I softly launched a new way of working with me a couple of months ago (March 2023) and I’d love to share how it’s going so far with you. I haven’t seen anyone else doing branding for small businesses this way in the UK or further afield.

It’s called Unfurl your Brand, and it’s a pay as you go brand identity design process.

There are currently 4 wonderful women-owned businesses working with me through Unfurl your Brand.

• For one business we have completed their brand identity design and they’re opening their flower studio in North Wales, UK in June.
• For one business we have completed their logo design and the next session they book we’ll work on building out their brand identity.
• For one business we have their mood board, colour palette, and a plan for what I’ll be designing sorted. On their next booking (which is already in the calendar) I’ll be diving into the design.
• For one business, we’ll be working on their mood board and colour palette when they’re ready to book the session.

Note that each business is at a different stage in the process, and that’s the beauty of it. I have split the process up into manageable chunks, so it can either be worked through back to back (availability allowing) or it can be slowed right down. 

Each stage is a potent, soft edged container of action that will move us along just enough. There’s no ‘all or nothing’ here. Just…enough.

After each stage there is a tangible outcome that’s complete and ready to be implemented, or can be savoured in favour of doing a branding launch when the rest of the process is complete. Launch with a bang, or go softly, softly.

Why it feels important to offer branding in this format for small businesses

Allowing you to do things your way is at the very heart of the values in my own business. It’s so important to me that I’m the guide who shows you the way and does the hard work for you, but that I’m also completely honouring who you are as a person and business.

There is structure and a process, but I’m allowing you to financially, logistically, emotionally, and energetically go at your own pace. This is not something that is generally encouraged in society as a whole, and especially not in business. 

We’re measured from birth against a pre-determined timeline, tested, kept in line, kept indoors. We’re told to grow up, then later, especially as women, to snap back.

In business we’re told to get things done quicker, extract more, give less. 

As well as allowing freedom for you within the branding process, it’s important to me that I counter the narratives I’m uncovering that are harmful. Once I see it, I can’t un-see it. I can’t go back, so I’m forging my own path.

To be really honest, the offshoot of all of this is that financially for me, income is way less predictable in a sense. It can’t not be if I’m allowing so much flexibility within the timeline of projects. I’m under no illusion that I’m building a way of working that would meet everyone’s needs, that isn’t the point. 

Our move to Pembrokeshire and a huge downsize in space and living costs (after 9 months living in a caravan!!) means that I have a certain amount of freedom to try such a drastic new way of working. 

This is just a note to say please do not think you should be working with your clients in the same way if it is not financially viable for you. Figure out your own way if it feels important. I’m doing what feels right to me and I know myself how it feels to see what someone else is doing and to feel like I should be doing it to, but it doesn’t work like that. We’re all learning and growing together. 

I highly recommend this online course by Bear Hebert as an amazing starting point to figuring this stuff out, if you’re called to it (again, your business is yours). It’s $50 and well worth that price. Please note it’s for service based businesses and this is not an affiliate link:

Freely: An anticapitalist guide to pricing your work

I also made my own resource about the way I’m offering PAYG services, It’s a 3 part video series. And it’s only £9!

Final thoughts on Unfurl your Brand. 

The cool thing is, I’m only ever working with one of these businesses at a time. They book and pay for time in my calendar each session, so although there are 4 clients here, it’s easy to manage. Something I really struggled with as my business grew and especially since having my first child. I have bits and bobs of other work in the background like single day design bookings from long term clients, but logistically, it works.

As you know may know I’m also growing the digital products and courses in my business so I hope that by having multiple income streams, things will even out financially. Offering payment plans on anything and everything has also been great actually – it not just a help to the client.

The whole Unfurl your Brand process also sets things up for me to be a longer term design partner with my clients. I’ve seen from recent Design Day bookings that working with people you already know is so easy and enjoyable. With the Unfurl your brand process split down into week long design sprints, clients can easily book further sprints or design days in the future to build things out even more. 

Synergetically, it weaves together so many threads I’ve been pulling at and unravelling for the last few years. I feel both at peace and so excited about where this journey is taking me next.

