In 2023 we had the honor and pleasure of helping launch 17 different brands, a few of which are summarized below.
We are passionate about brand development because it's one of the most impactful things a business can invest in. Without a strong brand, ROI from marketing dollars and other business investments often suffer. Graphic design and website development were provided in partnership with Madwire, unless otherwise stated. Check them out on our Partners page!
4Q! Coffee Co
Meet New York's newest coffee company with great cawfee and a bad attitude. This brand was especially fun to develop and implement. It's a perfect example of a unique and relatable brand concept that can be strategically executed across all deliverables and mediums for a specific demographic.
This company is equal parts attitude and heart. It's been an easy brand to get behind & be passionate about. Owned by a New York firefighter, they are dedicated to quality products, taking care of their people, and making a difference in their community. We recommend checking out their new roasts coming in January!
Check Out the 4Q! Coffee Website
Other services we have provided, in addition to Brand Development:
- Website planning, copywriting, content creation & optimization
- Social Media consulting + management & post creation
- Merchandise planning & concept creation
- Product packaging planning & content
- Promotional flyer content creation & design
- Product photography planning & shot list
WHAT 4Q COFFEE CO HAD TO SAY ABOUT WORKING WITH RACHEL:
Creating a brand is something you either nail down or miss completely. It identifies your personality, your image, and your message. I have been blessed by the graces of God that my path and Rachels intersected. From the onset, Rachel listened, understood, and completely nailed the vision! From our first conversation, I knew immediately that Rachel “got it.” She “got” the vision of exactly what we wanted to create, where we wanted to go, and just how to get us there.
Successful business is about teamwork and hard work; Rachel most certainly exceeds both of those criteria above and beyond imagination. Whether the conversations are about colors, designs, layouts, organization, products, or anything else, you can be assured Rachel will be there for you with the answer; and if she doesn’t have the answer at that moment, she will do everything in her power to get the answer. The answer that works best for the brand. Not herself, not her company, but YOUR brand.
It has been an absolute pleasure to work and grow with Rachel. The possibilities are endless when you have someone as talented as Rachel LaFollette in your corner and on your brand.
-Scott F, Founder & Chief 4Qer, 4Q! Coffee Co.
Wholly Cow Market
Working with this family was such an honor and pleasure. They are 5th generation ranchers in Kansas, running multiple businesses. They have a ranch, where they raise grass-fed cattle. They also have a restaurant, an eCommerce business where they sell their meats and other products, and two butcher shops. The owners do a phenomenal job of differentiating themselves in the market, which made brand messaging and differentiation a breeze.
Having so many existing businesses under the same umbrella created a fun challenge and opportunity to stitch together their existing branding with the brand I was helping them develop.
Fun fact: the individual in the logo is the owner. A graphic designer from one of our partners, Madwire, created a custom illustration of him to use in the logo. I think it turned out great!
Check Out Wholly Cow Market's Website
One of Orca's partner's, Shannon McTighe Photography, traveled to the ranch in November and took some incredible photos of their products, ranch, restaurant and family.
Other services provided by Orca, in addition to brand development, included:
- Website outline/navigation & home page content
- Product photography planning & shot list
Artisan Bees Honey Company
Partnering with this honey company was a real treat! Family-owned & operated, we had the opportunity to collaborate with the founders, whose son is a 5th-generation beekeeper, from the very inception of the brand. This included helping them choose a name. After extensive research, we landed on Artisan Bees Honey Company.
The color palette was strategically chosen so that this brand stands out on the shelves and online amongst other honey brands. Very colorful & bright, it will provide a nice contrast to competitors, who use primarily yellow, orange, and black. We used a watercolor style of digital graphics to help communicate the artistic nature of their products. We were honored to be their first official customer when we ordered jars of honey to include in our 2023 customer appreciation gifts. We highly recommend trying the flavored creamed honey. (Yum!)
Check Out the Artisan Bees Honey Co Website
Other services we have provided, in addition to Brand Development:
- Website planning, copywriting, content creation & optimization
- Product packaging planning & content
- Promotional flyer content creation & design
- Canva tutorials & brand kit setup
Legacy Graphic Design
We loved this project for several reasons. The client is an old friend Rachel worked with at Hewlett-Packard. He has since retired from HP and put his graphic design skills + love for cars into a new business.
