Unlock Your Potential with Brand Strategy & Visual Identity
Finding yourself struggling to make your mark in a crowded marketplace?
Feeling like you’re constantly navigating uncertain waters, unsure of your next move?
Are you tired of guesswork and ready for a strategic approach?
If you’ve been in the entrepreneurial game for years already, struggling to break through the noise… We have something for you.
Hi, I’m Ioana Stepanov, and among many things, I help creative business owners (re)discover and fall in love with their brands.
With 15+ years in business development and a drive to forge meaningful connections, I founded Free the Digital to live a remarkable life, aiming to collaborate with creative minds globally to realize their visions.
After leaving a corporate role in 2019, I ventured into entrepreneurship, evolving from a Virtual Assistant to Digital Strategist & Business Manager. In 2021 I created The Free Team, supporting purpose-driven brands through strategic business management, project management and brand strategy.
Based in Prague but a global wanderer, I balance my work life with tropical beach reads, CrossFit sweats, cat encounters, and music festivals, all in pursuit of a life worth celebrating.
Read on to find out how my team and I support creative business owners imagine and rediscover their brands through a mix of strategy, research and creativity.
Brand Services
Discover & fall in love.
Fortify your business’s market presence with our comprehensive Brand Strategy and Visual Identity services.
We equip you with a researched and insightful brand roadmap and a striking visual identity that resonates with your core values.
Consider us your navigators in the competitive business landscape, offering you a strategic partnership that transforms your brand into a commanding force with a captivating visual narrative.
We understand the unique challenges faced by entrepreneurs. That’s why we offer Brand Services – to take your brand to the next level. No more stagnant sales or uncertain marketing efforts.
Have you heard? It’s time to stand out and attract your ideal clients.
You’ve dedicated years of hard work to your business, reaching a milestone that marks a turning point in your entrepreneurial journey. But as you stand at this pivotal moment, you may find yourself wondering: what’s next? That’s where brand strategy comes into play!
Let’s shed some light on that.
Your brand is the heart of your business, guiding every decision and action you take to fulfill your mission and your business and personal goals.
It’s about understanding who you are, what you stand for, and how you can authentically connect with your audience.
And it’s not just for startups or corporates—it’s essential for all businesses at every stage of their development, but especially when you’re unsure about how, where and with whom to communicate.
Your brand is not just about your business — it’s also about you.
Collaborating with us means embarking on a journey of rediscovery, reconnecting with your brand’s core values, and realigning your long-term vision. It’s about clarifying your mission and understanding how every aspect of your business contributes to its fulfillment.
So, if you’re ready to (re)discover the essence of your brand, recalibrate your vision, and clarify your mission, you’re in the right place.
Let’s make you fall in love with your brand again!
BRAND STRATEGY
discover your brand- Navigate the marketplace with a compass, not a guess. Our Brand Strategy services chart your course to dominance by anchoring your business in data-driven positioning and crystallized messaging. We delve into the depths of market research, surf the waves of competitor analysis, and anchor you in a position that makes waves. With us, your brand strategy isn’t just a plan—it’s your playbook for market mastery.
- What’s included: our 6-P framework: Purpose, Personality, People, Planet, Positioning and Plan – leaving you equipped with tools and actionable items to implement what we build together.
VISUAL IDENTITY
make it pop- Picture your brand’s soul wearing its Sunday best. That’s what our Visual Identity services are all about. From crafting logos that tell your tale to picking palettes that paint your purpose, we stitch your brand’s visual fabric. Our design doctrine marries art with strategy, ensuring your visuals sing in harmony with your brand’s core values and story. Let’s design not just a look, but a legacy.
- What’s included: visual branding (logo, colors, fonts, branding manual, web design elements); social media graphics; newsletters; event promo materials, merchandising, stationery, eBooks, etc.
Portfolio and references available by request.
Our 6P framework
(re)Discover your brand.
We create your Brand Strategy through a mix of strategic sessions and market research, blending critical thinking with psychology and creativity, following a 6-step process:
1. PURPOSE
This pillar defines the reason your brand exists beyond just making money.
Defining your brand’s purpose helps you understand the impact you want to have on the world and your customers.
The purpose should resonate emotionally with your audience and reflect the core values and mission of your company, motivating and aligning all the strategic and operational efforts.
