Walla Walla Wealth & Tax Advisors


Creative Brief

Participants

Andy Block – CPA / Tax Lead
Brian Bruggeman – Wealth-Management Lead
David Mumm – Facilitator


Overview

What would you like us to do for you?
Design and implement a confidence-inspiring brand system that:

  • Signals trust, stability, and professionalism

  • Seamlessly unites tax + wealth services under one identity

  • Equips the firm with every core touch-point (print, digital, swag)

  • Launches a credible website quickly (initial pages within a month)

What is the definition of a success for this project?

  • Team says, “This looks awesome—glad we hired you.” 😆

  • Brand strengthens credibility and never undermines trust.

  • Positive client feedback and referrals.


Projects Include

  • Logo

  • Possibly a refined firm name

  • Business card, letterhead, envelope, greeting card

  • Email signature

  • Swag: hat, jacket, shirt (and future promo items)

  • Website (initial launch then phased build-out)

  • Small-ad templates for sponsorships


Creative Considerations

Limitations or constraints

  • Budget not fixed but quality expectations are high

  • Website needed ASAP

Required elements / colors

  • Prefer trustworthy blues

  • Avoid bright “money green” and any red ink.

  • Aims for “old-money with a little brightness”

Where will additional materials come from?

  • Writing, Photography, and illustration: via David’s network

Examples to reference

  • Andy and Brian will email 3–6 logos/websites they like

Decision-makers and reviewers

  • Final say: Andy Block & Brian Bruggeman

Brand voice

  • Relatable, clear, confident, non-jargony

  • Listens first

  • Tone: professional yet friendly — explain it simply, if needed


Product Description

What are the products or services your business provides?

  • Integrated wealth management (AUM: 1%/0.8%/0.6%)

  • Full-service CPA tax prep and lifetime tax planning

  • Retirement, estate and business-entity planning

  • Proactive strategy — clients don’t have to ask

What makes it different?

  • Rare dual-firm model under one roof

  • Fee-only fiduciary, no commissions or product sales

  • Financial complexity distilled into simplicity

Describe the client experience

  1. Digital intake & onboarding chat

  2. Goal-setting and relatable modeling

  3. Integrated tax and investment strategy

  4. 2–4+ proactive touchpoints yearly

  5. Seamless back-end collaboration


Competition

What makes your business special?

  • Simplicity, savings, and confidence — all in one trusted relationship

Who is your present competition?

  • Baker Boyer

  • Edward Jones

  • Compass

  • Buckley

  • Life Focus

  • Creative Planning

  • Peterson Hastings

Who would you like to be competing with?

  • Peterson Hastings

  • Buckingham

  • Creative Planning

What do your clients or customers say about your competitors?

  • CPA and tax advisor rarely communicate

  • National firms drop balls despite “team of experts”

  • Commissioned advice feels sales-driven

  • Ownership changes breed unease


Target Audience & Market Realities

Who is your current primary audience?

  • Age 50–75, high-income professionals & business owners

  • Household Income $250K+, assets $0.5–5M

  • Delegation-oriented couples

  • Southeast Washington with remote clients nationwide

What are their attitudes toward products or businesses like yours?

  • Aware of the importance, overwhelmed by complexity

  • Wary of sales, seeking trust

What motivates them?

  • Peace of mind, clarity, time savings, and minimized tax

Who do you want your audience to be?

  • Tri-Cities medical, dual-income professionals, Ultra-High-Net-Worth referrals

What do potential clients believe now, and what do you want them to believe?

  • Now: Advice is siloed and reactive

  • After: One firm simplifies everything. “They’ve got my back.”


User Benefits

How will the user be better off?

  • One point of contact

  • Strategic tax savings offsets advisory fee

  • Emotional confidence & clarity

Are there tradeoffs?

  • Premium pricing, but competitive (less than Baker Boyer)

  • Value exceeds cost through planning and peace of mind

Can you describe a before-and-after?

  • Before: Confused, siloed, missed opportunities

  • After: Aligned, proactive, confident


Most Important Point (MIP)

Top three ranked benefits

  1. Integrated tax and wealth advice

  2. Proactive, year-round support

  3. Simplicity and peace of mind

What’s the emotional takeaway?

