All Can Prosper
Uncommon Private Investing with Veer Portfolio
Veer had loyalty. The client base really liked the fund principal and felt a deep connection to Ragan. The investor base was primed and curious about alternative investing, they were already looking for “alternatives” but had a hard time finding the way to get into them. There was no doorway, until the Veer Portfolio opened the gates.
These investors are predominantly high net worth, but are considered “retail” investors due to a lack of general skill in investing. In their own words, they know their own business well, but not much beyond that. They feel like their dreams aren’t communicable as stable, predictable goals. They feel undermined for being ordinary people, tired of being sold the “Edward Jones” solution. They are at least sophisticated enough to know a fee-heavy industry when they meet one.
Veer speaks into that mess of confusion and desire, of worry and hope. The brand was structured to meet the basic requirements, possess the right credentials, and lead with powerful new language, creating a mixture that’s certainly not the corporate “sales” image. Veer is an uncommon guide into a strange new world that people are desperate to find.
The Story
The discovery process uncovered a very clear pathway by which to build trust with investors. Everyone shared a common skepticism and suspicion regarding “those financial people” and they wanted to find someone who was curious, smart, and a very good teacher. Skeptics want to know what they don’t know. They also wanted to align with a portfolio that viewed “long term” through the same lens and using the same definition of the word “conservative.” So the brand was born around this simple purpose: “We Exist So All Can Prosper”. A simple and highly inclusive invitation to a self-selected group of outsiders who were looking for someone Curious and Trustworthy to guide them into Uncommon Investments. And the brand story took shape quickly!
Naming, Visual Identity & Photography
Before this point, there was very little energy put toward building credibility. No pitch decks existed around any of the investments, and no one had any idea of all the different pockets of investment that were available. There wasn’t even a letterhead! Ironically, it still felt fly-by-night. From the outside looking in, there was nothing of substance here.
And so a name was needed, a banner under which to unite all of these various deals and projects. Veer came to us through a process that helps to encapsulate the brand story in just a single word, and the idea of “Getting off the highway where all the crazy people are” evoked a clear visual image. This is a way, or route, for anyone wanting to aggressively get off one track, and onto another.
The Logo was born from the name, simple and strong, yet with a flair of humanity and personality to it. The photography needed to tell the same story. Conversations between competent people, taking place in ordinary settings, made the portfolio feel human, relational, and easily engaged. And yes, we now had what we needed to design a pitch deck and template for existing and future opportunities!
Website
With these elements in place, we went to work constructing a simple, beautiful website with clear messaging and “no frills” to reflect the simple and alternative nature of everything Veer is about. There are enough words to inform and validate, but the purpose is primarily as a resource to start conversations. If a few of the pages read like a manifesto, that’s because everything here is tuned to match the tone of thought used by most of the investors. It’s clear, logical and convicted, a perfect setup for that first conversation.
