Lawrence & Co — Creating a clearer brand system for a coaching agency
Lawrence & Co (L&Co) is a coaching agency working with entrepreneurial and mid-market businesses, known for a direct, no-nonsense approach to growth strategy. The aim of the project was to refresh the identity so the brand looked as clear and confident as the business sounded.
Client: Lawrence & Co (L&Co)
Role: Lead Visual Designer
Deliverables: Logo redesign, brand system, visual guidelines, marketing asset templates.
Brief
Refresh the identity of Lawrence & Co. to better reflect its direct, no-nonsense approach to business strategy while creating a practical brand system for everyday use.
Objective
Build a practical design system that internal teams could use consistently.
Create a confident identity that reflected L&Co's straightforward approach.
Translate the company's guiding principles into a visual language across digital and print.
Reduce visual complexity while strengthening brand recognition.
Challenge
Lawrence & Co.'s previous identity didn't reflect the clarity or confidence of the business itself. While the consultancy was known for its straightforward approach to growth strategy, the visual identity lacked the same sense of focus and consistency.
The challenge wasn't simply to redesign the brand. It was to translate the company's philosophy of "Growth Simplified" into a visual system that felt confident, practical and intentionally uncomplicated. Every element needed to communicate authority without unnecessary decoration while remaining flexible enough for everyday business communication.
Understanding the Brand Voice
Early conversations revealed that the company's philosophy extended far beyond its tagline. Phrases like "Growth Simplified" and "Simple. Impactful. No BS. No fluff." became the creative principles that guided every design decision.
Rather than beginning with visual styles, I explored how those principles could be expressed through structure, typography and hierarchy. Two distinct directions were developed, each reflecting simplicity and confidence in different ways.
One direction leaned towards a more corporate expression with strong hierarchy and structured layouts. The second explored higher contrast, bolder typography and greater visual restraint.
Following review, (route one) the more structured direction was selected, providing the strongest balance of authority, clarity and everyday usability.
Logo Exploration
The logo exploration focused on expressing confidence through simplicity. Rather than creating a distinctive symbol for its own sake, each iteration removed unnecessary detail until the identity felt direct, recognisable and easy to apply across different contexts.
The final mark uses a structured form that subtly references direction and momentum, reinforcing the idea of Growth Simplified without becoming overly literal.
Brand System Development
Once the logo was established, I developed a practical identity system designed for everyday use. Colour, typography, spacing and supporting graphic elements were all built around the same principles of clarity and simplicity.
Rather than creating rigid guidelines, the system was designed to help internal teams produce professional, consistent materials quickly without requiring ongoing design support.
Marketing & Collateral
The identity was rolled out across key business communications, including pitch decks, proposals, white papers and social assets.
Each application followed the same principles of clarity, hierarchy and restraint, allowing the consultancy to communicate confidently without relying on unnecessary visual complexity.
The refreshed identity gave Lawrence & Co. a clearer, more confident visual presence that better reflected the consultancy's strategic approach.
More importantly, the practical design system made it easier for internal teams to create consistent communications across presentations, proposals, social content and client materials without unnecessary design complexity.
Rather than simply modernising the visuals, the project aligned the company's visual identity with its guiding philosophy, creating a brand that felt as clear and direct as the advice it delivered.
Outcome & Impact
This project reinforced that simplicity isn't about removing elements, it's about removing distractions. When every design decision is guided by a clear idea, the result feels more confident, more useful and ultimately more memorable.
Reflection
“We have worked with Josh on several projects & he always brings great work, ideas & collaboration. I would not hesitate to recommend Josh to anyone looking for a great designer. He’s fantastic”