Journey to Legacy Brand and Workbook Design

Start Earning While Building Your Brand

Joanna Klein needed to launch her legacy storytelling program immediately but had no brand identity. We reversed the typical process: I designed program workbooks while she developed content through live classes, then built her brand from what we discovered about her unique methodology.

The custom hand-painted watercolor aesthetic solved a crucial challenge—delivering deeply personal transformation work digitally without losing human connection. When her older audience struggled with PDFs, the flexible system evolved seamlessly to app integration.

The result: immediate revenue, authentic brand positioning built on real program delivery, and a scalable visual system that makes digital work feel intimate.

Workbook Design

We designed this first - she sold the first round of her program in one-on-one calls, without a website. She put her energy and money into developing the first version of the workbook that her program revolved around.

Brand

Website

Deliverables

Workbook Design

Custom Art

Brand Strategy

Brand Identity Design

Website Design

When Content Comes First: Building Brand from the Inside Out

Joanna Klein came to me with an unconventional request and smart business instincts. After her mother's death, she wanted to create a "write your life story" program to help others preserve their legacy—but she needed to start earning revenue immediately. Her approach: skip the typical brand-first process and jump straight into creating the program workbooks that would actually deliver value to students.

The challenge: design comprehensive program materials while Joanna was still developing content through live classes, then build a brand identity that authentically reflected what we discovered about her unique approach to legacy creation.

The Solution: Content-Driven Brand Strategy

I took an immersive, reverse-engineering approach—starting with workbook design to deeply understand her methodology before creating any brand elements. This gave me rare insight into what made her program truly different: the way she used personal storytelling to bridge individual journey with lasting legacy.

The content-first process revealed Joanna's core differentiator: while other coaches focus on goal-setting or healing, she specialized in helping people transform their life experiences into meaningful narratives for future generations.

Armed with this understanding, I created a complete visual ecosystem:

Hand-painted watercolor elements: Custom borders, backgrounds, and frames that complemented her existing artwork, making digital delivery feel intimate and personal
Flexible workbook system: Both printable and fillable PDFs that evolved with her teaching process
Authentic brand identity: Logo and visual system developed through deep content knowledge rather than surface-level questionnaires
Personalized completion ceremonies: Custom journal covers that transformed program graduation into meaningful keepsakes
WordPress website: Professional platform that positioned her as the legacy storytelling expert

The Smart Pivot: From Tech Problems to Tech Solutions

When Joanna's older audience struggled with fillable PDFs, most coaches would have been stuck. Instead, her flexible brand system allowed seamless evolution from in-person workshops to sophisticated app experience—all while maintaining the hand-crafted, personal feel that made the program special.

The watercolor aesthetic solved a crucial problem: how to deliver deeply personal transformation work through digital platforms without losing human connection. Art became the bridge between technological efficiency and emotional intimacy.

The Impact: Revenue First, Brand Equity Second

This unconventional approach delivered both immediate and long-term value:

Immediate monetization through program launch while brand development happened in parallel
Authentic brand foundation built on deep understanding of actual program delivery, not theoretical positioning
Seamless technology evolution from PDFs to app integration without losing visual identity
Scalable system that maintained personal touch while supporting digital growth
Strategic differentiation in the crowded life coaching market through legacy-focused positioning

Beyond Design: Strategic Sequencing

This project proved that sometimes the best brand strategy comes from understanding what you're actually selling before you decide how to sell it. By experiencing Joanna's content development process firsthand—watching her teach, seeing student responses, understanding their struggles—I could create a brand that felt genuinely connected to her methodology rather than generically inspirational.

Getting the audience involved from the beginning created a brand foundation that could evolve authentically because it was built on real user needs, not assumptions.

The result: a complete visual ecosystem that makes digital legacy work feel as intimate as sitting across from Joanna at her kitchen table, while positioning her as the definitive expert in transforming life journey into lasting legacy.

Start Your Brand Legacy

Create a brand that lasts by getting your audience involved from the beginning.

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Brand design, logo design, web design and visual systems

Made with strategic love by Erin Ferree Stratton in San Luis Obispo, CA

Skyrocket your success with a bold and effective brand & website.