Founder Story 05｜Choosing Annie Red
Choosing a brand colour taught me to make decisions as a founder and take responsibility for what the company expresses.
When choosing a colour for the company, my first thoughts were blue, white and grey. To me, they felt safe and professional, and they were familiar from many consulting brands.
Yet something seemed to be missing. After considering the options, I began asking a different question: What should this company express?
Finding My Own Basis for Decisions
Years of working in established businesses had taught me to evaluate decisions through industry conventions, client acceptance and internal agreement. These considerations matter. As a founder, I also needed to ask whether a choice reflected the company's identity and direction.
Initially, I had reservations about red. It is distinctive, energetic and difficult to overlook. Was I prepared to choose it confidently for a consulting business?
Once I focused on what I wanted to build, the answer became clearer.
Three Connections Behind the Colour
Red reflects something of my character: commitment, directness, a willingness to act and to stand behind a visible decision.
It also connects with my cultural background. In Chinese culture, red carries associations of joy, hope and vitality. These qualities resonate with the spirit I want to bring into the business.
Red also appears in the flags of both China and Germany. For a company focused on cooperation between the two countries, that creates another natural connection.
Personal identity, cultural background and business direction came together in this choice. I call it “Annie Red”.
Keeping Expression and Action Aligned
Choosing red became a visible decision that was genuinely my own as a founder.
People respond to colours differently. My responsibility is to make a considered choice, explain what it represents and ensure that the company's actions remain consistent with it.
The experience also helped me develop a way of making future decisions: understand what a choice means, assess whether it fits the direction and accept the responsibility that follows.
Annie Red is the visual expression of that process. It reminds me that a brand earns credibility through everyday work, and that every visible choice should have a sound reason behind it.