If you would like to learn more about PAYG services with a view to offering them yourself, I made this 3 part video series all about it. It’s only £9!

Would you like to Unfurl your Brand together with me?

You can book in with a £150 deposit to get access to your online portal on the Tree House. You can watch the self-paced videos giving you more insight into the design process and fill in the Brand Discovery Workbook over the Summer.

When my availability opens back up late Summer / Autumn, you can begin to book in your 1to1 sessions via the calendar in your online account. First the mood board and colour palette session (£350), then later at your own pace, the design sprints (£550 per week). 

Here are some handy links and more information for you:

• Download a pdf with all the info
• See example deliverables for each stage of the process
• See some work from my portfolio
• 3-part video series all about delivering PAYG services

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The very lovely Lauren from Lauren Clegg Jewellery completed my branding mini course recently. She has created the most lovely branding for her business, take a look below 😍 and then read her thoughts about the course.

Before you went through the course, how were you feeling about rebranding? 

OK ish about it. I had done my previous logos for two different businesses, however I had never really done the ‘fuller branding’, and that it where I felt I needed some help.

While you were working through the course, were there any particular light-bulb moments you had?

I think the part about seasonal branding really stood out to me. But to be honest it was all so good.

What was the most helpful piece of info or lesson for you and why?

Like I said I really valued all of it. I think I probably gained the most insight from the journaling prompts that really got me thinking about my brand and what I wanted it to say. A lot of other courses focus so much on the ‘ideal client’, that I think previously I had been focussing far too much on them. Which is obviously important as my product is for them, but I had lost the ‘me’ part of my branding I think, which is the soul of it I guess. Going through those journal questions really helped me get clear on what I stand for, and what I want my jewellery (and therefore my brand) to represent and say. I also really liked how practical it was. You can really follow along and implement what you explain in each video as you go if you wish. So the course gave me something really tangible to go away and work with, like the branding sentence at the end, or even the websites you can use to help make your logo etc. 

Did the format of 20-30 minute self-paced lessons, notes, and then feedback and help inside the community work well for you?

Yes perfect for me, especially as a busy mum with little kids. If I see a training course and the video content is longer than an hour, I am immediately put off, as I don’t know when I will get an hour to sit down and pay it attention. However 20 mins is the perfect amount of time to watch when you are getting ready, sorting the dinner or doing the washing up. And yes, even though I haven’t needed to use the community space much, having it there and being able to utilize it when needed was invaluable for me. Especially when I reached out for advice and you gave me really honest feedback (which I value so much) and some pointers on where to go with and and how to improve, and reminded me of the contrast and the seasonal branding. That’s when I realised that the initial logo just wasn’t saying what I wanted it to say, and started afresh. I’m so glad I did.

Now that you have worked through the course and created your new branding, how do you feel?

I am very happy with my logo, and I’ve had lots of lovely feedback about it too. But it’s not just that, its all the stuff underlying the logo, the heart and soul of my brand which I now feel so clear on. Before I did my rebrand, I wasn’t even sure on what type of jewellery to make, and which direction to go with it. Going through this process has helped me to drill down on my direction. By just thinking about my values and the keywords that I wanted to reflect my brand, it has helped me create a vision for the type of jewellery I want to make going forward, and I have been able to create the logo and the visual elements that really embody that. So thank you so much, I’m over the moon. 

You can read more about the symbolism behind Lauren’s logo icon on here instagram post here.

Learn more about the course and enrol here! (You can watch the first video for free)

Something I’ve found that just isn’t talked about by other brand designers is exactly what makes a brand identity feel impactful and evocative.

To look at this we need to look at the core principles of what makes design (as a whole) impactful. Branding is about creating something that’s true to the business and the clients and customers the business wants to attract. But also, in simple terms, it’s about really great design.

There’s one key design principle I’ve identified that’s at the heart of impactful work. It’s the principle of Contrast. For example, shadow and light, colour contrast, empty space and filled space, size contrast.

I wrote a post about how and why contrast works as a branding principle in the linked posts below so have a read of those if you’re new round here.

