Absolutely not.
  • Client demands always took priority
  • Time constraints made it difficult to justify internal projects
  • Deciding where to focus felt overwhelming—should we redo the website? Fix our pitch deck? Post more?
But once we committed, we saw the difference.

Why More Businesses Should Do This

Branding isn’t just about selling to customers. It’s about creating an identity that resonates internally and externally. If your business doesn’t feel cohesive—if your brand feels like an afterthought—people notice.
So here’s a thought: if your company was your biggest client, would you be happy with the attention you’re giving it?
If not, it might be time to invest in your own brand.