Luminary Branded Solutions Helps Businesses Become Memorable

When Audrey Awasom talks about branded merchandise, she is not talking about pens or notebooks or a logo on a tote bag. She is talking about how a brand makes people feel, and how thoughtfully designed products can extend that feeling long after an interaction ends. 

Awasom is the president and CEO of Luminary Branded Solutions, a Montgomery County-based promotional products company that partners with businesses, conferences and events, and government agencies to create memorable product experiences that strengthen connection, build loyalty, and communicate their value.

“People will forget what you say and do, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel,” she said, quoting a line often attributed to Maya Angelou. “That’s really what guides our company.”

At Luminary Branded Solutions, that philosophy shapes everything from employee appreciation gifts to event experiences to custom products designed for key brand moments. While the company can provide standard promotional items, Awasom is most energized when helping clients think more strategically about how products can reinforce their value and create lasting impact.

For one local chamber preparing to unveil a new brand, Luminary partnered with the organization to design a custom wine bottle that complemented a casino-night celebration. The label featured the organization’s new identity, along with a simple but resonant message: “A milestone worth celebrating.”

The idea, Awasom said, was not just to create a giveaway, but to design something that people would keep and use long after the event.

“Maybe they would pop open the wine for their own milestone: a birthday, an anniversary, or even a graduation,” she said. “That bottle of wine shifted from a simple giveaway to something more meaningful. It became part of their story and a memorable reminder of the brand that created that moment.” 

Rebranding As a Transformative Art

Long before she launched her business, Awasom found herself drawn to dramatic acts of transformation.

As a teenager in Montgomery County, she sometimes helped classmates who struggled with confidence or felt overlooked reimagine how they presented themselves. She remembers the fun she had giving “makeovers.” She would restyle their clothing, pull together outfits from pieces they already owned, and help them see themselves differently.

“I loved the process of rebranding,” she said. “I loved helping someone see themselves in a new light and watching how that shifted how others responded to them.”

At the time, she did not think of that instinct as marketing or branding. It was simply something that came naturally and that she liked to do. 

Awasom went on to study marketing at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business in College Park, where she also completed a minor in technology entrepreneurship.

Today, she sees a direct connection between the instincts she developed years earlier and the work she leads at Luminary Branded Solutions.

“It’s still about recognizing the potential in something and helping bring it to life in a way that connects with people,” she said.

Building a Strategic and Scalable Business

Awasom founded Luminary Branded Solutions with a vision that extends beyond creating high-quality products. She is building a company that operates as a strategic partner to organizations looking to strengthen their brand presence through memorable, design-driven product experiences. 

In addition to serving a diverse range of clients, from small businesses to government agencies, Awasom has also worked with Fortune 500 companies to develop entrepreneurial programs and has coached hundreds of business leaders. 

These experiences inform how she approaches both her business and her client work, with a focus on clarity, intentionality, and long-term impact.

Today, Luminary collaborates with a network of suppliers and production partners to deliver custom product solutions. Looking ahead, Awasom’s goal is to bring more of that work in-house. 

“We want to own more of our supply chain,” she said. “That includes embroidery, customization, and production so we can have greater control over quality, speed, and design.” 

Her long-term vision is to build manufacturing capacity in the DMV region, creating jobs and expanding access to hands-on career pathways.

“There are so many talented people who want to work with their hands and build something tangible,” she said. “We need stronger pathways for those individuals, and I see Luminary playing a role in that.”

A Proud Montgomery County Ambassador

Awasom speaks just as enthusiastically about Montgomery County as she does about her business.

A graduate of local schools and programs, she credits the county with providing the ecosystem that supported her growth as an entrepreneur.

Luminary participates in local and state small business programs, including the Local Small Business Reserve Program. Awasom is also an alumna of the Montgomery County Black Collective’s AMBER Fellows program and she stays active in the local business community through organizations like the Gaithersburg Germantown Upcounty Chamber and the Montgomery County Small Business Association.  

She also serves on the board of Montgomery County’s Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville.

“I’m a strong ambassador for Montgomery County,” she said. “Whenever I travel, I’m always asking people, ‘Have you considered Montgomery County?’”

She points to the county’s mix of educational institutions, business resources, and entrepreneurial support as reasons why so many businesses succeed here.

“There are so many resources that were intentionally created to support people,” she said. “That contributes to a really strong quality of life and a thriving business community.” 

For Awasom, success is not just about growing Luminary Branded Solutions. It is about contributing to an ecosystem where people have the opportunity to build, create, and thrive.

And through her work, she continues to help organizations do the same by creating product experiences that people connect with and carry with them. 

“Lots of businesses put logos on items,” she said. “At Luminary, we focus on creating products that contribute to meaningful experiences that people really remember.”