Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Look at SEED20 Brand Narrative Prize Winner
At Social Venture Partners Charlotte’s SEED20 OnStage event, The Brand Building Shop awarded Rooted Hearts Ministries a prize package to assist in enhancing their brand as a nonprofit dedicated to supporting children with autism and their families.
During a recent interview with SVP Charlotte, Emiliano Portino from The Brand Building Shop outlined the process they used to help Rooted Hearts Ministries. The goal was to align all information about the organization and assist Jomaira and Andrew Ortiz, founders of Rooted Hearts Ministries, in structuring and communicating the benefits of their work. This involved a deep discovery process where both parties learned a lot about each other and themselves while streamlining their organization’s mission and vision.
The process began with brand alignment, focusing on key questions about the organization: why it exists, what they do, how it works, what makes it different, who it serves, and what they value most. This alignment was crucial in understanding the organization’s core motivations and how they are perceived by their audience.
Jomaira Ortiz from Rooted Hearts Ministries shared that the process was insightful and involved a lot of personal discovery. They realized that their target audience often reflects their journeys or those close to them. This understanding helped them focus on serving a specific population and being okay with that niche focus.
The process also included practical exercises, such as using sticky notes to identify motivations and dreams, which allowed Jomaira and Andrew to step back and reflect on their true goals for Rooted Hearts. This reflection helped them understand that while autism can seem like the end of certain dreams, it means taking a different path to achieve other dreams.
Emiliano further explained that they identified three target archetypes for Rooted Hearts Ministries: the Caregiver, the Sage, and the Hero. The Caregiver archetype focuses on compassion and nurturing, which is essential when families first receive the diagnosis. The Sage archetype represents the learning and self-discovery that follows, and the Hero archetype embodies the strength and value families bring to the world after overcoming initial challenges.
Jomaira found this part of the process particularly enlightening, as it provided a structured way to understand and communicate the brand’s personality and values. It affirmed that Rooted Hearts has been consistent in its messaging and helped to refine its approach to ensure alignment with these archetypes.
The narrative and storylines developed from this process emphasize “strength beyond despair.” For example, they help families understand that their journeys are not over but simply taking a different path. This narrative is further tailored to different personas, such as parents, fathers, and single mothers, to address their unique challenges and strengths.
Emiliano highlighted that these storylines make the communication more personalized and relevant to the specific needs of their target audience members. They developed creative messaging such as “Rooted Hearts: Your Strength Beyond Despair” and “From Broken to Rooted,” which resonate deeply with their community.
The next steps for Rooted Hearts Ministries involve carving out a strategic plan for the next three years, focusing on intentional and strategic actions to grow their impact. This clarity and direction will help them better serve their community and meet the greatest needs identified through this process.
At Social Venture Partners Charlotte, we are pleased to offer free customized consulting and thought partnership to assist Rooted Hearts Ministries with their strategic plan through our Spark Teams program offered to all SEED20 alumni.
Overall, the collaboration with The Brand Building Shop provided Rooted Hearts Ministries with the tools and insights needed to communicate their mission and better serve their community effectively. SVP Charlotte thanks Emiliano and his team at The Brand Building Shop for their generosity in sponsoring this valuable SEED20 prize package. If you know of an organization that would benefit from the brand consulting services of The Brand Building Shop, check out their website at Thebrandbuildingshop.com.