Related posts:

• How to create soulful branding for your small business
• 4 steps for creating a strong and evocative brand identity (91 Magazine blog)

In essence, the principle of contrast is used in all areas of design – interior design, architecture, music, all creative fields. In a world where we’re increasingly craving something a little different, getting inspired by those outside our own industry can lead to stand-out design that pushes the boundaries in our fields.

Weaving contrast through different areas of your branding and business

After identifying this key branding principle, I wanted to talk to some fellow small business owners about this idea and see how they use it themselves. I’ve come to the conclusion that the idea of ‘light and shadow’ is a key thing we can tap into for all aspects of building our brands and running our businesses. It can show up in so many different ways.

In their own words, I’ll share how some of my clients and small business friends use the principle of Contrast in their brand and how the idea can be taken further too – to the core of what they do.

Contrast can help us create a brand identity that feels alive. Contrast can help us create work that is striking and evocative. Contrast can help us run a business that feels balanced and doesn’t lead to burn-out.

How my client Safiyyah uses the principle of contrast in her artwork

“When I started painting, I mainly used pastel colours and stuck to a similar tone. But I noticed that I wasn’t ‘loving’ my results. Looking back I felt like there was something missing but at the time I just couldn’t pin point it. So I decided to try experimenting with different colours during my explorative painting phase. It was during this experimentation that I realized the importance of contrast and how it can bring a painting to life. 

Incorporating contrast and playing with darks and lights has made a huge impact on my work, not just in terms of gaining more traction in selling my art, but also in terms of the overall look and feel of my paintings. By using value to create flow and tell a story through my art, I’ve been able to create a cohesive and engaging Instagram feed. I know my paintings need a backdrop and they sit very well with my moody floral photography in my feed, which I have always had a passion for capturing even before I started to paint. 

My process involves planning and adjusting intuitively with colours, contrast, and scale. This approach helps me create art that is both visually appealing and tells a story. It helps the eye travel around the page and each flower gently guides the eye to the next. I’m really happy with how my art has evolved, and I’m excited to keep creating and improving.”

Safiyyah Choycha – Safiyyah Studio

How Kimberly uses this branding principle in her photography

“I create products for which scent plays the biggest role so selling online can always be challenging. Instead, I try to highlight a feeling or a mood that the scent evokes in order to give people an idea of the way one of my products might make them feel.

The idea of creating contrasts to bring life into your brand really resonated with my own experience. I had some photography experience in the past (shooting interiors) but I had never done product photography before and so when I started my business in 2021, that was its own challenge.

As a small maker, I was doing everything myself including my own product photography. Every tutorial I found online advised not to shoot in bright sunlight – the shadows that were cast would be too harsh and softer light was preferable but I was never really happy with my product photography. I knew my products were lovely looking (I had worked so hard on the branding to get that right) and I had plenty of styling experience from my interior days, but I felt like my product photography just felt flat – it was as if it was missing something although I couldn’t put my finger on it.

I began following some photographers on Instagram hoping to pick up some tips or inspiration and I noticed the photos I was always most drawn to were the ones which comfortably played with light and shadow. And so I decided to toss out that rule of shooting only in a softer light.

I began experimenting with shooting in bright direct sunlight, playing with the shadows the textures created and embracing those light/dark contrasts. Once I started to do that, I realised how much more life my photographs had. Those feelings I was attempting to evoke became so much clearer and stronger in my product images. I’m slowly working through my entire product collection to reshoot everything in this new style.”

Kimberly Duran – Swoonworthy Scents

How my client Tee has woven this idea of contrast right through to the core of her company, and how we built this story into her branding

“HUSTLE has long been a word that resonated with me. It can get a bad wrap, but in my mind, HUSTLE means leaning into high, positive energy and activity, the DOING.

I wanted to explore a counter energy to sit alongside the HUSTLE, something to balance that high, go-go-go energy. Still positive, but one that allowed me and YOU  to rest, recharge and reflect. One that gave us permission to BE.

