2012 Small Business Awards Rookie Nominee: Boost Studio

Boost Studio, founded by graphic designers Steve Boris and Christine Koch, is a brand design-based business that creates and manages brands. They have national and international clients. Most recently, the group put together packages for the Longboat Key, Lido Key, St. Armands Key Chamber of Commerce and Michael’s On East.

Location: 4753 Compass Drive, Bradenton; services span locally, nationally and internationally.

Start date: June 2010

First job ever: Boris: I worked at Marino’s Pizza.

Koch: I worked for my mother’s organ-and-piano business when I was 8 years old.

What is something you wish you knew when you got started in business?
Koch: Strangely enough, it was our own marketing that was our weak point. Everything was word-of-mouth, and we never marketed ourselves. When the economy changed and we made a move here; we needed to make ourselves known.

Favorite way to spend a day off:
Koch: Exploring our own backyard. Siesta Key — walking on the beach, having breakfast at the Sun Garden Café; St. Armands Circle and finishing up the day at Anna Maria.

Boris: We try to get out in the kayak, too.

Biggest challenge:
Koch: Educating our clients about what branding is and how important it is to them. A lot of people throw that term around; it is your company’s personality. It isn’t just a logo or identity — it’s connected to every marketing piece.

Typical day on the job:
Koch: We start first thing in the morning, and we always have a networking event to attend at some point.

Koch: Then, we’ll meet with our clients or vendors, talk about a new job or something that’s in progress.

Boris: There are creative days when we sit and throw ideas around, and there are production days when we have our noses to the grind.

Business idol:
Boris: We admire (Richard) Branson quite a bit. He’s not in the same industry, but he has a good reputation.

Koch: He’s someone who really understands branding, and he’s extremely creative.

Where do you see your business in five years?
Koch: I think we’d like to be well-known in Southwest Florida and on a national stage. We aren’t sure if we want to stay small and boutique or actually have a small studio with more people involved day-to-day.

Info: Visit booststudio.com, call 748-0915, email [email protected] and follow Boost Studio on Facebook for more information.