Howdy Partners: A Rebrand From Unmemorable to Unmistakeable
“Having gone through the process and having done the work, I can say for the first time in 8 years I am fully confident and proud in owning our identity.”
—Cory Finney, Owner, Managing Partner, Howdy Partners
THE CHALLENGE
An outdated brand and lack of name recognition was blocking big opportunity for a highly differentiated VC firm.
Eight years earlier, the founders needed a name for an event and landed on a company name that described what they were (Greater Colorado Venture Fund) and used the acronym: GCVF . It worked at the time but as the fund matured, the brand didn’t.
While their investment model—backing A+ founders in overlooked markets—was delivering real results, the brand struggled with:
Centering their core brand strategy around what matters most to them; the founders they invest in and their location
Low name recognition and brand recall
A perception gap between the caliber of their portfolio and how they showed up online
Clarity in messaging and lack of personality in content and across design
They weren’t lacking success. They were lacking clarity, recall, and presence.
Main Deliverables:
New company name, logo and core brand identity
Fully built website including design and copy
Strategic messaging for founders, investors, and partners in their ecosystem
Brand narrative and storytelling framework to articulate the investment thesis
Rebrand launch assets, including apparel and event swag
Brand video communicating positioning, values, and long-term vision (produced with Black Mountain Productions)
Key Pain Points to Solve:
Confusing or scattered messaging and unclear positioning
Difficulty standing out in a crowded market
A brand they were proud to represent with a more robust digital presence to match
Misalignment between brand identity and investment philosophy
A name that limited memorability and scalability
Rebrand launch strategy and timeline for visibility and impact given their pitch season and upcoming events
Utilizing our SPICE framework for the rebrand:
Strategy
The team came into our engagement already attached to a name: Howdy. Rather than defaulting to instinct alone, the goal was to pressure-test it against the people who mattered most—and ensure it could scale with the team.
Peppered Labs interviewed portfolio founders, investors, and ecosystem partners to validate the name and explore alternative options, using those conversations to define the strategic guardrails that would shape the brand. These interviews clarified what Howdy needed to signal: approachability without smallness, conviction without ego, and ambition without losing its roots.
The process also surfaced a clear view of Howdy’s three core audiences—and, more importantly, the real value of the partnership the founders bring to each of them. That insight became the foundation for aligning the founders’ passion with the tangible outcomes they deliver, ultimately guiding the broader brand strategy, positioning, and messaging direction.
Positioning
Analyzing company goals in light of stakeholder feedback, it was clear that the new brand needed to strike a fine balance. The Founders combined a progressive approach to business with an old-school “handshake” mentality. They were open to investment in a broad range of companies, but they’d also had a lot of success with entrepreneurs in rural areas, especially in western Colorado. Plus, each co-Founder had different opinions. We had to get everything just right.
Getting that right also meant some balancing between the opinions of investors and those of company Founders who needed VC funding. Aligning messaging with strategy, always one of Peppered Labs’ main areas of focus, was especially nuanced on this project.
Identity
The brand identity had to embody who Howdy Partners truly is — not just where they invest, but how they show up for founders. The new identity reflects their warm, human, and relational approach: a firm that backs founders where they belong, believes that values create value, and isn’t chasing trends but doing its own thing.
The logo visually captures the philosophy and geography of the fund: it nods to mountains, plains, and rolling hills with a subtle reference to a cowboy hat that’s intentional but never literal. That balance signals place and mindset — flexible enough to represent SaaS, AI, AgTech, and beyond, without limiting the firm to a narrow theme.
This identity is present in every touchpoint — from the friendly, memorable greeting of Howdy to the clear visuals and narrative that root the brand in real people, real places, and real partnership.
Clarity
With the strategic foundation defined, we developed a messaging playbook that gives Howdy Partners clear, confident language to use from pitch decks to founder outreach.
Instead of generic venture language, the playbook emphasizes what makes Howdy distinct:
Back founders building where they belong
Relationship-first approach that’s more than capital
Values-driven investment thesis distinct from coast-centric VC narratives
This clarity ensures every channel — website, conversations, and events — consistently reinforces Howdy’s positioning. The result is a brand that finally says what it means and means what it says, making the firm memorable without explanation.
Execution
Bringing this strategy and identity to life required senior leadership, intentional craft, and execution at pace.
The project delivered a fully realized brand system including visual identity, website design and copy, messaging frameworks, and launch assets anchored in the parameters defined through research and strategic positioning.
The visual and narrative systems were deployed across key touchpoints in a way that feels cohesive and intentional, allowing Howdy Partners to step into pitch season with confidence — no qualifiers, no caveats, just a clear signal of who they are and why it matters.
“The Howdy Partners rebrand with Natalie was seamless. She is a total pro and runs an efficient and effective process that leveled up our own clarity along the way making it far more than just a rebrand. So grateful for a partner like her, and I would recommend her to anyone able to work at startup speed!”
—Marc Nager, Managing Partner, Howdy Partners
“We operate at a fast pace and frankly do not like to do this type of work. Natalie matched our pace and was so effective at managing us through the process, which is exactly what we needed.”
—Cory Finney, Managing Partner, Howdy Partners
