BrandZap
George Little
Its 2024. Forms are dead. Get started here.
Case Study
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CapModeler is a next-gen cap table modeling tool that helps startup founders and CFOs explore complex equity scenarios without the limitations of traditional spreadsheet software.
The platform’s most compelling differentiators—live scenario flexibility and dynamic Excel exports—were built specifically for real-world decision-making in early-stage finance. But when CapModeler approached BrandZap, none of that came through in their external presence.
Chris Simmons, the company’s CEO and Co-founder, connected with us through Michelle Reed, a trusted Product Marketing and Startup Consultant.
The product was already powerful and differentiated, but the brand was underdeveloped, and the website lacked the clarity and strategic direction needed to support either fundraising or sales.
At the time, CapModeler didn’t have a consistent visual identity or a scalable system for telling its story. There was confusion about how the product should be positioned—was CapModeler a brand, a product, or a feature set within something bigger? The company was still operating under an umbrella name, “OmniModeler,” but product-led messaging was gaining traction. Early adopters and investors were responding more to the tool than to the company behind it.
It was a classic startup-brand inflection point: make the brand match the product—or risk being misunderstood by the people who matter most.
BrandZap kicked off the engagement with a collaborative discovery process that included stakeholder interviews, product demos, and a review of existing sales and pitch materials. From day one, we positioned ourselves as an extension of CapModeler’s founding team—not just as designers, but as strategic partners helping the company bridge product, brand, and go-to-market.
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One of the first key discussions revolved around naming. Internally, there was debate about whether the company should present itself as “OmniModeler,” which framed it as a potentially broader modeling company, or lean into “CapModeler,” the name of the current product.
After evaluating the competitive landscape and mapping possible brand trajectories, we recommended focusing on CapModeler as the lead identity. It was cleaner, more direct, and far more relevant to the audience they were targeting: CFOs, VCs, angels, and startup finance teams who were constantly wrestling with capitalization tables.
With that clarity in place, we turned our attention to the overall brand strategy, which included voice, visual tone, and marketing goals. CapModeler needed a brand that could convey precision and confidence without being cold or inaccessible.
The target users are often Excel power users—people who care about accuracy and control—but who are also overwhelmed by complexity. This tension became central to our creative approach. The brand had to make users feel like they were gaining control, not losing it.
As part of the broader strategy and planning phase, we ran a detailed website mapping exercise to define how the product should be introduced, explained, and sold online. Using Figjam, we created multiple sitemap and wireframe combinations—each representing a different marketing strategy. Some focused on a short-scroll homepage with aggressive CTAs, while others emphasized long-form storytelling and deep product education. By evaluating the user paths, we helped CapModeler visualize how different personas—from VCs to finance operators—would navigate the site and what kinds of content would drive action.
We paired each sitemap option with potential use cases, weighing how well each structure would support things like SEO content, demo video hosting, gated downloads, and A/B tested landing pages. These explorations weren’t just visual—they were strategic conversations about how the website could actively contribute to growth.
The final sitemap that emerged prioritized clarity and conversion. It featured a benefits-led homepage, a walkthrough-heavy “How It Works” page, a trust-building Pricing section, and a tightly integrated “Get Started” experience—all designed to support top-of-funnel marketing while creating space for deeper engagement from high-intent users.
We also explored a flexible design system that could scale with the company—from investor pitch decks to social posts to onboarding workflows. The system needed to look polished in the hands of a designer but be usable by anyone on the team. This meant choosing typefaces and color systems that worked well across docs and screens, and building templates that lowered the bar to creating on-brand communications.
Along the way, we uncovered one more unexpected but powerful creative asset: Chris’s hand-drawn doodles. He had been sketching concepts for taglines like “Throw away your spreadsheets,” complete with little crumpled-up Excel sheets tossed into wastebaskets. These sketches had personality and captured the rebellious, practical spirit behind CapModeler. We found a way to bring them into the brand system—subtly, and with polish—giving the identity a signature touch that could scale without becoming a gimmick.
The outcome of our strategy work was a brand system and website that didn’t just look better—it worked better. Every visual and structural decision was built to drive clarity, increase trust, and accelerate CapModeler’s growth goals. We translated abstract strategic decisions into usable design systems and functional assets. From logo to layout to lead capture, every element was created with purpose. Below is a breakdown of the key components we delivered and how they each played a role in the broader system.
The CapModeler logo is simple and conceptually strong—a pie chart rendered in the shape of a “C.” It visually reflects the core idea behind the platform: models that adapt and shift dynamically. We explored various data-inspired marks, but the pie chart concept resonated for its clarity and flexibility.
The logo works well in small spaces, scales to animation, and can even serve as a standalone icon on social or within product screens. In some applications, we animate the segments to show motion and variability—reinforcing the idea of live, responsive financial modeling.
We built the brand’s palette around cool greens and structured blues. These hues evoke control, stability, and clarity—ideal for a financial product that aims to reduce complexity. At the same time, the colors remain digital-friendly and accessible, optimized for both screen and print applications. Subtle accent tones were introduced for status indicators and UI use cases, giving the product team options without compromising consistency.
We chose Inter as the primary typeface. Originally designed for screens, Inter feels familiar to spreadsheet users, who are often working in dense, data-rich environments. It carries authority without looking corporate, and it handles everything from long-form product descriptions to short, snappy calls-to-action. We applied clear hierarchy rules across headings, body copy, and UI text, ensuring that the type system remains flexible and consistent as the brand scales.
As with every BrandZap revamp, we delivered a full set of branded templates that CapModeler could use out of the box. These included a robust slide deck system, social graphics for announcements and hiring, Google Docs templates, and business documents with built-in cover designs and header styling. We also created a set of high-resolution Zoom backgrounds—perfect for fundraising calls and demos—that visually reinforced the new brand identity.
We launched a fully custom Webflow marketing site with four primary goals: explain the product, establish credibility, drive leads, and scale with the team. The homepage is structured around benefits and outcomes, helping different personas—from investors to CFOs—understand why CapModeler matters. Embedded demo videos show the product in action without needing a login. A dedicated “How It Works” page walks users through the tool step-by-step using video and short narrative copy. The Pricing page is clear, direct, and conversion-optimized. And the “Get Started” page uses an embedded Calendly form to route leads straight to the sales team.
The site is built for performance. We used modern front-end techniques to optimize page load speed and responsiveness, including lazy-loading, efficient image formats, and HTML5 animation. On mobile, the experience remains fast and readable—critical for founders and investors reviewing the tool on the go.
We also set CapModeler up with integrated analytics across Webflow and connected marketing tools. From day one, the site was able to track conversions, watch heatmaps, and generate insights about how users were engaging with the content. This gives the CapModeler team a feedback loop for iterating quickly and testing future campaigns.
The result is a cohesive, scalable, and confident brand that reflects the sophistication of CapModeler’s core product. With a clear identity, a flexible design system, and a lead-gen-ready Webflow site, the company is now positioned to grow without second-guessing how it shows up to customers or investors. Internally, the brand system empowers the team to move faster—whether they’re building a pitch deck, posting on LinkedIn, or preparing for a fundraising round.
Externally, CapModeler now looks and feels like a product built for the CFOs, operators, and investors it serves. It leads with clarity. It delivers with confidence. And it stands out in a space that’s still filled with half-baked spreadsheets and brandless dashboards.
BrandZap is a Marketing & Design Consultancy led by George Little.
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