What is a Bold Business?

Author

Olivia Wisden
October 14, 2024

When people ask us what kinds of businesses we work with, we’ve recently started to keep it short and sweet. We work with bold businesses.

But what the heck does that actually mean?

A bold business is one that aims to take a stand, to stand out, to push against the current norms and expectations. It is unburdened by what has been. 

And this can take form in an infinite number of ways.

For some, this means a robust use of colors, leaning into a strong visual identity, essentially wearing a flag that says “LOOK AT ME!” And we love, and specialize, in designing these kinds of visual identities. Finding new and innovative color palettes, incorporating illustration in unexpected ways. Creating a visual identity that feels like a blend of art and design. 

For others, it means taking a stand against the way things in their industry have historically been done. It’s having a strong point of view and a business model that supports a new way of operating. Maybe the visual identity doesn’t contain nearly offensive colors or highly stylized fonts, but the team lives and bleeds the mission. 

Patagonia’s 2011 Black Friday campaign “Don’t Buy This Jacket” is a perfect example of this idea. Does their visual identity or product line scream bold? I’d say considering the fact they’ve become the go-to brand for backpackers and silicon valley dudes alike, probably not. But it’s hard to claim the brand whose CEO wrote the book “Let my people go surfing” isn’t bold.

The main through line for bold businesses is seeing the world as it currently is and thinking “We can do this differently. We NEED to do this differently because the current standards are not good enough.”

And these are the businesses that we work with. 

TLC Brand Bites: Small ways to implement boldness into your business.

  • Take a hard look at your systems and processes. What of those are there because it’s just standard?

  • Bring in more colors into your brand.

  • Implement a 4 day work week.

  • Share your industry ‘hot takes’ on your website.

  • Post your pricing.

  • Look at your mission / vision / values — are you living up to them?

  • Update your visual identity to wear your boldness on your proverbial sleeves.

  • Take public stances. What initiatives or organizations are important to you and your team?

  • Share the hard shit.

Final Thoughts

Being a bold business ultimately comes down to intentionality. Do you know why your business exists and for whom? Are you taking the time to ensure that you’re caring for your team, your employees, your customers, the world?

If you’re doing all of that consistently (or at least putting in real effort to be consistent) then congratulations, you are a bold business.

Up next?

We are going to dive into each step of the Brand Design process, starting with Research & Discovery 💃 

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