Our company name HUSTLE + hush represents my belief that we need both HUSTLE and hush (in our own unique, dynamic ratio) to be our most brilliant, authentic, wonderful selves.“

The Venn diagram sitting in the heart of the logo represents both the hush and the HUSTLE energy and the space within us that exists in the intersection between the two.

Tee Twyford – HUSTLE + hush

Read more about the meaning behind the branding on the HUSTLE + hush website here.

Does this branding principle resonate with you? I’d love to know if you can identify areas of your business where you’re already using contrast. Join us in the Tree House Community (it’s free) to chat! Sign up here.

Since I’ve become a Mother, and as the years pass, the weight of all it is to be a woman pushes my feet more firmly into the ground. I feel the roots there now, growing from my feet simultaneously backwards and forwards in time.

Did you know that when your Grandmother carried your Mother in her womb, you were a tiny egg in your Mother’s ovaries? Three generations, connected. Sharing space. Maiden, Mother, Crone. The Triple Goddess.

This fact brings me comfort because I didn’t meet my Grandmother, she passed when my Mum was only 9. But I existed in her womb once.

As I think about this, I imagine what life was like for her, and for the 3 generations of women before that she and I are both connected to. Nesting dolls inside nesting dolls, spanning centuries.

Oh, how far we have come, but how far there is still to go.

The IWD website says “Are you in? Will you embrace equity? Show the world your huge embrace. Strike the IWD #EmbraceEquity pose to show solidarity.”

Yes, I am in. I’ve been in it since the beginning. 

We’re connected to those that we owe this current iteration of ‘liberation’ to. We’re living it.

We lived it inside our Grandmother’s womb as she lived it inside her own Grandmother’s womb. We are nesting dolls.

We don’t need to strike a pose and use a hashtag to hold deeply nuanced feelings about equity, equality and all the ways we might both benefit and not benefit from the intersections and gaps. I don’t feel like celebrating when we’re living it, still.

Here’s what I’m doing every day to carry on the legacy of the women that came before me. 

• Raising my boy to be an ally
• Modelling to those we come in contact with what our version of equality looks like as a family – eg. more equal household and family duties.
• Offering this ‘free to you’ online community space for women in business with high quality articles and access to advice – to give what I wished I’d had, with reverence for every person who has paid me with their time, energy, or money along my business journey so far. There’s a mission statement brewing in my mind.
• Actively looking for ways I can collaborate and co-create with the women around me, in life and in business, so we rise together.
• Became a founding member of Pregnant then Screwed for £3.50 a month 

What I want to assure you is that what you are already doing is enough. Whether you’re raising the next generation, modelling behaviour, having important discussions, or simply existing as yourself, it is enough.  

We are nesting dolls ✨

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Been wondering how to create a soulful brand identity for your business? In this post I’ll talk about the simple, key principal I’ve uncovered that helps me to do this for my clients.

There’s something I’ve been trying to articulate. A feeling about what is at the heart of all the work I try to put out there for my clients, but I’ve not been sure how to put it into words.

Have you ever felt like that? There’s something you understand and embody, but you don’t quite have the words to describe it and explain it to others?

Then, I saw someone talk about art practices for painting and drawing as part of a personal course I’m taking. It finally clicked into place.

The simple, key principal I’ve uncovered for creating soulful branding

You see – what I’ve been trying to articulate is really at the heart of everything that people create. No matter if it is art, music, a piece of writing, cooking, dance, film-making, architecture…a brand identity.

The creator wants the viewer/listener/reader/taster to feel something. And we are always looking for things that make US feel something too. Things that make use feel something stand out to us.

But what exactly is it that we want to feel? What makes a piece of Art, music etc either good or…forgettable? I’d argue it’s whether there is a sense of aliveness in the piece.

Whether ‘the thing’ makes us feel alive. Whether we can see the aliveness in it. Whether we can feel the aliveness of the author or artist. By alive what I mean is that it feels like it has heart and soul. It isn’t bland.

So, how do we make what we create feel alive?

Here’s that key principle:

It’s through contrasts and differences. Subtlety mixed with boldness. Lightness and dark.

