The Boat, The Business, The Brand
A business owner’s story of going back to her roots to build a brand.
As the oldest daughter of a third-generation Italian boat builder, I am inspired by the smells of sawdust and motor oil. Also, the granddaughter and niece of two incredibly creative graphic designers, I often see things as they could be, instead of what they are.
Through the years and generations, boats became ships, wood became steel, art became stock images, and hand lettering became digital fonts. Still, one thing stayed true, and that was the integrity and craftsmanship of each project.
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I thought I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, unwavering until I was in my mid-twenties. I was going to train racehorses, and nothing was going to stop me. I even traveled to Kentucky for an internship at Juddmonte Farms, working with the yearlings that were going into training. It was a magical experience. But after a great deal of soul searching, I realized a different career was meant for me, and I would soon be on a very different path.
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I remember lying on my bed one cold morning… just staring at the ceiling while the phone rang through to my mom. Then it happened.
“Have you thought of graphic design,” she said.
A light bulb went on in my head. Then, like a flashback scene in a movie, I remembered sitting in my aunt’s home office answering the phone. I remembered the art projects crafted alongside my grandpa as he meticulously placed Letraset and genuine clip art for a layout he was working on. Finally, I recalled the cardboard collars that I insisted on saving from the packaging of men’s button-up shirts. (Just in case I found a use for them in one of my elementary art projects.)
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After years of gaining experience and skills through education and employment, I was ready to be self-employed and build my own business. When it came time to create my brand, I knew I wanted it to represent the quality of traditional craftsmanship.
In addition to my family’s roots in boat building and graphic design, I considered the “love” that my mom’s mother would knead into each batch of homemade tortillas. I remembered the slow and steady pace of Wisconsin farm life that seemed to linger on long after my other dad’s family dairy farm was sold. I realized that every branch of my family was deeply rooted in hard work and attention to detail. It only felt right that my brand and its promise would reflect that.
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LaBruzzi Media Craft offers craftsmanship inspired creative solutions. We leverage our skills, expertise, and tenacity, to find solutions, and provide a variety of creative services. Meet your modern goals while adding an extra touch of quality that can only be inspired by traditional craftsmanship.