BRENTWOOD PARTNERS was founded back in June 2013, on an airplane ride between Baltimore, Maryland and Fayetteville, Arkansas. I was in transition to my new job as Senior Associate Director of Athletics at the University of Arkansas and was inspired by a variety of things going on in my life - a new opportunity in the SEC… re-engaging my first professional love in broadcasting via the launching of the SEC Network, and most of all, a phone conversation with my Mother, Elaine Temple Waddell Adair.
One thing about my Mom, she always encouraged me to be creative, and put me in situations that were incubators for those tendencies to reveal themselves. From beginning drumming lessons at the age of 6, to encouraging me to learn how to use a new computer called a Macintosh, all the way to listening to countless hours of sports broadcasts over the web when I was a young play by play announcer at UNC, UVa and on to Appalachian State and Army.
Back to 2013… and that phone chat. Mom knew that I enjoyed my work in college athletics, but she also knew that I was, and still am, a personality that needs a frenetic pace and a lot of work all around me to make me feel content. I thrive on action, lots of different projects, and the ability to look ahead to what could be and make it happen. As she would say, “I want you in a place where you can use your talents to help people, not be in a place where you are simply keeping the trains running on schedule.”
It was that advice that inspired me to create this company, and to name it after the street when Mom and I lived together, BRENTWOOD DRIVE.
The street sign outside of my boyhood home in “Rootin’ Tootin’ Newton, NC, US of A.
So that’s the genesis of the name, my boyhood street.
What about the logo?
Well, logo 1.0 was done in pure do-it-yourself mode, crafted on my trusty MacBook Pro. It lasted for 6 years, up until the point that I needed “vectorized art”.
The original “do it yourself” logo for our company
If I had been a client of BRENTWOOD PARTNERS, my brand would have been better defined from Day #1, but alas, the owner is sometimes the worst client. Good thing the 2019 owner is a better listener that the 2013 version, meaning I asked for help a few months ago. For our brand I looked to my friend Jeff Costa, Senior Graphic Designer at Shields Design Studio in Orlando, FL. Jeff and I were introduced by a mutual friend, Murray Cohn, who is the nation’s #1 ticketing sales and service expert & team trainer. If there is a YODA in the world of sports ticketing, it’s Murray. He’s also one of the most kind people I have ever known, so he’s what I call a double-word score guy… a great HUMAN and a great PROFESSIONAL. Can’t have too many of these folks in your life, and I’m thankful to have more than my fair share.
When I called Jeff I told him that I needed our logo “cleaned up”, but that I was a start-up with a budget, so I would appreciate his help. He asked when I needed it, and I said, could I get it back in 48 hours? He laughed and said no problem. Again, as I wrote earlier, the owner is sometimes the worst client.
The one thing I really wanted was the color scheme… black and white. Simple. Easy to replicate. You cannot mess up black and white. One of the constants of my career has been branding projects. I have been a part of them at UVa, Appalachian State, Army, Akron, Cincinnati, Towson, Arkansas and Illinois in college athletics, then again with Richmond Raceway/NASCAR and The Orlando Apollos in The AAF. That’s right, with the exception of my first job at UNC, every place I have worked has gone through a branding adjustment, and every place has had to deal with colors. Given the 10 branding endeavors under my belt, I am A OK with Black/White. I love the movie “Any Given Sunday” and the uniforms for the Miami Sharks. With the AAF I lobbied for our name to be the “Orlando Orcas” in tribute to Shamu & Sea World, but mostly because we would have some really cool helmets and it would be - yes, a black & white color palette. I lost that battle, as we became the Apollos (By far the best brand in the AAF via Joe Bosack & Co, one of BP’s strategic alliances) with navy blue and orange… but in this case, I win, as it’s my company. So I have that going for me, which is nice. :0)
Ok, back to our story about BRENTWOOD PARTNERS’ branding… Jeff got back to me within 24 hours, underpromise and way over-delivering, and came up with a branding mark that was clean, balanced, and as it turns out, when I looked at it, the name for the ICON element in the mark immediately popped into my head.
The Edgy B.
The 2.0 logo, as crafted by the incredible Jeff Costa of Orlando, FL
The ICON is the “B” in the black circle. Fun thing from Jeff’s perspective was that if your rotated it 90 degrees to the left, it was an “M”… and if you went the other direction it’s a “W”, so my initials are inclusive in the brand. Fun stuff.
To me, I immediately noticed the sharp edges of the “B”, thus “EDGY B” was born. It speaks to what we will deliver to our clients…
A WINNING EDGE
A CREATIVE EDGE
A STRATEGIC EDGE
A COMMUNICATIONS EDGE
AN IDEATION EDGE
A COMPETITIVE EDGE
A business is NOTHING without GREAT PEOPLE, GREAT PARTNERS, and of course, GREAT IDEAS.
With Brian Hutchinson and Dr. Thaddeus Rivers, I am THANKFUL to have GREAT PEOPLE working with me. If nothing else is ever said about me as a professional, it should be noted that I surround myself with the best people, and always have. I have an eye for talent and a knack for timing/opportunity. BRENTWOOD PARTNERS is strong as a start-up because of these two talented guys.
With our STRATEGIC ALLIANCES, we have a host of great businesses who are trusting us with being a part of their world. Over the coming months I will use this space to tell their stories, but suffice to say, the RELATIONSHIPS over the past 30+ years have helped bring these people into our collective, and BRENTWOOD PARTNERS into theirs. I talk with each of these partners daily, sometimes multiple times a day, and for that I am THANKFUL once again.
As I am writing this I received a call to alert me that BRENTWOOD PARTNERS has landed our first Collegiate Head Coaching Search. That does not happen without our staff working together and being thoughtful in our approach with the prospective client. LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN and then LISTEN again, followed by a carefully crafted custom approach to address our client’s need. Simple. Easy. Exciting.
If you are reading this and have not scheduled an introductory call with BRENTWOOD PARTNERS, please do so today. Text/call me at 804-467-2079 and let’s get something on the books. We are hungry to make a difference for our clients and build RELATIONSHIPS that are mutually beneficial for the long haul.
So go ahead, and reach out… #GoWithBrentwood… You’ll be glad you did!
Until next time…
WAD OUT
PS: Enjoy the slide show of photos from my awesome hometown, located in the heart of Catawba County, in the Great State of North Carolina - Esse Quam Videri - Newton, Where The Heart Is, The City of Opportunity, Home of the Red Devils, Tori Amos, Pauletta Pearson Washington, Ande MacDowell, Little Pigs BBQ, and Stereo 1-2-3, WNNC-AM Radio and the Incredible, Over 60-year Broadcast Presence of “Dave In the Morning” Lingafelt..
