One of my first high-school jobs was working for a sign company. I designed the logos and signage new businesses would place on their store-fronts, and in less than a year I found myself being compared favorably against the top sign-designers in California (I was 17 at the time).

In spite of the time that has passed and all the changes in technology, I often need to create logos and branding for various demo or business purposes, and I still use the "old-school" lessons I learned over a decade ago: While one's brand can gain familiarity over time, one of the first things people usually see is your logo - so it had better "pop" and effectively describe your business in a few words and a brief glance!

Examples of print and primary logos and branding I have developed:
...and just a couple banner ads: