Audit the business before design
Before we design anything, we want the current business stated plainly: how many stores, whether the unit model works, average ticket and repeat rate, which customers contribute most, which products actually sell. The first step of a full project is putting these facts on the table, not looking at logos and colours. In most redo projects we take over, the problem is not visual — the company has not done its own numbers. The more concrete the material, the fewer rounds positioning and design need.
The decision-maker must be in the room
A full brand project changes names, language, visuals and stores, and touches several departments. You need one person who can decide; others can join the discussion but should not hold a parallel veto. Most delays we see are not slow design but internal opinions running side by side, with every review starting from alignment again. Confirm in advance who signs off, who attends and how often you meet — that is worth more than two extra rounds of proposals.
Set budget and timeline boundaries first
The budget does not have to be the lowest from day one, but it needs an acceptable range so the work can be delivered within cost. Leave time for internal digestion: one round of discussion for positioning, one round of feedback for visuals, and construction and sampling for stores. Treating budget and timeline as project boundaries rather than last-minute variables is what lets a project finish on time.
Bring your existing materials
Bring the current VI manual, old packaging, store photos, franchise policy, competitor screenshots and customer reviews to the first meeting. They look scattered but let us judge quickly what is an asset and what is baggage. Many companies prefer to hear the proposal first and supply material later, then spend two weeks guessing. Coming with real material in the first conversation often saves half a month of back and forth.
