Small business branding
that gets small business.
Dead Simple builds brands and websites that make it easier for you to get noticed, remembered, and chosen by the right people.
Business is complicated. Your brand shouldn't be.
You don't need five competing messages, a hundred pages of guidelines, or a pile of brand stuff nobody knows what to do with. That. Is. Not. Helpful.
You need the right people to quickly understand what you do, see why you're different, and feel confident choosing you.
And you need to know what to say, what to use, and where to use it—without figuring the whole thing out again the next time.
That's what Dead Simple is for.
I find what matters, get rid of what doesn't, and bring your messaging, design, website, and marketing together into one brand that works.
For your customers. And for you.
THE SIMPLE PATH TO BECOMING THE EASY CHOICE
01 Fit Call
A 30-minute call to talk about your business and goals. I’ll share how I work, answer your questions, and give you a few ideas you can use right away.
02 The Distillery
A focused strategy workshop to clarify where you are now, who you’re for, what makes you different, where the opportunities are, and the clearest path forward.
03 Brand Build
This is where everything from The Distillery becomes real: a clear, distinctive brand built to make you easier to choose—and easier for you to use. Scoped to your goals and budget.
Why Dead Simple works.
Easy to get
People quickly understand what you do, who it's for, why you’re different, and why it matters to them.
Hard to forget
A brand with enough clarity and personality to stick with people long after they’ve seen it.
Easy to use
You'll know what to say, what to share, and how to show up consistently, even on your busiest days.
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![Bald man with beard wearing glasses and a dark sweater, looking to the side against a white background.]()
★★★★★
“I'm beyond in love with the brand design and strategy that Brad created for us. Every single time I put something new into the world under this brand, I feel an extra boost of pride. Brad's process, his high bar, and collaborative spirit made sure we pushed it to the upper realms of amazing. You should work with him.”
— Tim Leake, Let’s Lightbulb
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![A smiling woman with light brown hair, wearing a black jacket over a light purple top, against a plain white background.]()
★★★★★
“It was incredible working with Brad to bring our vision to life. He truly listened, digging into our mission, passion, and long-term goals to shape a thoughtful brand identity. Brad made us feel understood and often uncovered ideas we hadn’t articulated yet. We felt creatively supported every step of the way.”
— Shannon Godfrey, The Commons
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![Close-up of a smiling man with glasses, bald head, and a white beard, wearing a colorful checkered shirt, outdoors with greenery in the background.]()
★★★★★
“There are many reasons I keep working with Brad, but the largest one is the fact that Brad doesn't just do what I ask him. He looks past me to develop his own understanding. This creates a collaboration focused on effectiveness.”
— Ed Chambliss, American Memory Loss Foundation -
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★★★★★
“We've worked with Brad for 20 years, and his superpower is capturing the essence of our ventures with clear, clever, and impactful branding. He's fun, wildly creative, articulate, and kind.”
— Will Fendon, Fendon Properties
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![Smiling woman with curly brown hair, sunglasses on her head, wearing a bright blue jacket, outdoors with a wooden steps and green plant in the background.]()
★★★★★
“Oh my goodness I can't say enough good things about Brad and the work he did for us. Brad was passionate about our issue and understood what we were going for immediately. The whole team loves the new identity and is proud to use it.”
— Nancy Hirshberg, The Crossroads Initiative
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![A young woman with long, curly blonde hair smiling, wearing a black top and a necklace, standing in front of a light-colored wooden background.]()
★★★★★
Brad was amazing! He was efficient, receptive to feedback, passionate and has a great aesthetic and ideas. I would highly recommend working with him! We are thrilled with our new branding!
— Kendall Miller, Regenerative Organic Alliance
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★★★★★
“Brad demonstrates an innate ability to distill complexity into focused clarity. One session with him not only saved me hours of banging my head against a wall, but gave my branding the razor-sharp edge one can only get from a consummate creative expert.”
— Matthew Rodriguez, Swarm Consulting
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![Close-up of a young man with dark brown hair, hazel eyes, wearing a blue collared shirt, outdoors with a background of trees and a cloudy sky.]()
★★★★★
“Brad was fantastic to work with. He helped brand Earth Law Center as the world-class organization we are. His efforts led to our best fundraising year ever. Hire him.”
— Grant Wilson, Earth Law Center
I’ve seen branding from both sides.
Hi, I’m Brad. I’ve spent my career building brands, big and small, at top agencies and independent studios. Then my wife and I launched a product that ended up in 5,000 stores, and I learned how hard it is to build a brand while running a business.
That changed my whole approach.
I still think big, but a good brand has to work with your daily reality, not against it.
That’s what I help you build.
Simple Success Stories
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The Commons helps schools reclaim attention from smartphones. They needed a brand that simplified and humanized a complex tech solution.
View Case Study → -
Tim Leake was already facilitating breakthrough moments for high-performing teams. He just needed a brand as clear and impactful as his work.
View Case Study → -
Will Fendon’s Portland-based team didn’t want to be just another polished agency with drone shots and designer suits. They wanted a brand as personal as the neighborhoods they love.
View Case Study →
Wondering if we’re a good fit?
That’s what the call is for. We’ll talk about your business, your goals, and whatever’s getting in the way. I’ll listen, ask questions, and share a few ideas you can use right away. Then we’ll see if it makes sense to work together.
No pressure. No pitch. Promise.
