COACHING

The Hidden Narrative

Structured Content. Custom Photography. Website Design and Development.

Alison Carroll provides coaching services for senior executives and military leaders transitioning to civilian life and supports high performers in work and life transitions. Through deep conversations and sustainable approaches, she helps people navigate their challenges as a trusted confidant, resource, and thought partner.

She founded her coaching business in 2012, rebranded in 2018, and was ready to pivot again with targeted messaging and a sophisticated visual brand that clearly expressed her holistic and bespoke coaching. She’d offer more to senior professional clients, increase her rates to align with her expertise, and associate her brand with an enduring value proposition.

We created a professional brand identity that looks and feels upscale to enhance Alison’s credibility and build trust in her ideal clients.

First, we reviewed her current digital presence and site and developed a new site plan for the assets we had in hand and what we needed to create.

Content Writing

Before we started designing, brand and copywriter Michelle Mercurio worked directly with Alison to clarify her brand identity and write strong on-page content that tells her story and connects with her audience. We suggested getting client testimonials to establish her reputation and provide social proof of her online services.

Brand Photography

Next was custom brand photography by Julie Monticello, a local professional photographer. Evelyn created a photo guidebook, advised Alison to have clients in the images, gave wardrobe feedback, and attended the photoshoot to assist in the overall shot direction. Post-shoot, we did minor image touch-ups and editing and optimized the images for the web.

Logo Design and Visual Identity

Originally founded in 2012, Alison rebranded her business in 2018 and decided to rebrand again with a sophisticated visual identity that reflects her holistic, bespoke coaching style. The goal was to attract more senior professional clients, elevate her rates in line with her expertise, and position her brand as one of lasting value.

Alison was interested in redesigning her logo. The name of her business was difficult to read, as it was set small and tight underneath the icon. The colors were olive green against a darker gray, and the icon itself wasn’t immediately obvious what it stood for.

We presented three concepts to Alison. The one she chose used an elegant typographic family called Utile. It visually hides the word “hidden” behind the word “narrative” in the business name. “The” is deemphasized in all-caps letters in brown color and tucked above the “N” in a smaller point size. “Hidden” and “Narrative” are in title case in rich terracotta colors that sync with the brand photography, with letters kerned closely and linked in a tight lockup.

The result is a logo that naturally draws the viewer in and encourages a second look. It reflects Alison’s approach of helping clients uncover the underlying stories that shape their growth.

The design feels polished and sophisticated, with a premium, tailored style that mirrors the bespoke nature of her services. At the heart of it is her signature hidden narrative coaching method, subtly woven into the visual identity.

We also created an HN monogram icon based on the full wordmark used as the browser tab icon, so the brand feels cohesive and intentional at every touchpoint.

Website Design and Build

The website features six main pages: home, about, services, FAQs, reviews, and contact. Additional pages include legal pages, a custom 404 page, and a visual style guide.

The website layout is clean and readable. It showcases compelling content and photography effortlessly, guiding users to click the call-to-action buttons. The headings are punchy and pull readers into the copy. Using bold at the beginning of paragraphs makes the text stand out and attracts the reader visually to those parts.

Boxes and linear elements create structure, layers, and a visually appealing layout that subtly symbolizes depth and complexity. Hidden scrolling elements provide visual interest and intrigue as they scroll by, symbolizing movement and change. Big words grab attention and mesh seamlessly into sections, continuing the layered or hidden concept. As a user scrolls down the page, nuanced scroll effects occur: text blocks reveal and photos stick, visually communicating that “hidden stories” will emerge during coaching sessions. Alison will be your guide to work through change together. 

The refined color palette mixes light and dark: white, off-white, a neutral tint of brown, bright and dark terra cotta, charcoal gray, and dark chocolate brown. The colors, paired with the brand typography, an elegantly flared sans serif type family suited for superb legibility and optical balance, produce a modern, warm, and polished feeling.

We redirected old links, connected the domain, embedded the third-party scheduler, set up website legal policies, wrote alt text, created a mailing list, and formatted the site for desktop, tablet and mobile. In addition to the site design and build, we made a Google Business Profile and wrote SEO page titles and descriptions to help with local SEO.

The branding is luxurious and functional. The site is easy to navigate, speaks clearly to its target audience, and motivates them to take action. The rebrand has created a fresh foundation for Alison to market her services confidently and showcase the investment in her coaching process.