Brand Identity From The Ground Up

Embarking on a new creative journey is always exhilarating, especially when it’s a project close to your heart. With experience in design, illustration, and digital marketing across several technical industries, I’ve tackled a variety of challenges over the years. But now, I’m stepping into a new realm: helping to create a brand identity for a software automation tool designed by my husband.

Janpreet has spent the evenings the last few months toiling away in his GitHub repository while the gentle glow of office reruns wash over us in bed.  Eventually I became curious - what are you actually creating?  What problem are you trying to solve?  After many late night whiteboarding sessions (with an actual physical whiteboard), he was able to fully describe to me, a non-software engineer, what his brainchild automation tool actually did.

There was a niche need for a tool that could communicate between Ansible and Terraform from a single file, instead of needing to manually switch between the two platforms.  While this seems like just a small, specific time saver - thinking about the problem on a larger scale meant this could also be a solution on a larger scale.  This is where we decided to make this a joint effort and combine our software and design backgrounds to begin developing Kado as a team.

This project is unique because it offers me something I’ve rarely had—complete creative control. The possibilities are endless, and the chance to shape the visual and conceptual narrative from the ground up is both thrilling and daunting. However, as I dive into this venture, I’m realizing that there’s a lot to relearn.  I find myself a student again, with a screen full of tutorial tabs open, finding out who the new industry leaders are and where to find the most up-to-date learning modules.

Design tools and best practices have evolved, and while my past experiences provide a strong foundation, creating a successful brand identity in today’s landscape requires fresh insights and new skills. I’m finding myself back at square one, researching the latest trends, exploring new tools, and developing strategies that will help us build a brand that truly resonates with our target audience.  

This journey is more than just a professional challenge; it’s a personal adventure. Collaborating with my husband on a project we both believe in adds an extra layer of meaning to every design decision I make. While the path ahead may be filled with learning curves, the opportunity to create something meaningful from scratch is a dream come true. Here’s to building a brand that reflects our shared vision and creativity - and figuring out how to trace a shape on Figma.