California Entity Services – Branding & Marketing Challenge

California Entity Services – Branding & Marketing Challenge

Welcome, and thank you for applying to participate in our branding challenge for California Entity Services. This company is an affiliate of Bean Counter, a well-established California accounting and tax advisory firm.

California Entity Services is a new affiliate of Bean Counter, a trusted California-based accounting and tax advisory firm. Unlike Bean Counter, which focuses on accounting and finance, California Entity Services is dedicated to registered agent services, business entity formation, compliance filings, and business address solutions.

Our mission is simple: make it easy for entrepreneurs and business owners in California to form, maintain, and protect their companies while staying compliant with state and federal requirements.

We want branding that is professional, trustworthy, and boutique. You may choose to:

Align closely with Bean Counter branding (professional, trusted, approachable), OR
Propose a fresh, boutique direction that still conveys credibility and California identity.

This test should take you 1–3 hours. Please answer thoughtfully — your submission will help us evaluate your creativity, professionalism, and business vision.

Section 1 – Brand Identity Direction

1. Do you recommend aligning closely with Bean Counter’s branding or taking a new boutique approach? Why?

Section 2 – Name

2. Please suggest 10 potential brand names related to “California Entity Services.” Think about clarity, memorability, and how well the names communicate trust, professionalism, and California-specific expertise.

Please list each name separately (1–10), then afterward write a 1-sentence rationale for your top 3 choices.

Section 3 – Logo Concept

3. Provide a sketch, mock-up, or description of your logo concept.

Browse Files

4. Based on the brand names you proposed and logo mock-up, explain how your logo reflects the brand’s values and its connection with California Entity Services

Format your explanation as: Concept | Visual Idea | Relevance to Brand Values

Section 4 – Visual Identity

5. Suggest a color palette (2–4 colors) including hex codes. Then, propose two gradient combinations using these colors. Briefly describe how each palette and gradient best represent the identity of California Entity Services.

or upload an image

Browse Files

6. Suggest fonts and style direction (modern, boutique, corporate, etc.).

7. Provide inspiration examples if available (links or uploads).

Section 5 – Tagline

8. Suggest 1–3 short tagline options.

Please provide 1–3 concise tagline options (3–7 words each) and note the key benefit or feeling each one emphasizes.

Section 6 – Brand Positioning

9. In 5–8 sentences, describe: tone of voice, personality, and how customers should perceive California Entity Services—differently from larger legal service providers

Section 7 – Customer Growth Vision

10. Every strong brand is built on a clear mission and vision. For California Entity Services, the mission should capture why we exist and how we support entrepreneurs, while the vision should describe where we are headed and what impact we want to have in the long run. Think about our role in helping business owners form and maintain their entities in California, the trust we want to build with clients, and the values that set us apart (such as transparency, professionalism, and guidance). Please suggest 5 key points that can define the mission and vision for California Entity Services. These points should speak to our purpose, values, long-term goals, and the kind of reputation we should strive to create.

Section 8 – Sales & Marketing Strategy

11. How do you think we should attract our first 50 customers?

12. What channels should we advertise in (SEO, partnerships, referrals, ads, etc.)?

13. How should we position ourselves against bigger providers (LegalZoom, Northwest, etc.)?

14. Suggest 2–3 practical ideas to generate leads in the first year.

Section 9 – Website & Advertising Approach

15. Describe what you think the website for California Entity Services should look like (layout, tone, features).

16. How would you advertise this website to attract leads?

18. How could this be executed practically (tools, platforms, timeline)?

(Note to candidates: We’re not looking for a coded website — just your clear vision of how this could be executed successfully.)

Section 10 – Execution & Accountability

19. What marketing tools and platforms would you use to launch this business? (e.g., Google Ads, LinkedIn, SEO tools, email automation, HubSpot, Canva, etc.)

20. Marketing resources can be allocated in many ways — from advertising campaigns and content creation to strategic partnerships, events, and digital channels. Instead of working with a fixed number, think about the strategies you believe would be most effective for California Entity Services. Based on your approach, what overall budget would you require, and how would you categorize and allocate that amount across the channels you recommend? Please explain your reasoning briefly for each category.

21. What 3–5 key performance indicators (KPIs) would you track in the first year? For each, briefly state why it matters and how often you’d review it

Section 11 – Reflection

22. About how long did you spend on this challenge?

23. If selected, provide us your 1st three months Roadmap of activities you will perform including tools you would be needing from us.

Please review your information carefully before finalizing your submission. We appreciate your time and look forward to connecting with you soon!