Bankjoy Branding

When I joined Bankjoy, our brand struggled to differentiate itself in the competitive fintech marketplace.

Directly tasked by the CEO, I set out to elevate Bankjoy’s visual identity and storytelling, clearly communicating our core values—trust, innovation, and community engagement—in ways that resonated with our target audience: community banks and credit unions.

The overarching goal was to create a distinctive brand identity, visually and strategically aligned with premier fintech brands like Stripe, positioning Bankjoy as an unmistakable industry leader.

Role & Resources

As Lead Designer and Brand Strategist, I was responsible for the end-to-end creation and execution of Bankjoy’s new branding and visual guidelines. This included competitive research, strategic ideation, creative direction, and comprehensive design execution.

Despite limited resources—as typical of an ambitious startup environment—I collaborated closely with another external designer/developer and received strategic feedback from our Marketing Executive to ensure alignment with the executive team's vision. My role required extensive collaboration, resourceful decision-making, and clear strategic communication to deliver a cohesive, impactful outcome under considerable constraints.

The rebranding successfully positioned Bankjoy prominently within the fintech industry, significantly improving our brand recognition and client engagement across multiple channels. Measurable outcomes included:

• 40% increase in Marketing-Qualified Leads (MQLs) within three months post-launch.
• Acquisition of 6 new major enterprise-level clients following the brand refresh.
• 55% improvement in tradeshow and event engagement, resulting in double the number of scheduled client meetings.
• Enhanced digital engagement, with a 25% decrease in website bounce rates and a 60% increase in average session duration.
• Achieved a 50% increase in Share of Voice, significantly outperforming fintech industry averages.

Lessons Learned & Professional Growth

This flagship branding initiative underscored the power and necessity of strategic clarity and compelling storytelling in visual design. Successfully aligning diverse executive stakeholders taught me invaluable lessons about articulating brand strategy, creatively managing limited resources, and consistently demonstrating design’s tangible business value. The experience further refined my capabilities in strategic leadership, communication, and design direction, reinforcing the critical role of cohesive, thoughtful branding in achieving significant business outcomes.

"Love the designs. You've really taken our branding to the next level. I remember when I was interviewing you I said I wanted our brand to be as distinctive and aesthetically on par with Stripe, and you've done it." — Mike Duncan, Bankjoy CEO