CHALLENGE: Late Spring of 2022 - (PCC) Phoenix Community Capital, was nearing the sunset of what would become yet another rug pull in the DeFi market. Some individuals connected to PCC decided they were unwilling to watch so many suffer from their losses and were determined to launch a new brand of company that would be poised to stand as a beacon of light in a market rife with bad actors. Armed with only an idea, they engaged me for the following services:
• Brand Concept
• Brand Architecture
• Brand Integration
• Brand Message
• Brand Guide
• Product Branding
• Website Design
• Digital Collateral
• Social Media Strategy
• Social Media Design
SOLUTION: I worked closely with Xeta Capital to craft a comprehensive and cohesive presence to their brand, ensuring every visual and verbal touchpoint reflected their unique vision for the future. In the 2.5 months that followed, I was able to develop a solution tailored to meet their needs in establishing their brand as an emerging, leading presence in the DeFi space.
The collaboration began with being contracted to name their business, their token, their nodes, establishing their design system, and developing a visual and verbal language that would be widely accepted in a space that continues to elevate the most lackluster standards.
BRAND NOTES: The use of the plus sign as a brand mark identifier built into the logo served multiple roles, first - granting a slight 'nod' toward the engagement with the Swiss banking sector. Secondarily, it was designed to hint at the positive experience they desired to deliver in DeFi. Third, it served as a way to tee up a 'quadrant' with the dot in the upper right signifying an 'up and to the right' growth path. Last, it was designed to point to the core desire to give toward Christian missions doing work around the world. ​
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Additionally, the execution of the outer space theme and imaging Seek First developed, would translate beyond their tokenized brand to their NFT brand Uncharted, as well as their NFT service brand, The MOOV and was leveraged to set the brand ecosystem apart in the space.
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From a messaging standpoint, I crafted their leading marketing language, developing their tagline 'The Nexus of Future & Finance' as well as their USP messaging, "The Pioneering Spirit of Decentralized Finance, Combined with The Stability and Strength of Swiss Financial Institutions" which represented their DeFi to TradFi bridge they were creating.
To ensure consistency across each new brand venture, after establishing the core brand concept, I focused on Brand Development, Integration, and Harmonization across the multiple online entities and initiatives they would go on to launch over the following months, from The Uncharted, MicroXÅŒNs, XETA Black, and The MOOV - weaving together the core themes of Xeta Capital’s brand into an interconnected ecosystem of brands.
Additionally, after creating their branded node called the 'XÅŒN', I named their popular referral program 'The Friend XÅŒN', which not only generated profits for XETA, but, much to the delight of their membership base grew their financial positions at an accelerated rate.
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The result was a brand that resonated deeply with stakeholders and supporters alike, drawing commentary that placed XETA as one of the most brand-savvy DeFi projects in the space, allowing XETA to secure 3.4 million during the first 30 days of their presale and to go on to collect over 23 million, which they, in turn, grew to 124 million AUM.
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Following the first six months of brand development, I determined to part ways with XETA Capital, as dissension began to emerge from within the organization that was affecting my ability to perform, and further, evidence began to surface that two key contacts associated with the overseas brokerage XETA was working with, appeared to be involved in activities that were breaching integrity and agreement. While the latter days of my involvement with the team became challenging, being granted opportunities to make choices of integrity always benefits.
Famed psychologist and business coach Henry Cloud wrote the business classic 'Necessary Endings', which contains a little gem of knowledge we now have created a pattern of taking to heart: "Past performance is a good indicator of future performance." Wisdom cries out from the street corners...even those within DeFi. Seek First integrity. Fullness will follow.
