DATA (Developing a Trade After)

DATA (Developing a Trade After) is a nonprofit founded by a respected Chicago barber with a mission to provide incarcerated and underserved individuals with trade skills that lead to certification, career opportunities, and long-term success. Starting with barbering and expanding into automotive and other trades, DATA needed a brand that could resonate with both students and corporate sponsors.

I led a complete rebrand and digital transformation that gave DATA the credibility it needed to grow partnerships with organizations like Walmart.

What We Did

• Conducted a full brand and strategy workshop to define voice, positioning, and audience.

• Designed a new visual identity: a weathered hand mark symbolizing trades, paired with scholarly, urban typography and a ribbon detail representing education.

• Built a complementary secondary seal to emphasize legitimacy and tradition.

• Crafted a bold yet grounded color palette — olive and off-white supporting a vibrant red, symbolic of how DATA provides a strong foundation for student success.

• Developed a dynamic website designed to engage sponsors and donors while clearly outlining DATA’s mission and impact.

• Created an interactive “Path” graphic, illustrating the student journey step-by-step in alignment with the new slogan.

Impact

• The new brand presence positioned DATA as both professional and approachable — credible to donors and authentic to its community. With a cohesive visual system, compelling brand voice, and polished digital platform, DATA is now equipped to attract high-level partnerships, expand its programs, and ultimately, change lives.