Nico Ruffini —
Brand Advisory &
Creative Direction

Books are closed /
Open 04-01-25

Nico operates an independent strategy and creative studio, helping brands in a wide range of industries move people, revenue and culture forward.

Recent Adventures

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Co-founding in construction

In 2024 I co-founded a commercial insulation brand called Airworks to serve an overlooked niche. We identified a need for speciality insulation services for sheet metal companies through challenges we faced at DevonWest (see below). Then we took instant and massive action to capitalize on it. My pre-launch work included PMF testing, research, whole company brand strategy, designing brand identity and visual language, setting up the business, hiring our first employees and leasing office space. An all-out sprint to the starting line! The business was profitable within 2 weeks of launch, and continues to grow. I lead daily estimating and general management.

General management

In June 2024 I took an engagement as General Manager with DevonWest Sheet Metal, a client whose brand I'd helped plan, design and launch 3 years earlier. The company had grown by strides, but was in need of operational rigour, systems, and steady leadership in areas of brand management, ops, recruiting and finance. Which is what I'm currently providing. We doubled revenue in 2024 and are pushing to do so again in '25

More projects →

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Brand Genesis teaches you how to take your brand from zero to one with stand out brand strategy. 240 page. 40 lessons. 20 exercises. Free.

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Stuck in areas of brand strategy, design, positioning or creative? Book a 1:1 call with me to work through your ideas and create an actionable plan to move forward.

1:1 Brand Clarity Call

90 mins. $300. Perfect for creative insight, product and brand solutions, strategy sprints, or rapid idea generation.

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Testimonials

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Don't take my word for it

DAKOTA ROBERTSON, FOUNDER @ GROWTH GHOST

"Before working with Nico, I didn't have a clear direction to my brand. It didn't have a consistent feel and look. When I hired him I initially thought okay, I'm gonna get a logo and some typography, but he absolutely blew my expectations out of the water with what he delivered… we delved deep into strategy and the meaning behind my brand and vision... I highly recommend working with nico. He is absolutely top notch, so if you actually want to build a brand and not just a following, he is your guy. I cannot recommend him enough.”

DAVE FRASER, GENERAL MANAGER @ BIRCHWOOD
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"Nico has been instrumental in the growth and sustainability of our company. He executed a complete rebranding of everything from our company name, graphic design, and website to the core values we demonstrate every day when providing our services and look for when making hires. His team managed our social media presence, where we have seen exponential growth in engagement, brand awareness and, ultimately, leads. We gained more brand awareness and positive social engagement in one year than in the previous ten ears combined!! I recommend nico to anyone looking for a creative, professional and personable approach to branding and marketing management. Thank you for everything you do!"

ADAM FEDORIUK, OWNER @ TOTAL FITNESS
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"When I purchased my business, I knew I had to put a lot of work into branding and advertising/social media to bring the business back to life. I purchased a local fitness facility that was on the decline (to word it nicely).The gym was stuck in the 90's and I knew I had what it took to bring it back but ialso knew it would take time. The only thing I was missing personally was the skills for proper branding, marketing and web design to help the gym get noticed. I reached out to nico for help with all this. Within a couple of months I noticed a dramatic difference in eyeballs looking at the business and people beginning to spread the word. Nico created an entire brand ecosystem that was bringing the business forward and making it relevant again. I can't say enough good things about his customer service and the professionalism. If you are looking to improve your business, call him."

TYLER PHILLIPS, FOUNDER @ DEVONWEST SHEET METAL
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"Genuinely loves his craft of design and marketing. Nico has the intelligence, grit and creativity that it takes to help a business grow no matter what the market is doing. He understands how people, ideas, systems, finances and timing all come together to make a company successful and really stand out from the crowd. Ballsy and not afraid to push you when it's needed, he challenged our ideas and made us think big. He understood our business and brought relevant ideas to the table. Really has his finger on the pulse of what’s going on in marketing and business."
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TROY MEUSER, ARTIST/ FOUNDER @ PARALORD
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"Working with nico was a smart choice for us. He understood our goals, vision and what we were trying to accomplish.Then helped create it from the ground up by developing all ofthe stratgies, design systems and assets we need. The artistry, strategy and flow that nico brought to the table measurably improved our business. He's been an incredible partner in our journey."

TYLER MOSHER, CHIEF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT @ KINLOCH WELLNESS
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"Nico and his team are exceptional to work with. They brought our vision from concept to reality."

JASON SMITH, CEO @ THE DOGWOOD GROUP
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"We have been working with Nico for all our marketing and design needs since 2015. And his studio since 2020. He and his team consitently do great work, and deliver on time. Communication is #1 to us and this is why we continue towork with nico. We can't recommend him enough. Heshould be your top choice of strategic growth partners for design, marketing and brand development."

JENNIFER SMILEY, FOUNDER @ EMBELLISHED DESIGN
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"Nico doesn't just create designs for likes and impressions.His work is focused on purpose and positioning. He did agreat job of building us a well-versed brand that's created real results and made us money, without the extra fluff othermarketing companies produce. We found him to be timely,professional, and pleasure to work with. We highly recommend going with nico for brand building and product design."

JULIE MAGRUDER, FOUNDER @ CORSICA AND STASH CASHMERE
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"Absolutely has the best process for developing the look, feel, and character of your brand. Nico's process makes you deep dive into the heart and soul of what your brand is all about and helps you communicate that to your target audience. You will be left with comprehensive brand guidelines and design that accurately reflect your goals, mission, and target audience. If you want to build a brand with meaning, then working with nico is a must."

STEPHANIE OSTRANDER, SALES DIRECTOR @ FLOW SCIENTIFIC
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"We love working with nico and his team because they are responsive and listen, but ultimately steer the right course for the brand story and marketing platforms. Nico brings a refined visual appeal to the creative output. We continue to use his talent and look forward to the next project."

TAYLIN SIMMONDS, FOUNDER @ GHOSTLY
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"I worked with 3 brand consultants before Nico. None of which were that helpful. I was reluctant at first, but nico blew my expectation away. His actionable approach to branding combined with his ability to understand my brand better than I ever could has made my rebrand take only 30 days and cost half as much."

ANDY YUNG, FOUNDER @ DRM TACTICAL
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"Nico has been a life saver from day one. We have clear view of how to make our brand and design help sales and improve the customers experience."

Nico Ruffini —Brand Advisory & Creative Direction