Legacy Graphic Design provides owners of classic collector cars with signage they can display next to each vehicle, featuring the history of the car, its unique make and model, its build, and any other interesting information. These durable and large custom signs can be displayed at car shows or other events. Each sign's design and colors are tailored to the car itself.
The branding needed to resonate with car collectors of all interests, ages, and backgrounds. We also wanted the style of the logo to reflect a classic, retro style without feeling outdated. We worked with a freelance designer who has a good eye for badge-type logos. and think he knocked it out of the park!
Check Out Legacy Graphic Design's Website
Other services we have provided, in addition to Brand Development:
- Website design & content consulting
- Recommendations for leveraging Social Media with this specific demographic
WHAT LEGACY GRAPHIC DESIGN HAD TO SAY ABOUT WORKING WITH RACHEL:
I contacted Rachel due to her unique and extensive experience with brand development. I had also worked with Rachel earlier in her career which gave me confidence in her abilities. Early in Rachel’s career, I recognized her as having a keen ability to effectively communicate products to customers. Rachel is also able to coordinate and drive complex projects to a successful end. All this gave me confidence that Rachel would provide the best consulting in starting my new business.
I knew, going in, that Rachel would be the best but she exceeded my expectations. Rachel quickly understood the target market and demographics of my business. With her calm and patient communication and guidance, she was able to provide my business with a very clear and simplified Value Proposition and Product Differentiators. Rachel also walked me through the selection of brand colors and consistent fonts for message and brand communication. In addition, Rachel led the creation of a logo for my business that, again, far exceeded my expectations.
For anyone starting a business or anyone wanting to refresh their brand for better brand recognition, I provide my highest recommendation for Rachel and Orca Business Consulting. Working with Rachel has been the best decision I have made in starting my new business. Thank you Rachel!!
-Mike D, Business Owner
Tempest Optics
The founders of this business are great examples of entrepreneurs who discovered a need in the market and dedicated their talents and resources to creating a well-developed product to fill that gap. From a branding perspective, it always makes our jobs easier when products are well thought out and thoroughly engineered, creating true differentiators that can be spoken to throughout brand deliverables.
Tempest Optics has a line of innovative anti-fog goggles. They came to us with a brand name but needed help with all other aspects of branding. I had fun creating this very iconic red & grayscale look. It was important to speak to the technical aspects of the product design, which I did in various ways. I also wanted to give sufficient mind share to the safety benefits that anti-fog goggles provide.
I gifted two of these pairs of goggles as Christmas gifts and got back raving reviews!
Check Out the Tempest Optics Website
Other services I have provided, in addition to Brand Development:
- Website outline/navigation & content creation
- Infographic content & planning
Mushroom Depot
This one is an emotional one to write. I started working with these co-founders on branding for this mushroom cultivation & supply kit company in September. I've worked with thousands of businesses throughout my career, and these guys were a dream team. A true pleasure to work with: responsive, smart, decisive, focused, positive and fun. Right before the conclusion of branding, I got a call letting me know that Rob, one of the founders, had been in a tragic car accident and passed away. I was shocked. He left behind several children and grandchildren, as well as a community of friends, colleagues, investors, etc.
I have been thoroughly impressed with how Rob's co-founder and friend has picked up the pieces, been strategic, and moved forward - despite his own grief and all the logistical hurdles that come with a sudden loss. I've supported him however I can, and look forward to continuing to do so in any way possible. The site has yet to go live, but when it does I hope you'll check it out & follow them on social media. This one's for you, Rob.
Coming Soon: Mushroom Depot's Website
Other services we provided, in addition to Brand Development:
- Website outline/navigation & content creation
- Recommendations for leveraging Social Media
WHAT THE MUSHROOM DEPOT HAD TO SAY ABOUT WORKING WITH RACHEL
Creating the branding for The Mushroom Depot with Rachel LaFollette was an extraordinary experience. Her unique blend of professionalism and creativity guided us through the branding process with empathy and innovation. Rachel's consistent support and inspiring ideas were invaluable, especially during challenging times. Her dedication went beyond mere consultancy, offering personal encouragement and strategic direction. Rachel's impact is evident in every facet of our brand, reflecting her exceptional talent and commitment.