4. PLANET
Reflecting increasing concerns about sustainability, this pillar emphasizes the brand’s commitment to environmental responsibility.
It involves actions and policies that reduce environmental footprints, promote sustainability, avoid greenwashing techniques and address societal issues through responsible business practices.
Brands that successfully integrate this pillar not only help the planet but also connect with consumers who value environmental stewardship.
2. PERSONALITY
This is the set of human characteristics attributed to a brand, which influences how your audience connects with your brand on an emotional level.
Your brand personality might be friendly, professional, innovative, rebellious, caring, etc.
Much like with a human being, the personality of your brand shapes how you and your brand communicate and behave with your clients across all touchpoints (on your website, socials, in-store, etc).
5. POSITIONING
This is about defining how your brand is different from and better than its competitors.
It involves carving out a unique space in the market and in the minds of the consumers that your competitors cannot easily replicate. Even if you are a one-business-person show, what differentiates you from the others may be exactly that: YOU. 🙂
Effective positioning communicates the unique benefits of your brand and aligns with your target audience’s needs and desires.
3. PEOPLE
This pillar focuses on both the internal and external stakeholders of a brand.
Internally, it’s about ensuring that your team understand and embody the brand values, which enhances how they represent the brand both in and outside your virtual or in-person office.
Externally, it involves identifying and understanding your target audience – their needs, preferences, and behaviors – so that you can tailor your messaging and products effectively.
6. PLANNING
This final pillar involves the strategic thinking and operational planning that turns the brand vision into reality.
This includes setting clear brand goals, outlining the strategies to achieve them, and defining the tactics and resources required. We blend our Project Management and Marketing & Communications expertise to provide you with a map.
Planning also involves regularly assessing the brand’s performance against its objectives and making adjustments as needed.
Our 6P framework
(re)Discover your brand.
We create your Brand Strategy through a mix of strategic sessions and market research, blending critical thinking with psychology and creativity, following a 6-step process:
1. PURPOSE
This pillar defines the reason your brand exists beyond just making money.
Defining your brand’s purpose helps you understand the impact you want to have on the world and your customers.
The purpose should resonate emotionally with your audience and reflect the core values and mission of your company, motivating and aligning all the strategic and operational efforts.
2. PERSONALITY
This is the set of human characteristics attributed to a brand, which influences how your audience connects with your brand on an emotional level.
Your brand personality might be friendly, professional, innovative, rebellious, caring, etc.
Much like with a human being, the personality of your brand shapes how you and your brand communicate and behave with your clients across all touchpoints (on your website, socials, in-store, etc).
3. PEOPLE
This pillar focuses on both the internal and external stakeholders of a brand.
Internally, it’s about ensuring that your team understand and embody the brand values, which enhances how they represent the brand both in and outside your virtual or in-person office.
Externally, it involves identifying and understanding your target audience – their needs, preferences, and behaviors – so that you can tailor your messaging and products effectively.
4. PLANET
Reflecting increasing concerns about sustainability, this pillar emphasizes the brand’s commitment to environmental responsibility.
It involves actions and policies that reduce environmental footprints, promote sustainability, avoid greenwashing techniques and address societal issues through responsible business practices.
Brands that successfully integrate this pillar not only help the planet but also connect with consumers who value environmental stewardship.
5. POSITIONING
This is about defining how your brand is different from and better than its competitors.
It involves carving out a unique space in the market and in the minds of the consumers that your competitors cannot easily replicate. Even if you are a one-business-person show, what differentiates you from the others may be exactly that: YOU. 🙂
Effective positioning communicates the unique benefits of your brand and aligns with your target audience’s needs and desires.
6. PLANNING
This final pillar involves the strategic thinking and operational planning that turns the brand vision into reality.
This includes setting clear brand goals, outlining the strategies to achieve them, and defining the tactics and resources required. We blend our Project Management and Marketing & Communications expertise to provide you with a map.
Planning also involves regularly assessing the brand’s performance against its objectives and making adjustments as needed.
People who worked with us said…
“What I loved most about working with Free the Digital was their unparalleled commitment to understanding and elevating our brand’s essence. It was not just their skill set that impressed me; it was their genuine enthusiasm for our vision and their innovative strategies that infused our digital presence with vibrancy and energy.”
Services provided: Brand Strategy, Visual Brand Identity, Dubsado (CRM) set-up and automation, Graphic Design, Project Management, Social Media Management, Content Writing.
