Creating a brand

THE PIVOT

We had a laser. We just didn't know what to do with it yet.

After closing DejaDoodle, Chris and I invested in a laser cutter and started experimenting.

Early Forged Flare® products ranged from ornaments and earrings to picture frames and engraved watch bands. I also sold digital design files while running my freelance design business.

We were making, learning, and paying attention to what resonated.

Eventually, one product changed everything.

FINDING THE HEART OF THE BRAND

Chris wanted to make something special for his mom, who loved angels and calla lilies. He suggested combining the two.

He created an angel with a calla lily motif at its center — the first Mother’s Angels® ornament. While the design has evolved since that original piece, the idea behind it remains at the heart of the collection today.

The response online immediately stood out. What started as one meaningful birthday gift became the foundation for an entire collection and, eventually, the focus of our business.

We had finally found what Forged Flare® could become.

DEFINING THE BRAND

The product gave us direction. The brand needed to give it meaning.

As Mother’s Angels® grew, I developed a visual identity and voice that felt professional without losing the personality of a small, artist-led business.

We initially saw our products as holiday ornaments. Our customers showed us something different.

They were purchasing them for birthdays, memorials, celebrations of life, anniversaries, and deeply personal moments.

We weren't simply selling ornaments. We were creating pieces people chose to represent memories, relationships, and moments that mattered.

That insight changed how we positioned the brand.

FINDING OUR VOICE

Trust became one of the most important elements of our brand strategy.

Many customers discovered us through social media and had never heard of Forged Flare® before. We needed to earn their trust, especially when they were purchasing something deeply personal.

I developed a voice that was approachable, honest, caring, personal, and real.

We shared our story, our process, and the people behind the business. Instead of communicating like a faceless retailer, we focused on building genuine relationships with our customers.

That voice now carries across our website, the articles we write, social media, email marketing, advertising, and customer communication.

BUILDING A VISUAL IDENTITY

As the business evolved, so did the identity.

I designed the original Forged Flare® logo with "By Jen Street," later refining it as the brand became established independently.

I also created identities for individual collections, including Mother’s Angels® and Nature’s Gnomes®.

PROTECTING WHAT WE BUILT

Building a brand also meant learning how to protect it.

I worked with an IP attorney on the initial Forged Flare® trademark, then independently navigated subsequent trademark filings, ongoing classifications, and copyright protection for our original designs.

I also managed the operational side of establishing the business, including LLC and DBA filings as our business expanded.

None of this was part of my background when I started.

I learned it because the brand needed it.