  • “Relieved and confident — these are my people.”

What is the one MIP?

  • We simplify complexity and proactively guide you to better financial outcomes — all in one trusted relationship.

Naming Exploration

Below are refined brand name options that reflect the firm’s dual specialization in tax strategy and wealth management. Each name was selected for its clarity, memorability, and alignment with your core values: trust, integration, and strategic partnership.

Inaccord

A refined, uncommon word meaning in agreement or harmony. Evokes professionalism, alignment, and thoughtful planning — a name that communicates clarity and collaboration without sounding generic.

Note: inaccord.com is taken by a business management platform. Not your competitor.

Tandem

Suggests partnership, coordination, and forward motion. Ideal for a co-led firm offering integrated services. It’s real, warm, and memorable — a quietly confident name with human resonance.

Note: tandem.com is taken by a tech services company. Not your competitor.

Vero / Vērus / Verity

Each variation draws from the Latin root for truth or authenticity.

  • Vero – short, modern, and elegant.

  • Vērus – classic with a distinctive visual.

  • Verity – a refined English word meaning truth, with a calm and established tone.
    All convey integrity, trust, and transparency — essential qualities in financial services.

Note: vero.com is registered, but not in use. Verus.com is registered, but not in use. Verity.com is registered, but not in use.

High likelihood of domain name availability.

Unify / Union

Both names speak to integration and cohesion.

  • Unify – modern and streamlined, ideal for a firm focused on seamless strategy.

  • Union – bold and grounded, evoking strength, partnership, and reliability.
    Each is clean, real, and brandable, with flexibility across tone and style.

Note: unify.com is taken by a tech services company. Not your competitor. Union.com is registered, but not in use.

Align

Simple, elegant, and intuitive. Align speaks to clarity, purpose, and fitting all financial pieces together. It’s a timeless word that reflects your firm’s goal: bringing tax and wealth strategy into harmony.

Note: align.com is taken by a tech services company. Not your competitor.

Sync

A one-syllable powerhouse. Sync feels fresh, efficient, and modern — ideal for a firm focused on smooth execution and cohesive planning. Strong, tech-adjacent energy with the right balance of clarity and boldness.

Note: sync.com is taken by a tech services company. Not your competitor.

High likelihood of domain name availability.

Trustworks

A crafted compound that combines trust with craftsmanship. Suggests a team that not only earns client confidence but also builds thoughtful, well-designed financial strategies. Friendly, sturdy, and a bit unexpected.

Note: Trustworks.com is taken by a competitor.

Span

Minimal, conceptual, and elegant. Span evokes structure, connection, and broad perspective — perfect for a firm that bridges expertise across disciplines. A quiet, architectural name with room to grow.

Note: span.com is taken by a construction company. Not your competitor.

High likelihood of domain name availability.


Best Second Words

The following terms can be paired with a primary brand name to clarify focus, establish tone, or differentiate in a crowded market. Each option brings a slightly different voice — from clean and modern to classic and professional.

Planning

Clear and focused. Highlights your firm’s strategic role in guiding clients toward long-term goals. Understated and confident.

Collective

Modern and boutique. Suggests a collaborative, team-oriented approach and resonates with values-driven or human-centered brands.

Group

Professional and flexible. A traditional naming structure that lends stability and scale without being overly formal.


Additional Second Word Options

Advisors / Advisory

Descriptive and established. Common in the financial sector; best used when paired with a distinct primary name.

Partners

Signals collaboration and shared leadership. Classic but somewhat conventional; may feel more legal or accounting-adjacent.

Consulting

Professional and direct. Works well if positioning leans toward strategic problem-solving and tax guidance.

Financial

Highly recognizable but often overused. Can be useful for clarity, especially in SEO, but offers little brand distinction.

Strategies

Analytical and structured. Implies planning and expertise, though it can sound corporate if not balanced with a more personable brand name.


Best Detailed Subhead

Integrated Tax + Wealth Planning

A concise and powerful descriptor that clearly communicates your firm’s unique value: the seamless combination of tax expertise and investment strategy. This subhead works across all name options, offering clarity without sounding technical or generic. It pairs especially well with simple, modern brand names, reinforcing the message of unified, expert-led guidance.