Patchwork CPA
Patchwork will always be a special project to me. Both because it was the first project I completed with my own business, Frankly, but also because of the heart that went into the brand.
Matt was a soulful guy from Virginia looking to strike out on his own in the CPA world. He needed a brand that reflected who he was and how he planned to shake up the financial space with genuine connection.
As we learned Matt’s vision for the business, it became clear this brand would need to stand out from the crowd. Matt wasn’t trying to become the New York Yankees of CPA firms; he was trying to invent a new sport.
He mentioned wishing the financial space could return to its heyday. A time when accountants worked in the towns they lived in and had a client list of neighboring businesses. That era ended in the 70s as CPA firms began “optimizing” and “scaling” to maximize bottom lines rather than doing the work as it should be done.
That gave Zac Ecklund and me the idea to build a brand identity rooted in analog tangibility. I did some digging into the history of patchworking, and realized that each country town would have its own design. One of those towns was Matt’s hometown in Virginia, so we took that design and made it one of the centerpieces of the brand’s design.
The accompanying copy was a blast to write. I created the tagline “Hold The Thread” as an empowering statement, calling Matt’s community to take control of their financial futures. I also built out the following brand narrative:
Think of your finances as a quilt. Different materials, fabrics, and moments all come together to form a blanket that keeps you covered when cold temps hit. At Patchwork, we want to do the metaphorical stitching, giving you clear, strong financial advice so youʼre ready for whatever the weather may bring.
When our work was finished, Matt had everything he needed to bring Patchwork into the world in a way that reflects who he is and what he’s about. Today, Patchwork is crushing it as Matt continues to create clear, specific roadmaps toward functional financial futures for his community.
Click here to see the Patchwork CPA brand guide.
