How I convinced skeptical partners to rebrand a fintech — and why they had to

The company had a solid product: a payment tool for managing collaborations between brands, agencies, and influencers. The problem was that their visual identity made every ad and social post look like a scam. In an industry where credibility is everything, the brand was actively hurting the business.

Nobody inside the company had identified this as a problem until I joined. Within two months as a junior UX/UI designer, I built the case and convinced the partners to explore a rebrand — despite significant initial resistance.

I led a team of two design interns over three months. We researched fintech competitors, developed three distinct concepts, and I presented them with a narrative focused on business impact, not just aesthetics.

The first proposals were rejected as "too bold." But the presentation did land — it convinced the partners that the current identity was a real problem. We were given one week to come back with a new proposal: same starting point, different destination. That final version was the strongest of all.

Key takeaway: aim higher than you think they'll accept. Feedback always brings you down.

Full visual system overhaul: scalable logo in four versions (horizontal, vertical, square, circular), web-safe color palette with defined usage percentages, typography reduced from 6–7 inconsistent fonts to 2, and a resource library for marketing. Social media and website reputation improved noticeably. The partners, who had resisted any change at the start, ended up congratulating the team.

I identified the problem, built the business case, led the team, drove the process end-to-end, and created the brand guidelines and all implementation assets. I also crafted the presentation narrative — and learned that without a good story, even gold goes unnoticed.

About stakeholder management:

• Compelling storytelling gets buy-in where good ideas alone don't.
• Aim higher than expected acceptance — feedback always brings you down.

About the process:

• I over-polished early sketches fearing dismissal. I'd now trust the iterative process more.

About myself:

• I identify problems others overlook and advocate for change despite resistance.
• Rejection stings but I consistently bounce back with stronger ideas.
• I'm capable of leadership and persuasive communication when prepared.