Today’s guest is a shining example of what creating a six figure launch for your program alongside your rebrand looks like. And what we saw was compounding results! I’m so excited to share the story of one of my amazing clients, Holly Rustick, founder of Grant Writing and Funding.

Holly came to me with a pretty unique niche—she helps freelance grant writers quit their full-time jobs and replace their income by writing grants from home on flexible hours. But the thing is, when she approached me, her business was already successful. She had been at it for 10 years, had built an impressive brand, was bringing in revenue, and had a solid reputation. So why did she decide to rebrand? That’s where this story gets interesting.

When Holly and I first connected, she was doing all the things. Like, truly everything. From grant writing to nonprofit consulting, training, strategic planning, and even helping people start their businesses. She was serving multiple markets, and as impressive as that was, it also made things feel chaotic. Her website, visuals, and messaging didn’t reflect where she really wanted to take her business, and she knew it was time for a change.

Holly told me she had this scrappy mindset that had worked for a long time, but after 10 years, she was ready for an evolution. She had niched down in her services—focusing more on helping aspiring and seasoned grant writers grow their businesses—and that shift wasn’t coming through in her branding.

People would search for grant writing, and sure enough, Holly would pop up everywhere as the expert, but her website and brand looked like any other grant writer for hire, and that wasn’t her anymore. She had become more of a coach and mentor, helping others achieve success, but her online presence didn’t communicate that.

It was a huge aha moment for her when I pointed this out. And from that moment, we dove into creating a brand that truly reflected Holly’s expertise, leadership, and the transformation she was offering her clients.

Clarifying Your Offers During the Rebrand Process

Holly wasn’t just managing one program during all of this. She had two! She was running her signature Freelance Grant Writer Academy, and behind the scenes, she had a mentorship program for more advanced grant writers that hadn’t even been fully launched yet. The tricky part? These two offers needed to feel distinct, but they were serving the same group of people at different stages of their journey.

Holly was worried it would confuse her audience. She was left asking, “How do I make these two offers look and feel different but still cohesive under one brand?” And I get it—when you’re so deep into your business, it’s hard to see things from the outside. But that’s where my team and I came in.

Holly really brought home the importance of the onboarding process in her rebranding journey. We asked all the right questions, not just about Holly’s business, but about her values, the outcomes she wanted for her clients, and how she wanted to show up in the world. It wasn’t just about “give me copy” or “show me the services.” We dug deeper to understand what makes Holly’s programs unique and how to communicate that visually.

Navigating a Photoshoot with Long Distance Creative Direction

Holly was apprehensive about a few things when it came to her photoshoot. For one, she had been relying on selfies and a few headshots for a long time! The idea of getting in front of the camera and facing all of her insecurities was daunting.

But the major obstacle? Holly lives in Guam. She’s definitely a long distance photoshoot away from anyone on the Highflier Powerhouse team. Still, we came together to find the perfect photographer to meet her needs. Afterwards, the photographer said it was the best brand shoot she had ever done because the directions were so clear. This just goes to show the power of effective creative direction!

We ended up differentiating Holly’s offers not only through their curriculum and messaging but also visually—using different color schemes, photos, and branding elements for each. This way, her clients could immediately see the difference between the two offers, even though they were part of the same overarching brand.

Seamlessly Rebranding and Launching at the Same Time

The results were amazing. We ended up differentiating Holly’s offers not only through their curriculum and messaging but also visually—using different color schemes, photos, and branding elements for each. This way, her clients could immediately see the difference between the two offers, even though they were part of the same overarching brand.

When Holly launched her mentorship publicly for the first time during her rebrand, she was nervous. I mean, she was in Guam, juggling a photo shoot, running her academy, raising her daughter as a single mom, and launching this mentorship program all at once! But what’s incredible is that she didn’t just survive it—she thrived.

In the first 24 hours of her launch, Holly booked 10 sales calls. This was for a high-ticket offer, and she was genuinely unsure how it would be received. But she blew it out of the water! In fact, she ended up having her biggest launch ever, with 23 people joining her mentorship and hitting $115,000 in sales. It was her third six-figure launch in a row, but this one felt especially meaningful because it was with a new program, a new brand, and a renewed sense of clarity and purpose.

Why Holly Prefers Working with an Agency Versus a Solo Freelancer

While some people might shy away from working with an agency, Holly is the opposite. She actually prefers the agency model! At the end of the day, Holly says the price tag for an agency might appear to be bigger but she has ended up paying the difference in the long run because of the amount of work she’s had to do with solo freelancers.

Nothing against solo freelancers, but the amount of time it takes to train them on certain platforms, pick up their work when an emergency comes up, and more, really adds up. With Highflier Powerhouse, Holly is able to get all of the information she needs from a simple ClickUp board. She also knows that if anything happens, she’s taken care of by an entire team, not just one person.

Stepping Away from the “Scrappy Business Owner” Identity

One of the things Holly said that really stuck with me was how much confidence her new brand gave her. Before, she felt scrappy—like she was piecemealing everything together. But after the rebrand, she felt polished, professional, and proud to show off her business. She told me it felt like her website and brand were finally reflecting the true level of expertise and leadership she had in the industry.

And honestly, that’s what it’s all about. Branding isn’t just about making things look pretty (though, yes, that’s a big part of it). It’s about creating a cohesive, authentic representation of who you are and what you do. When that clicks, everything else falls into place—your messaging, your offers, and most importantly, your confidence.

Holly’s story is a perfect example of what can happen when you stop playing small and start showing up in a way that reflects your true value. She went from feeling like just another grant writer to owning her space as a leader in her field—and her business is thriving because of it.

So, if you’re feeling like your brand doesn’t match your business or your level of expertise, maybe it’s time to take a page from Holly’s book and go for that rebrand. You never know what kind of doors it could open!

Looking to make an extra $100K with your next rebrand and have your visuals completely overhauled and rebranded for you? Apply for The Rebrand Experience

Connect With Holly Rustick And Check Out Her Rebrand

Holly’s Rebrand:
https://highflierpowerhouse.com/holly-rustick

Holly’s Website:
https://grantwritingandfunding.com/

Holly’s Podcast:
https://grantwritingandfunding.com/podcast

Holly’s Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/hollyrustick