For more than 20 years, The Commercial Lending School (CLS) has delivered a respected online commercial lending course for financial professionals nationwide. Offered as a white label program through a partnership with a national credit union association, the series was limited to a single annual session and positioned at a premium price point. When this distribution partner chose to discontinue offerings that did not directly serve C-suite audiences, CLS faced a critical moment. Rather than sunset a proven program designed for professionals across all career levels, CLS founders chose to reclaim ownership of the course and expand its reach. Q&A was engaged to help establish an independent brand identity that would support a rapid relaunch and future growth.

Our Approach

Speed and clarity were essential. CLS needed a new logo that could be implemented quickly across a large set of existing assets, including recorded course videos, presentation decks, and online registration materials. The identity also needed to reflect the program’s credibility and longevity while signaling a clear transition away from its former association. Q&A collaborated closely with the CLS team to understand the program’s history, audience, and goals, ensuring the new brand honored its foundation while positioning it for greater flexibility and scale.

Our Solution

Q&A designed a brand that reinforces its mission of Developing Better Business Bankers. The identity was created to be highly adaptable across digital platforms, enabling CLS to efficiently replace legacy graphics and relaunch under its own name. With the new identity in place, CLS is able to expand the program, offering the course multiple times throughout the year as well as provide private sessions for teams within an institution. The refreshed CLS brand supports the transition to a scalable education model built for long-term impact.