I’m Ramona Macovei, the mind behind Nunta La Mare, a bespoke beach wedding planning service on Romania’s coast. Embarking on this path in 2010, I pioneered the concept of beach weddings in Romania.
However, by late 2022, it became clear that our brand required a transformation. Prior to joining forces with Free the Digital, it seemed our brand’s identity required rejuvenation, and our website didn’t fully showcase our rich history or true capabilities.
What I loved most about working with Free the Digital was their unparalleled commitment to understanding and elevating our brand’s essence. It was not just their skill set that impressed me; it was their genuine enthusiasm for our vision and their innovative strategies that infused our digital presence with vibrancy and energy.
From the outset, they engaged deeply with our mission, asking insightful questions and proposing creative solutions that aligned perfectly with our goals. Their team didn’t just work for us; they worked with us, becoming an extension of our brand and breathing new life into every aspect of our digital footprint.
This dynamic partnership revitalized our online identity, making it more reflective of who we are and what we stand for, and ultimately, redefining our connection with our audience.
The makeover we did with our brand and website wasn’t just for looks; it was a smart play that really hit home with our crowd, making what we offer not just cooler but easier to get into.
This win is all thanks to Free the Digital’s awesome planning, out-of-the-box thinking, and spot-on delivery. They nailed turning what we’re all about into something digital that just clicks with people.
Adding to the tangible benefits we’ve experienced, one of the game-changers for our planning process was implementing Dubsado, thanks to Free the Digital’s recommendation. This tool transformed how we manage our projects, streamlining our workflows and communication in ways we didn’t even know were possible.
The automation of routine tasks and the centralized client information system have not only increased our efficiency but have also significantly reduced the manual workload. This efficiency has given me more breathing room to focus on creativity and personalization of our services, rather than getting overwhelmed by administrative tasks.
Our brand finally feels like it’s a true reflection of what we’re all about, giving us some much-needed space to breathe, focus on self-care, and spend time with family, without feeling like we’re letting the business side slide. A huge shoutout goes to Ioana from Free the Digital for this – she was a superstar in setting up Dubsado for us.
Bringing Dubsado into the mix has been a game-changer for how we tackle our planning and projects. It’s made things a whole lot easier, cutting down on the grunt work and keeping everything we need in one neat place.
The best part? It’s given us the chance to focus more on what we love doing, thanks to all the time it saves us from dealing with paperwork and scheduling headaches.
Ioana really knocked it out of the park. She not only suggested we use Dubsado but also took care of all the tricky setup stuff, making it super user-friendly for us. Now, managing projects feels like a breeze, and we’re able to do more without running ourselves ragged.
It’s been awesome for business, sure, but the kicker is how much more downtime we have. It’s pretty sweet to see how the right tools, mixed with some smart advice, can really make life and work a whole lot better.
A cool surprise was how the team didn’t just tackle problems as they came but actually turned them into chances to do something new and creative. Their advice and can-do attitude really helped us step into new areas with a bunch of confidence.
If you’re thinking about teaming up with Free the Digital, here’s my take: Empower your brand with a team that understands your vision, that gets what you’re about and has the know-how to make it shine, even more than you might expect. You will find all of these working with Free The Digital awesome team.
My experience with Free the Digital wasn’t just about hitting targets; it felt more like a journey to uncover what our brand really could be. I’m super thankful for their energy, passion, dedication & commitment, and everything we’ve managed to do together, both the stuff you can measure and the stuff you can’t.
Thank you Ioana & all the awesome people from your team 🤩
But wait, there’s more…
I enjoyed working with Free The Digital for my logo creation, and I couldn’t be happier with the entire experience. From start to finish, the process was smooth, efficient and made me feel valued as a client.
Right from our initial discussions, Free The Digital’s team was dedicated to understanding my vision and translating it into a logo that embodied the heart of my brand.
Their talented designer was not only skilled but also an excellent communicator. She took the time to listen to my ideas and preferences and even offered valuable insights and suggestions to enhance the final design. Their approach made me feel confident that the result would be exceptional.
And exceptional it was! 🙂 The attention to detail, the use of colors, and the overall design were all very on point and in tune with the requirements!
I recommend Free the Digital’s agency services to anyone seeking top-notch design work, exceptional communication, and a team that goes above and beyond to bring your vision to life and place your customer experience at the center of their work.