Zachary M | Co-founder, The Mushroom Depot
inMotion Acupuncture
inMotion Acupuncture was founded by an experienced massage therapist and acupuncturist who is passionate about helping athletes and other individuals improve their health & performance. We partnered with this client from the very inception of the business, helping them choose a brand name, domain, brand concept and then moving onto other brand elements such as colors, fonts, messaging, brand voice, taglines, etc.
The founder wanted a way to bridge elements of Eastern and Western medicine; traditional medicine and a modern, scientific approach. The logo gives off “Vitruvian Man” vibes, but with a modern color palette.
One unique element of this brand was that the founder was planning to move to a different state and relocate the business within the next year or two. Therefore, much of the research needed to be done for two different states. We love a challenge like this and appreciate the founder trusting us with their business!
Check Out the inMotion Acupuncture Website
Other services we have provided, in addition to Brand Development:
- Website outline/navigation
- Website content creation
- Business Card design
- Canva & Websites 360 Platform tutorials
WHAT INMOTION ACUPUNCTURE HAD TO SAY ABOUT WORKING WITH RACHEL
With regard to branding, I don’t know my head from my tail. However, when I took the first steps to build my new acupuncture practice I wanted to make sure my business name, logo, and website all conveyed a simple, direct, and positive message. Rachel was key in making that happen. She seemed almost endlessly available for questions, troubleshooting, and just a little bit of emotional therapy. Her expertise, patience, kindness, and professionalism are pillars from which she helped to mold the brand that I’m proud to helm.
David W | Founder, inMotion Acupuncture
BTB Wear
Working with this client was fulfilling and fun for an unusual reason. The founder is in his early 20's. At that age, I remember struggling with imposter syndrome and often feeling like I wasn't taken seriously by clients or coworkers (who were usually in their 40's or 50's) because of my age. It was wonderful contributing to a brand founded by someone who not only works hard but has such an admirable brand concept.
BTB Wear is a fitness apparel brand that exists to help motivate and encourage people to be their personal best. An important distinction to the founder was to encourage people to be the best version of themselves, not necessarily THE best, as there can be only one "best" in an industry or activity. It's more motivating to focus on being the best version of yourself that you can be.
CHECK OUT THE BTB WEar WEBSITE
Other services we have provided, in addition to Brand Development:
- Website outline/navigation
- Website content creation
Peachy Clean Services
Working with this father/daughter duo was a lot of fun. This was a brand-new business concept, but they are experienced business owners and have a full understanding of how valuable branding is.
Residential & commercial cleaning services is an interesting and exciting industry to brand for because many geographic areas have a large number of competitors, but many of them don't do a good job of branding or differentiating themselves. So it's relatively easy to differentiate a well-branded company in this space with founders like these who are committed to providing top-quality products and services. I recommended that they add a few other related service categories to their service offerings, such as handyman services, professional organization services, and car detailing services, which they did.
The graphic designer who worked on the logo also designed the website. She did a phenomenal job carrying brand colors and the watercolor paintbrush concept throughout multiple elements of the site. Thanks to her and several others who work for one of our partners, Madwire, for bringing this brand to life!
CHECK OUT THE peachy clean WEBSITE
Other services we provided, in addition to Brand Development:
- Website outline/navigation
- Website page layout & copywriting
- Business card design
Nova Lighting & Electric
This client happens to be local to Colorado, where we are located. He's currently operating in somewhat of a captive market in a small mountain town but is in the process of expanding both locally and into a few other states.
Having strategic conversations around how to best position the brand for more competitive and diverse markets was rewarding.
I loved how focused this founder was on providing multiple levels of value to not only his customers but also the individuals visiting their spaces. During our discovery conversations, he talked a lot about the improved safety of parking structures and parking lots when they're well-lit & all emergency features are updated + regularly tested. Things like well-lit parking structures help visitors feel safe & are proven to reduce crime. It was important from a branding perspective to ensure that voice and intention to improve safety came through in brand messaging.
Coming soon: Nova lighting & electric's WEBSITE
Other services we have provided, in addition to Brand Development:
- Website outline/navigation
- Website content creation
- Marketing strategy
For more information about what branding or brand development services include, visit our Brand Development Services page.
Check out our Partners page, which provides information about two of our partners, Madwire and Shannon McTighe Photography. Madwire provided graphic design and website design for many of these brands. Shannon McTighe provided photography services for Wholly Cow Market.