Company: Trace Brand Building
Owners: Tracey Felicidade Jones
Year Started: 2022
Employees: 1-10
What do you get when you mix a cross-country journey in a beat-up ambulance with a sharp eye for branding and a fearless entrepreneurial spirit? You get one of the most inspiring stories we’ve ever featured on An Agency Story. This episode with Tracey Felicidade Jones isn’t just entertaining, it’s a dive into real-world lessons on building an authentic brand and a business that lasts.
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Episode Summary:
In this episode of An Agency Story, we sit down with Tracey Felicidade Jones, founder of Trace Brand Building, a global branding agency with roots in both South Africa and the U.S. Tracey shares her fascinating life story from traveling across 42 U.S. states in a retired ambulance named Big Jude, to building a branding agency that’s as intentional as it is impactful.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- How brand archetypes shape every part of a brand’s identity
- The risks of ignoring visual equity—and how it can cost you big
- What it really takes to be seen as a partner, not just a vendor
Key Takeaways & Lessons
Build a Brand, Not Just a Campaign
Tracey makes it clear: “If you want to build business, build a brand.” Without a clear, consistent identity, marketing efforts fall flat. She emphasizes how brands must have strong archetypes and a visual identity that creates instant recognition—even without a logo.
Visual Equity Is Non-Negotiable
One of the biggest mistakes Tracey sees is brands with no distinguishable look or feel. “If I can swap out your logo and insert another brand’s, you don’t have visual equity,” she says. From packaging to digital to in-store experience, the visuals must work together to build trust and recall.
Brand Custodianship Matters
Tracey tells a jaw-dropping story of a rebrand that was derailed by a design team who ignored the guidelines—costing the client hundreds of thousands to fix. Her lesson: “Your brand custodian must be involved all the way through execution.” A cohesive brand needs more than strategy—it needs guardianship.
Doing Business Abroad Sharpens Your Edge
After working in South Africa’s challenging business environment, Tracey sees the U.S. as a place of abundant opportunity. She highlights the contrast: “In the U.S., people want to do business with you because they like you. It’s that simple—and that powerful.”
“We’re not here to be vendors—we’re here to be partners. If I can’t be part of the team, I won’t take the work.”
— Tracey Felicidade Jones
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Listen to other episodes like this one…
- Sisterhood – Boral Agency with Patricia and Brenda Boral
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