After years of working inside the branding industry, I've seen what clients never get to see. Here's what actually happens behind the mood boards and discovery calls. 🚩 Red Flag #1: They lead with aesthetics, not strategy. "What's your favorite color?" is not a brand discovery question. If the first conversation is about fonts and mood boards before they've asked about your audience, your positioning, or your revenue goals — they're a designer pretending to be a strategist.