Case Study
Athena Actuarial Consulting
Articulating a distinctive human voice in a traditionally technical industry.
We helped Athena Actuarial Consulting clarify and express a compelling brand story—equipping them with the strategy, language, and tools to lead with confidence as a people-centered firm in an industry often defined by abstraction and complexity.
Inflection Point
Actuarial consulting shapes decisions that affect millions of lives, yet the industry often feels cold and technical. Athena is built differently. In five years, Athena grew from a solo venture into a 25-person firm known for trust, expertise, and relational depth—especially in healthcare and Medicaid consulting. Clients experienced Athena as thoughtful partners, not just technical vendors. Internally, the team was united by curiosity, courage, and care for people. But that story wasn't fully visible. As Athena entered a new phase of growth—expanding partnerships and moving beyond RFP-driven work—their brand and digital presence no longer reflected who they had become. Athena needed a clearer way to show who they are and where they're headed.
Story Solution
Athena's name—and the core story we built for them—takes inspiration from the goddess Athena, who was known for instilling courage in those she defended. Every day, the Athena team leads with the courage to reframe the future. They look beyond numbers to uncover how organizations can truly support and care for their people, and to do so while building a culture for employees to flourish as whole people. That courageous combination is proving to be rocket fuel for this fast-growing firm.
Bringing the Story to Life
The new logo we created foregrounds a shield to reinforce courage, bracket shapes to represent how Athena reframes problems with curiosity and imagination, and a spark of human insight at the center. We built the brand using a bold color palette and illustrative line work to capture the magic of a team where deep technical expertise is paired with holistic human understanding.
"We came to Open Book in a moment of transitioning from a founder-driven company to something that needed to be held by a group of people. What really stood out was how deeply the team listened before they started creating—and the fruit of that listening shined through in the work."
Adrienne Lieberthal, CEO & Founder
Website
We built a new website that spotlights their strategy, their expertise, and their heart. Featuring the faces of their team throughout the site, along with distinctive brand colors and textures, the site expresses their deeply human commitment to helping organizations reimagine what’s possible for people.
Sales Materials
Athena's story and brand were crafted to fuel growth—so we built bespoke one-sheets, presentations, messaging guidance, and sales tools that equipped the team to clearly and effectively communicate who they are, where they shine, and how they win for clients.
OUTCOMES
- A story that captures a founder's heart
- We gave shape to the conviction that has always been Athena's special sauce. Naming what was true from the very start, but had been challenging to communicate externally.
- Language they can use every day
- A messaging guide the team says they still reach for multiple times a day—bringing consistency to how Athena speaks with prospects, clients, and one another.
- A brand that galvanizes a growing business
- A story that employees are energized to carry—and brand materials that are turning heads and drawing customers in the marketplace—fueling growth with cohesion in a volatile moment.
"In a world of AI, what stands out is to be human, and that's exactly what Open Book did. Working with them has been a great value-add for our company."
Adrienne Lieberthal, CEO & Founder
