your brand is beige
Christian Ray Flores here,
There’s snow outside my window—a rare sight in Austin, TX, and apparently everywhere else across the U.S. right now. Here’s something you should know about me: most people assume that because I spent 20 years in Russia, I’m thrilled about this. Plot twist: I’m not. I’ve solemnly vowed to never again live anywhere that requires an ice scraper as standard car equipment. I can visit the white stuff for a few days, snap some photos, build a questionable snowman, and call it good—that’s the extent of my cold-weather tolerance.
If you’re in the path of this massive winter storm, stay safe, stay warm, and enjoy the cozy trifecta: your home, your fireplace, and the presence of your loved ones.
heads up
For the next couple of weeks, I’ll only be posting on Sundays. I think you’ll find the temporary disruption worth it. I’m working on a couple of deep-dive video episodes that are taking about five times longer to develop and produce than usual. They’ll be coming out soon, and they’ll be by far the richest, most valuable solo episodes I’ve created so far.
Translation: I’m geeking out hard on these, and I can’t wait to share them with you.
your brand is beige
You have a reputation. For better or worse, people judge books by their covers—and they judge you by your brand before they know what you’re about.
Here’s the thing: what you offer might be pure gold. Your expertise, your mission, your team’s unique approach—it could be exactly what someone needs. But if your brand doesn’t stop them mid-scroll, they’ve already moved on to the next thing. They never got past the cover.
I’ve felt this with Xponential for a while. Our logo was beautiful and clean, but it was missing something. I wanted it to capture in one symbol the power hidden inside every person to have exponential impact. That’s what we’re actually about—not just clean professionalism, but unleashing something massive.
Let me unpack the 3 reasons why visuals and messaging matter - a lot.
But first, here’s the evolution of my logo to illustrate what I’m about to tell you.
Old Logo
Evolution
New Logo
In a way, what other people like doesn’t matter as much as what I like, there will always be as many opinions as there are people. Here’s why my connection to my branding eventually translates to the right people caring:
Everything about you, your team, and your organization is specific, unique, valuable.
Tolerating brand visuals and messaging that don’t make that shine through is like having a closet full of beige clothes—zero personality, zero distinction.
And look, your friends who already know you won’t care what you wear. But everyone else? They’re absolutely judging the book by the cover before they read it. That’s not shallow—that’s human.
A strong brand isn’t vanity. It’s the difference between someone pausing to learn more or scrolling past without a second thought. It’s worth the creative investigation to get it right—the same way you’d put forethought into what you wear to a moment that matters.
Your brand speaks first. Before anyone reads a word, colors, shapes, and imagery hit them at a gut level. That instant impression sets the tone for everything that follows.
You and your team have to live with it. It’s on every page, post, presentation, and email. If it doesn’t reflect the distinct personality and values behind the work, that disconnect shows.
Strong branding creates velocity. When you’re instantly recognizable, you stop reintroducing yourself. You become memorable, referrable, undeniable. That compounds fast—in revenue, reach, and mission impact.
If there’s a gap between who you are and how you show up—if your brand feels like those beige clothes instead of the vibrant, distinct work you’re actually doing—reply with Rebrand and tell me about your organization.
My team and I may be able to help you close that gap.