I Was Featured on the Women & Wealth Podcast — Here’s the Story Behind The Branding Den
I recently sat down with Regina McCann Hess, CFP® and host of the Women & Wealth Podcast, for a conversation that covered a lot of ground — my career pivot, how I actually approach brand design, building a business while becoming a mom twice in 12 months, and why stepping away from the screen is part of the job.
It was a fun, honest conversation and I’m so glad Regina had me on.
👉 Listen to the full episode here
Here’s a little more behind the story.
It Started With a Layoff and a MacBook
Before The Branding Den existed, I spent about 10 years in-house as a Creative Director and Graphic Designer at a franchise organization with about 350 offices across the US and Canada. I was part of a marketing team focused on creative execution — and honestly, looking back, it was a really valuable time. I developed a deep passion for small business and an obsession with brand consistency.
Then 2020 happened. I was part of a pandemic layoff and genuinely didn’t know what was next.
What happened next surprised me: my phone kept ringing. Old vendors, past clients, people I had relationships with — “Hey, can you make me an email campaign? Can you work on some collateral for me?” And I thought, there is something here worth developing.
So I opened The Branding Den in 2020. It was me and my MacBook. I built my website and my brand overnight and started putting myself out there. No grand plan — just a passion for design and nothing to lose.
Six years later, I’m still here. 🙌
What I Actually Do (And Why Strategy Comes First)
A big part of our conversation was about what brand design really involves — because it’s so much more than picking colors you like.
When I take on a logo project, I always start with a strategic kickoff call. We talk about brand positioning, the story behind the name, competitors, brand voice, and the look and feel before we ever get into visuals. I want to understand your audience, your goals, the foundational elements — and then we start talking color psychology, typography, symbols, and what’s going to resonate with the people you’re trying to reach.
The visual identity has to work for your audience, not just feel good to you.
I also shared something Regina loved: a financial advisor friend of mine whose entire brand and website is built around rock climbing — because that’s his passion. And guess who most of his clients are? Rock climbers. When your brand reflects who you actually are, you attract people you can genuinely connect with. That authenticity bleeds into everything.
The Deliverables (More Than Just a Logo File)
One thing I nerd out about: when a logo project wraps, my clients don’t just get a logo. They get an ecosystem.
I present two to three logo concepts — usually one more symbolic, one more typography-driven — each with its own color palette, working within the mood board direction we established together. After we land on the final direction, clients receive icons, patterns, and a full brand style guide — what I call their brand bible.
This doc has everything: hex codes, fonts, primary and secondary logo variations, and direction on how to use them. So whether you’re working with an outside vendor, dropping things into Canva, or briefing a new team member, you have one source of truth for your brand.
Because one logo is not going to meet all the requirements in today’s digital environment. Consistency across social, website, and print collateral is what builds a recognizable brand.
The Mompreneur Reality — The Honest Version
Regina asked me about the biggest challenge I’ve faced as a professional woman. I didn’t have to think long.
I started The Branding Den about six months before my first daughter was born. Then my second daughter arrived 12 months and 3 weeks later. So I was figuring out how to be a first-time mom, then a mom of two, while simultaneously building and scaling a business — all at once.
There were a lot of nights working after they napped. A lot of odd hours. A lot of figuring it out as I went. But every year I saw growth, and every year the kids got a little older, which made things a little easier. My oldest starts kindergarten in the fall — we’re finally on more of a set schedule, and I actually have business hours now.
It was hard. It still is sometimes. But we got here.
Fueling the Creative Brain
One thing Regina pointed out that I appreciated: I’m actually filling my own cup — and she’s right that it matters.
As a creative, you are not always creative 9 to 5. It’s hard to fit into that exact mold. Sometimes I have to go outside or get away from the desk to rejuvenate. For me that looks like golf in the summer (I picked it up a few years ago and I love it), and teaching yoga locally at REYA in Lafayette Hill and at Villanova University.
And in yoga, we’re always focused on posture — lifting the chin and the heart. Which feels like pretty good advice for all of us spending too many hours looking down at a laptop.
Regina’s call to action at the end of our episode was perfect: lift your chin and look around at what’s out there besides work and the computer. I’ll take it.
Ready to Talk About Your Brand?
If any of this resonated — whether you DIYed your logo to get started, haven’t touched your website in years, or are finally ready to invest in a brand that actually works for your business — I’d love to have that conversation.
📩 abbie@thebrandingden.com
🌐 thebrandingden.com
And go give Regina’s podcast a listen — it’s a great show for professional women building toward something.
👉 Women & Wealth Podcast — The Branding Den Episode
Abbie O’Brien is the Founder and Creative Director of The Branding Den, a boutique brand and website design studio serving founders, agencies, and franchise organizations nationwide. Based in Conshohocken, PA. Certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBENC).