About
Built by a founder duo who believes your message deserves to be seen, trusted, and remembered.
Best Branding Solutions combines Tara LaFon Gooch's authority-building expertise with Josh Gooch's creative direction to help leaders turn their message into a brand that opens doors.
Our story
From branding studio to authority ecosystem.
Best Branding Solutions was founded in 2020 — during the pandemic — with a focus on branding, design, and LinkedIn strategy. As clients grew, the work expanded into a complete authority-building ecosystem combining strategy, design, media, podcasting, books, speaking, and creative direction.
Today, the firm operates as a strategic partner to thought leaders, executives, and experts who want their public presence to match the depth of their work.
Tara LaFon Gooch, MBA, CVP
Tara helps leaders find the confidence to be seen.
Tara is the CEO of Best Branding Solutions, a TEDx speaker, an author, the host of the GRASP Confidence podcast, and the creator of the GRASP Method. Her work helps leaders turn self-doubt into visible authority — building the confidence, clarity, and credibility that change the trajectory of a career.
Through TEDx coaching, podcast strategy, executive personal branding, and her own public platform, Tara has guided physicians, executives, founders, and experts onto bigger stages and into more meaningful rooms.
Josh Gooch, MS · President & Creative Director
Josh helps leaders make their authority unmistakable.
Josh Gooch, MS, is the President and Creative Director of Best Branding Solutions. A native of North Carolina, Josh is rooted in family values, the natural beauty of the state, and a deep love for the creative process. Whether he is exploring the outdoors, cheering for the Carolina Panthers, or leading a brand ideation session, Josh brings energy, clarity, and imagination to the work.
With over two decades of experience in brand design for global clients, Josh has built a reputation for transforming concepts into tangible realities. His passion lies in taking ambitious ideas and shaping them into cohesive visual systems that feel clear, credible, and memorable.
Before joining Best Branding Solutions full-time, Josh spent fifteen years as a Department Head, mentoring aspiring designers in Graphic Design and Advertising at the collegiate level. That background gives him a rare combination of creative mastery, teaching ability, and strategic patience.
Today, as President and Creative Director, Josh ensures every client receives expert creative guidance, brand cohesion, and design execution that supports meaningful authority and measurable impact.
Education & Certifications
- M.S. Vocational Education — East Carolina University, 2015
- B.F.A. Graphic Design — Appalachian State University, 2001
- Adobe Certified Associate Certification
- Visual Design Using Photoshop
- Graphic Design and Illustration with Illustrator
- Print and Digital Media Publication with InDesign
- UAS Remote Pilot Drone Operator
The duo philosophy
The message and the medium must work together.
A strong message without strong design can feel invisible. Strong design without a clear message can feel hollow. Best Branding Solutions brings both together — the words, the visuals, the platform, the proof, and the strategy that make a leader easier to trust.
Values
What we hold ourselves to.
- 01Integrity
- 02Ownership
- 03Empathy
- 04Purpose
- 05Excellence
- 06Creative discipline
- 07Strategic clarity
- 08Meaningful relationships
- 09Impact
Next step