The story behind the logo
Our Story
We’ve put a lot of thought into the logo and brand behind Donaghey & Chance. As experts in marketing, we know that first impressions count and we wanted to stand out online from other modern branding. We also have quite a lot of substance behind us, so while we are a small business, we always provide an excellent service.
You can read more about our services here but a lot of people are curious to know how we landed about our look.
The coat of arms
While trying to figure out what she wanted the logo to look like, our founder would take long walks in Stormont Estate to gather her thoughts. If you haven’t been, it is the home of the Northern Irish Assembly and hosts a grand building and grounds with a baronial feel. She was drawn to the heritage of the turrets and cresting dotted all around the Estate which was built in the early 1800s. Eileen had a lot of elements she wanted to include but when she started to notice all of the flourishes on the stonework, the idea of creating a coat of arms began to make sense. The flourishes in the coat of arms began in the stonework of Stormont and then she began to add all the other elements.
The Shield and armour
Before you go to a business meeting or networking event you decide what to wear. Usually, formal business attire or some other smart outfit that makes you feel confident and helps present the way you want to be received. Maybe it’s a pair of high heels or a special pair of cufflinks. You feel good and confident. While you have these on your exterior, they aren’t the only things you need to carry. The shield represents the business skills you have developed to make these networking events a breeze. A shield and armour sound very cumbersome and heavy, not something you would want to carry around. But as you practice and develop your networking and conversation skills, they are suddenly light as a feather.
Sand dial
Business takes time, sometimes it takes people months or years to make a business decision. It also takes time to build a reputation. While most people feel like they should be making six figures in the first year of business, the truth is, it takes time to build a business and attract and retain new clients. The sand dials serves as a reminder that good things take time, but also that time is precious. Putting off business deals or approaching new clients because you feel you aren’t ready is only going to cut it for so long. Time is a gift and it is yours to use wisely.
The Seahorse
It might seem a bit odd to have a seahorse on a logo for a company that specialises in business development training and marketing. It represents our founder’s maritime heritage namely through her grandmother and her admiration for her business. Her grandmother, also named Eileen, set up her own fish business in 1937 along with her brother. Unusual as it was then for a woman to be in business, Eileen managed to successfully keep the business afloat during WW2 whenever her brother was sent to Luton to assist in the war effort. Supplies were scarce then, but she persisted, and the business was formally set up in 1948. It is still run today by her cousin, also called Eileen. I guess we like a bit of tradition.
The Fox
Some people think foxes are sneaky creatures that only come out at night. That isn’t how we see it. The fox was chosen here to represent intelligence and quick wit. A wonderful skill in business is being able to deal with a variety of different kinds of people, sometimes in tricky situations. You have to be quick on your feet and learn how to be comfortable in navigating negotiation and selling. Our fox is bearing its teeth because we aren’t afraid to press forward in business. We’re not aggressive in any way but confident that we can go shoulder-to-shoulder with anyone else.
The slogan
People buy from People. One of the earliest lessons in business that everyone should know is that people connect and buy from people rather than companies. What happens if someone leaves their company, usually they can take a lot of clients with them. Relationships in business are the way forward in any service-based industry but they also open doors that you didn’t even know existed. It also serves as a reminder that regardless of titles, everyone puts their pants on the same way in the morning. Yes, we did just say that. We’re no better than anyone else and treat everyone equally.
The name
Finally, the name. Donaghey & Chance Ltd. Eileen Donaghey is the founder of the business, and her name comes first. For those of who don’t know, it’s pronounced “Don-A-hey”. And well, if you are of a certain age, there is a popular 80s song that pronounces Eileen quite well.
Mr. A. Chance is a silent partner in the business and sits back of house as a strategic consultant. Mr. Chance is there to boost the confidence of everyone in the business and remind them that while business can be risky and sometimes scary, it’s much better to try and take a chance rather than not to try at all. You can ask Eileen about him when you meet her.
We hope you enjoyed reading the story behind Donaghey & Chance. Each month we share stories and tips about developing your own business development and marketing practices to help you gain clarity on how you want to present yourself. You can sign up to receive the monthly newsletter here.