hi, we’re your brand managers

— small town girls ready to help your small town business —

Danna Larson

BRAND StrategiST

  • Danna is a graduate of Iowa State University with a B.A. in Public Relations and an entrepreneur at heart.

    After successful stints as a corporate Advertising Account Executive and nonprofit Director of Communications, Danna put her experience to work for her and created her strategic consulting company, Spark Seven. From public relations and event planning to video and content creation, Danna has fun helping her clients bring their message to the world in an authentic way.

    Beyond that, Danna is the founder and podcast host of Rural Revival, showcasing the next generation of entrepreneurs in rural communities and bringing life back to our small towns.

    She also serves as a member of the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Task Force, founder of the Odebolt Community Foundation, and runs a nonprofit record label.

  • Danna’s passions include all things music, working on the farm, and cruising the back roads…where she’s probably dreaming up her next business idea.

  • INFP, Strategic/Adaptability/Positivity/Achiever/Futuristic

    And I’ve never taken the Enneagram. Yep, you read that right.

Robin Lunsford

Web Design | Graphic Design

  • With a Bachelor’s degree in Art Marketing, cum laude, from Georgia College & State University, it was inevitable that Robin’s sense of visual story-telling would take route somewhere in design. Straight out the gate from college, she was hired on by a newspaper in the advertising department. It wasn’t long before she knew she wanted something more challenging. This decision unknowingly launched a new path for her. Robin’s career officially began when took over her aunt’s retail embroidery shop in the mall when she was 24 years old. As a new business owner, she immediately found a passion for finding, creating and selling “pretty” things. In 2001, this new sense of self led to a 20-year partnership with her sister. Together, the sisters built and branded Southern Sisters, a quaint women’s gift and embroidery boutique in Grayson, Georgia. The pair sold the business in 2020.

    Robin, who is now retired from the retail world, hails from the great state of Georgia and resides there still with her husband and teenage daughter. When not being completely submerged into the life of a devoted wife and mother, she enjoys working out and SEC football. – How ‘bout them Dawgs!

    Excited about working alongside the two successful gals pictured here, she is enthusiastic that a new chapter as a Branded visual story-teller has just begun.

  • I love to make things pleasing to the eye. Whether it’s trying a new cake recipe, organizing a bookshelf, or wrapping a gift, my perfectionist side blossoms at new challenges.

  • Enneagram, yeah, who knows….but I will tell you that I am competitive, creative and conscientious. (I also can be bribed with dark chocolate.)

Chelsea Roberson

Social Media | Copywriting

  • Chelsea is a nurse by trade, and for the last 11 years she has loved developing relationships at the bedside. However, over the last seven years she has been building her personal brand online to help her run three different businesses.

    She has gained experience working for a social media company and taken multiple courses online for learning social media best practices. She has a heart for helping others share their passion with the world online.

  • Chelsea’s passion includes making memories with her two daughters (Scarlett, 4, and Reese, 1) and her husband. She loves to travel, read, and dream big! Her ultimate passion is showing love to others and reminding them everyone has something to offer!

  • I’m not sure what Enneagram number I am. I’m with Danna on this one! I am sociable, charismatic, encouraging, goal-driven, and a recovering perfectionist.

We’re on a mission to help small town businesses thrive

what sets us apart?

We’re a team of seasoned professionals with a diverse range of skills and knowledge across various industries. Our collective work allows us to bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to the place where our hearts truly lie — small towns and small businesses!

By leveraging our expertise, we will work together to create an online experience that not only showcases your products and services but also allows visitors to immerse themselves in a virtual environment that leaves a lasting impression.

collective work

We bring experience within the following industries and teams:

Advertising
Agricultural Commodities
Banking
Community Events
Community Foundations
Corporate Marketing
Crop Science
Direct Sales Meats
Education
Farming & Ranching
Graphic Design
Influencer
Insurance
Magazine

Music & Entertainment
Nonprofit
Personal Branding
Podcast
Professional Services
Public Service
Radio
Real Estate
Retail Sales
Social Media
Television & Film
Tourism
Travel & Incentive Marketing & Events

we love small businesses

Yes, we’ve had our share of experience in corporate advertising, reputation management, event coordination, non-profit, and public relations; however, give us a brick and mortar on a rural main street, or an entrepreneur laser focused on becoming the most sought after barbecue smoke master in Tennessee, and we’re there.

We’re there with flags flying like a small town football team headed to their first playoff game in school history.

We’re there, first in line, they day you cut the big red ribbon for your new business featuring local makers and creators.

We’re so there.

We know the grit it takes to launch a new business. We’ve also spent our Friday nights reading IRS.gov. We’ve learned the hard way the ins-and-outs of e- and m-commerce. And, we know how overwhelming it can be to see the ever-growing to-do list of the things you know you should be doing, but just can’t seem to find the time.

We’ve created a full menu of resources and curated courses that will equip you with ready-to-use marketing tools and tactics. And because we know P&L reports are the driving force for small businesses, we’re making sure that everything you will receive is PACKED with value that can propel your business!

take a glimpse into your future…

“It’s Monday morning, and your alarm clock goes off. As you lay there preparing your mind for the day, you start thinking of all the things you need to accomplish at work today. You realize as you sit up that you don’t feel anxious. You feel at ease and excited! It’s that exact moment you realize that your investment into your business with BRANDED has provided you with the exact tools and resources you need to DRIVE you towards building a THRIVING business! That’s a picture you want to see and feel, isn’t it?”

marked by fire

the history and significance of branding

The idea of a brand as a company identity and the notion of a brand as a burned-in mark may seem unrelated, but they share a common origin. The word “brand” initially connoted fire or burning in most ancient Germanic languages, and it was through fire and burning that livestock were marked as belonging to a specific owner throughout the Middle Ages. The practice was widespread across all of Europe, but it was especially prevalent in the one country famous for its bulls and its free-grazing cattle: Spain.

The tradition was carried by Spanish conquistadors across the Atlantic to their burgeoning colonies in the New World. The early vaqueros of New Spain — later dubbed “Mexico” — used the ancient Spanish system of fire-brands to mark the cattle according to owner, preventing others from claiming them as their own. In Texas, where Anglo and Tejano cultures were in constant contact, cattle branding was quickly adopted by American cowboys as well. The symbols associated with different owners were so numerous that it became common for ranchers to carry reference books listing the provenance of each symbol. This enabled easy sorting during “roundup” time, and allowed for cattle from different owners to share grazing grounds in rich, grassy country.

Today, heat branding is still used as proof of ownership for livestock. Brand registration and inspection are written as law in many Western states with standardized systems in place for creating new identifiers. Unique brand distinctions are necessary, as the majority of brands are registered and indicate specific ownership. A brand inspector assists in verifying ownership and provides a brand inspection certification. Modern brands generally involve capital letters or numerals, coupled with an assortment of available symbols. A letter is described as “lazy” when it is depicted on its back, “tumbling” when at a forty-five degree angle, and “walking” or “running” when there is a flair or curve at the bottom.

just as branding has played an important role in the history of American livestock and agriculture, your brand represents the unique identity of your business and its authentic personality.

 
We’re here to stoke the fire of your creativity and empower you to make your branded mark on the world.