Allison Usavage
Q What do you do?
“I uncover clients’ rooted sense of self and translate that into creative direction and concrete deliverable specs so my partner can design an amazing brand.”
Our goal as a branding studio isn’t just to make beautiful stuff (though we love doing that, of course)... it’s to use branding & design to take our client’s business to the next level.
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
I spent a decade as a creative multitasker… juggling different facets of my career as a photographer, creative producer, project manager, marketing specialist, and brand strategist. Then I had some babies, which (obviously) rocked my world and put everything in perspective. My husband and I agreed that if we were going to be paying for childcare and handing off our kids to someone else every day, we better be spending that time doing something we really love for clients who we think are really awesome. Hence, the birth of our branding studio.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
We only work on one major project at a time. That’s kind of a big deal. We go all in, 100%, on one branding project, giving it our full attention, energy, and creative power. That also means we can finish a project much faster than many other studios.
I’m also really proud of the fact that because we have diverse experience in creative production and strategy land, we can recommend branded deliverables that the client didn’t even think of that can really have an impact. In addition to a badass logo and visual identity system, we regularly deliver fast and nimble websites, standout packaging, and fun branded swag. And we always wrap up the project by delivering a *very* thorough brand guide and trainings.
Q What are you working on right now?
Cheese! We’re just wrapping up a project for an amazing, down-to-earth small cheese producer in Upstate New York and holy cow (no pun intended), was it one of our favorites. Not only did we get to eat some great cheese and design some fun packaging, but working with Suzie & Peter Jones was a dream come true in terms of values alignment. I love elevating local food systems and supporting more sustainable, regional economies. Suzie & Peter are farmers helping farmers, disrupting the status quo of the federally regulated dairy industry that’s completely unsustainable for small family farms.
Q What’s your style?
As a brand strategist, my mantra is “honest & simple”. When I’m working with a client to clarify their brand’s goals and foundational tenets, that’s what we always return to. As a studio, the work that we produce tends to focus on simple, clean geometry and vibrant palettes, but our style is dictated by our clients’ needs and their target audiences, first and foremost. You can check out the diversity of our work at projects.relays.team.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
My favorite part of a project is conceptualizing and scoping fun and unexpected deliverables that really fulfill a business goal for our clients. So I guess that means ideation, but it requires a ton of in-depth discovery and building strong and trusting relationships. So I’ll go back on my original answer and say… building relationships. Making friends. And making space for that friendship to lead to a creative spark.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
Marketing our studio. Cold outreach. Social media. Ugh! It feels icky & pushy sometimes. But if I reframe it as an honest and open broadcast to a bunch of friends, it helps me get through it.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
Ideate with me to build a marketing plan. I don’t necessarily want someone to do it for me, but I just need someone to brainstorm with me and hold me accountable about following through.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
It’s OK to change your mind and pivot professionally. Evolving is a good thing.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
I’m doing a bit of this already, but I want to learn more about the industries we are aiming to niche down into. So I’d love to connect with someone who is an expert at the intersection of resilient local economies and sustainable food systems with a dash of climate change expertise who is willing to help us evolve our studio for that sector.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
Ground-up branding (or re-branding) projects. We don’t do piecemeal… we help our clients invent their outward-facing persona with a rooted brand strategy, impactful logo & visual identity system, and implementation across a range of deliverables from packaging to website and everything in between.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
What makes a client a really good fit for us is that they’re looking to solve a problem, not just make something look good. When we start with crystal-clear business goals and a well-articulated account of the target audience groups we’re able to deliver something that really has impact.
We also prefer small, nimble stakeholder groups, but who doesn’t? 😏 We’ve rocked some projects with more complex stakeholder groups (democratic leadership committees, NFP boards, etc) but when we’re able to regularly connect with the decision makers and build strong relationships on a personal level, we can be much more efficient and effective with our time.
Q What is your rate?
Branding projects with Relays (relays.team) range from $20-50k. I also offer a few fixed-scope consulting opportunities starting at $250 to help early-stage founders start thinking about what brand means for their company’s growth.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Shoot me an email! allison@relays.team. Whether or not you have a specific project scope in mind, I’m always happy to talk about your biz goals and how a thorough and thoughtful branding process can help make it all happen.
Q Who is a creative you admire?
- Lauren DeCicca captures gorgeous and emotionally moving images that remind me that there are so many different realities on this earth, and that every one is unique. She’s a photojournalist based in Bangkok.
- My friend and former coworker Leandro Casteleo is an amazing designer. He taught me a lot about managing projects while respecting and elevating other creatives’ unique processes.
- Shiela Chen painted a perfect portrait of our dog.
- And of course, my husband Ty Finck is the other half of Relays. But he also has his personal design practice @tyfromtheinternet , creating fonts and selling gorgeous prints, and his musical persona, Adventureson.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Put down my phone and watch my kids. They are little creative powerhouses.
This member profile was originally published in February 2023.