“Rebranding can be most challenging because you’re asking the target market to forget everything they already know about the business, but through our process we find a solution. I enjoy the process—taking an idea that someone maybe thinks is impossible and sitting down with them to make it happen. We start with the basics to learn as much as we can about our client and understand the brand, but there’s always a challenge at hand. Collaboration is the really fun part because everyone’s input is important. As an ‘art kid,’ I didn’t know where I would end up, but I enjoy what I do every day.” ­Ross Cometti, creative director / co-founder, Commit Marketing

“The best way to start is to get to know the personal stories behind the company and client. We try to base everything around these personal stories because those are the most compelling. We have a very diverse group of clients, so the real challenge is not necessarily with one particular project, but getting entrenched enough in the organization to share focus. I love when we can bring clients together because I think that not only gives them a better bang for their buck but it also creates a better community in general. The people I work with are amazing and we always have fun. If you’re not having fun, it’s not worth it.” Candice McElyea, president, 360 Degrees PR

“We look at brand building as developing a relationship between the inanimate object, the product or the service, and the audience. It’s about understanding what drives that relationship, how you introduce emotion into that relationship and then how you execute that across a variety of mediums. The hardest thing is that everyone knows what they do, but few companies know why they do it. You have to be really inquisitive and get to that ‘why?’ That means doing your research and understanding the environment the brand’s going to be operating in. But I enjoy that each client brings a different challenge and I don’t have to work on the same thing day-in and day-out.” Sam Stern, partner and chief strategist, CAP Brand Marketing

“Branding is all about identity and how you communicate it. The first thing I let the client know is that this is a process of self-discovery and they’re able to engage in the creative process. The creative process means taking risks, taking challenges and actually being surprised. Before we even begin to talk nuts and bolts, we talk about the process. The bottom line is discovering who they are and then communicating that very clearly to the world. Working with clients who want to be all things for all people is the most challenging. First, discover how you stand out from the crowd, later on if you want to build the audience we can do that together.” Su Byron, president, Su Byron Enterprises

“The focal point of all branding is the identity and that is where the simplicity has to start. I tend to work with a broad brush; I do a lot of ideas very quickly. Then I take the final concept and it has to be edited down to its simplest element. If I can’t do that then there’s too much in there. It’s easy to overwork a logo, just as easy as it is to overwork a painting. True artists know when to stop and they don’t put the brush down ever again. It’s a very hard thing to do, but it comes from years and years of experience. It’s the ability to simplify things and leave them simplified.” Steve Boris, vice president of branding and design, boostDFM

“Most people think of branding as, ‘Here’s a logo and here’s my company and this is what it does,’ but maintaining that across regions and continents is complicated. We try to develop a partnership with them so as they grow, we grow, and everyone continues to help each other. I like the ones that are the most challenging and don’t have a clear answer. We take on a lot of start-ups because you get in on the ground floor and it’s awesome to create something from the very bottom all the way up into a real operating company. We have that power, to help entrepreneurs realize their dreams, and when it happens, you can’t beat the feeling.” Melissa Link, brand manager, Brand 1111