Brand & strategy for nonprofits and mission-driven companies
Studio Ess 
I SEE YOU.
You are well on your way to the future. But a lack of strategic clarity is holding you back. And your brand is stuck in the past.
Time for it to step up and fuel your impact on the world.
Studio Ess is a brand & strategy studio for nonprofits, philanthropies, and mission-driven companies.
We could accomplish a lot together.
🔍 Brand-mission audit
Getting ready to think about a rebrand? Or has your organization’s direction shifted dramatically? Assess your brand’s strengths, gaps, and opportunities as it relates to your mission.
+ Competitive benchmarking: how do you stack up against peers and competitors?
+ Messaging audit: are you communicating the right things to your most important stakeholders and audiences?
+ Brand-mission gap analysis: is your brand advancing your mission?
🎯 Minimum viable brand
Are you a start-up or lean org that needs to focus your team, start fundraising, or build reputation and credibility fast? Get a clear and bold articulation of who you are and why you matter.
+ Brand positioning: what makes you uniquely valuable in your space?
+ Purpose and promise: what’s your vision for the world and how will you get there?
🛠️ Brand tune-up
Preparing for a big fundraising push or a campaign with a slate of partners? Freshen up your brand language so that you can show up with confidence and maximize the opportunity.
+ Refreshed brand language: Mission, vision, values, etc.
+ Core messaging: what is your promise to each of your key audiences?
+ Brand story: an evocative narrative to capture your point of view, your difference, and how you make a tangible difference in the world.
✨ Mission-Vision Reset
Feeling stretched thin after doing too many things for too long? Has your strategy shifted? It’s time to clarify your strengths, find your focus, and reset your position in the field.
+ Brand positioning: what makes you uniquely valuable in your space?
+ Superpowers: what are the strategic advantages you bring to the table?
+ Purpose and promise: what’s your vision
for the world and how will you get there?
+ Brand story: an evocative narrative to capture your point of view, your difference, and how you make a tangible difference in the world.
+ Core messaging: what is your promise to each of your key audiences?
Ready to elevate your brand?
Bold
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Clarifying
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Consequential
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Bold · Clarifying · Consequential ·
ABOUT ME
Leading brand strategist for social impact organizations
Hi I’m Sruthi.
For over 9 years, I built and led the strategy practice from the ground-up at a social impact branding studio called Hyperakt. In my time there, I led rebrands for iconic organizations like Ford Foundation, Vera Institute of Justice, NYCLU, DonorsChoose, and more. I’ve worked alongside teams big and small, one-on-one with communications directors, and side-by-side with executive leaders.
I’m a mother to my two mischievous and beautiful daughters, co-surfer of life’s ups and downs with my husband, proud and messy homecook, and urban bike evangelist.
Brand I’ve partnered with
In my recent role as Senior Director of Strategy at Hyperakt, I had the privilege of working with incredible nonprofit organizations, helping many of them navigate the complex and high-stakes process of finding and claiming their place in the world.
Ad Council
Amnesty International USA
Center for Urban Pedagogy
Civilla
DonorsChoose
Ford Foundation
Girls Who Code
Google
Hoover Institution
NewSchools Venture Fund
NYC Department of Health
NYCLU
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Skoll Foundation
Supermajority
Vera Institute of Justice
West Wing Writers
Don’t take my word for it. See what others have said.Danielle Toussaint, Chief Communications Officer
“Sruthi is the mastermind to help any organization grow their impact in ways that are resonant and relevant.”
Scott Hechinger, Founder & Executive Director
“By the first call, she had already wrapped her head around the concept we had been working on for nearly a year and understood it in a way that was profound. She is calm, good humored, confident, and authoritative.”
Drop me a line.
Whether you’re ready for an updated brand, strategic clarity, or not sure what’s right for you, let’s talk about it.