Thank you, Ioana, Jen, Free The Digital, for exceeding my expectations and delivering a fantastic logo!
I worked with Ioana for the strategy of my brand to create a better presentation of my work and projects to attract the right clients for the services I offer (a piano course for ballet class musicians and several other connected products).
The texts written for my website work very well as they’re connected with my voice, and I would definitely recommend Ioana for the analysis of your brand in a clever and effective way and for copywriting services!
I have a coaching business that I’m now launching and I’m also starting a social enterprise platform. Many fronts I needed to cover.
With Ioana, I really feel I get the help I needed and I trust that she’ll do a great job in less time than if I had to do it. She’s helped me so far doing market research, reaching out to get data I needed, proofreading and document writing (rewrite, translate). She’s a rockstar in all things social media, and I feel very comfortable not having to know more than I need to because she does 🙂
We’ve worked together to redefine the logos and visual identity of my brand and I love the results, basically with no sending back to the drawing board. Very skilled!
I appreciate that she picked up on how I work and our catch-ups are very rich in ideas and exchanges.
It’s funny that before starting our work together, I would have a difficult time imagining that I could delegate a part of my work. I now have experienced the relief of doing that and the complete trust that the work gets done beautifully.
Ready to join them on the journey to brand success?
Let’s explore how our services can provide the clarity and direction you need in order to have a strong action plan at the end of this process.
1, 2, 3 – easy!
Trust the process.
Here’s how it works:
Discovery and Research
We begin with an in-depth discovery phase where we delve into understanding your business, target audience, and market landscape.
Through detailed consultations, competitor analysis, and market research, we gather the insights needed to craft a brand strategy that resonates with your audience and stands out in your industry.
Strategy Development
Based on our research, we develop a comprehensive brand strategy tailored to your unique needs.
This includes defining your brand’s core values, mission, vision, and positioning. We create a strategic framework that guides all brand communications and visual elements, ensuring consistency and alignment with your business goals.
Visual Identity Creation
In the final phase, our talented graphic designer brings the brand strategy to life through a cohesive visual identity. This includes logo design, typography, color palette, and other visual elements that reflect your brand’s essence.
We provide a complete brand guidelines document, empowering you to maintain brand consistency across all touchpoints.
“But, Ioana, how does branding translate into action?”
I’m glad you asked!
You see, a strong brand strategy and visual brand identity lay the foundational cornerstone for any business aiming to make a lasting impression in the digital realm.
These elements are not just about aesthetics; they’re about crafting a narrative and a presence that resonates deeply with your audience. But our services continue beyond there.
Once the foundation is set, we bring your brand to life through a suite of complementary services that translate your brand’s essence into tangible experiences.
Our expertise in graphic design, web design, social media management, copywriting, and content creation acts as the conduit through which your brand speaks, engages, and builds relationships.
These tools transform strangers into a loyal audience, ready to trust, engage, and ultimately become ambassadors of your brand.
Read on to find out how we’re not just building your brand, we’re also helping you ignite a dynamic dialogue with your audience, turning your vision into a living entity that grows, interacts, and thrives in the digital landscape.
Graphic Design
Thinking made visible.
Companies depend on successful marketing efforts to tap into their target audience’s decision-making process.
Great marketing engages people based on the wants, needs, awareness and satisfaction they have about a product, service or brand.
Since people will always find visual content more engaging, graphic design helps organizations promote and communicate more effectively.
MARKETING MATERIALS
quote by request- Postcards and flyers
- Posters, banners and billboards
- Brochures (print and digital)
- Email marketing templates
- Social media ads, banners and graphics
- Merchandising design
- …and more.
WEB DESIGN
quote by request- Creative brief
- Content outline
- Site map
- Wireframes
- Mood boards
- Mockups
- …and more.
People who worked with us said…
I loved the ease of communication with your team. I felt like my project was in expert hands (because it absolutely was!). That peace of mind was instrumental in making this project enjoyable for me from start to finish! I’d recommend Free the Digital for design projects of all kinds.
Ready to hit refresh?
Let's talk and find the best fit for your business!
SERVICES
TRIVIA
🔸 45 clients from 10 industries and 11 countries
🔸 5 years of activity
🔸 8 languages spoken (4 team members)
🔸 54 YEARS OF COMBINED WORK EXPERIENCE
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