What’s your story? It’s easy to answer as an individual: you can introduce yourself, say where you’re from, what you like to do, where you work and pretty soon you’re weaving a narrative. It’s the same for businesses. But when you’re just starting out, that story can be hard to define and convey.
At 2A, we’re experts at storytelling for business. Stories anchor all that we do. Whether we’re crafting key messaging, designing logos or refining a brand, we make sure everything connects to a cohesive narrative that’s understood across audiences. In the case of Concentric Impact, we came in at the beginning and helped shape its unique story.
Jeff Kinney came to us seeking branding for his nascent sustainability accounting business. Jeff has a background in green building and transportation planning. While getting his MBA at Foster, he noticed small homebuilding companies were often overwhelmed by the full range of green building certifications. He decided to start a consulting company to provide sustainability management and reporting for small- and medium-sized businesses.
With a solid concept, Jeff came to 2A to get help with a company name, tagline, identity, design and messaging. The first step was for Jeff and our team to think through target audiences, potential clients and a go-to-market strategy. This exercise helped Jeff narrow down what consulting services he wanted to offer.
Next came messaging. “Sustainability accounting” was a good place to start—both words are easily understood, though they’re not typically paired. But both have their own connotations as well. Jeff wanted to make sure “sustainability” conveyed efficiency more than idealism. This phrase—and Jeff’s interpretation—became the foundation for our story.
From there, we built on this concept to construct a messaging guide and a company identity. We wanted his company name and logo to reflect ideals like efficiency, reporting and business rigor, and still convey sustainability accounting. Through brainstorming sessions, multiple meetings and ongoing collaboration, Jeff chose Concentric Impact and we created a simple yet memorable logo to match. The logo features the business name and the design is evocative of the efficiency of concentric circles.
Concentric Impact: Sustainability Accounting for Growth
In the end, we equipped Jeff with a messaging guide that communicates his company’s core benefits. It’s a living document that Jeff can test and refine as the story of Concentric Impact evolves.
What’s the story behind your business? Need help finding the right words and building an identity? Get in touch!