This is what I already bang on about with branding, but I’ve only just connected the dots back to why it works.

Annoyingly, if you’ve ever worked with a client or employer on any kind of design or artwork and they’ve said ‘Can you just make it pop?’ (or something to that effect) this is what they mean. It needs more contrast, more differences. It doesn’t feel alive yet.

As a person, part of what makes you so wonderful and interesting is your unique mix of personality contrasts, contradictions, and differences. This is your aliveness, your soul.

When you add contrasts and differences into your brand identity, you’re infusing your brand with heart and soul too.

How to build a sense of aliveness into your branding

Building a sense of aliveness into your brand identity through contrasts and differences can work in many ways. It’s important to note that it really is about subtlety mixed with boldness, because when you have too much ‘middle’, things can begin to feel muddy, rather than clear and alive.

Here are some ways to begin thinking about this. you don’t need to harness each way of creating contrast, there are no hard and fast rules. We’re talking about how things feel here…so feel it.

Choose your own adventure.

Colour

In your colour palette, you can quite literally choose two or three main brand colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel.

Colours and the way they interact with each other, what they mean, and how they make us feel is so fascinating to me. I have a lesson all about it in the Rebrand Roadmap.

The complimentary and triadic opposite colours here create a bold contrast, so you need to make sure you have subtlety elsewhere.

For example in my main branding for Lemon & Birch, I use a bright blue, pink, and yellow. This is roughly speaking a triadic palette, and so you’ll see less bold contrasts in other areas such as the fonts I’m using. Apart from differences in size, the fonts I use are simple, clear, and easy to read.

If you were to use an analogue (sometimes called a harmonious) palette, these colours have less contrast between each other, and so it would be important to create bold contrasts in other areas of your branding.

It’s always about balancing boldness with subtlety.

Brand Photography

This is something the photographers amongst us are already masters of. Balancing light and shadow, and framing a photograph so that there is ’empty’ space balanced with ‘filled’ space.

There are some really bold contrasts that can be created in an image when you know how to capture them. My client Caro comes to mind when I think of light and shadow play in photography.

You can also create a sense of spaciousness with your brand photography, but couple that with perhaps a detail rich illustrated logo, and you have a beautiful, balanced contrast.

Inversely, if you have busy floral photography for example, keep your logo and even your colour palette on the minimal, chilled-out side.

Typography

The typefaces you choose for your brand identity are a lovely way to bring in more contrast. You can use one type of font for headings and another type for body text.

You’ll probably instinctively be able to tell which fonts contrast with each other; but here’s some quick examples:

• Bold font weight with a lighter font weight
• A chunky slab serif with a simple sans serif
• A bold retro display font mixed with a simple sans serif
• Don’t forget how font sizing can play a role in creating contrast
• Colour can come into play with your typography too

I hope that discovering this principle has opened up a new way of thinking about branding for you, one where the rules are less constrictive.

To read a follow up post about 3 small business owners who use the principle of contrast in their business click through to this related post: Contrast – a key principle to build into your branding and business

You can also sign up to my email list if this post resonated with you! 🥰

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In this blog post I’m sharing advice for creative small business owners, written by members of my online community, the Tree House.

I recently realised that what I was really craving something in my business – a feeling of community around my brand. Many people do a gorgeous job of creating that sense of community through their social media accounts or through their email list. But since I had my first child in 2020 I’ve found it hard to stay on top of the amount of time it takes to really build that up.

As a result, when launching my first online course and my course platform the Tree House, I knew I needed to get serious about community building. It’s a brilliant way to help people get through the whole of your course, create a sense of accountability, and allow people to connect with others going through the course at a similar time.

I set my community up on Circle and I am loving seeing it grow slowly and organically! After setting things up, I decided to create a Digital Magazine inside the community platform so that I could post Interviews with members, enabling us to get to know each other and learn about the ups and downs of our business journeys.

Here I’m sharing some of the amazing words of wisdom that have been written by 5 of the community members 🥰 They’ve given some wonderful advice for creative business owners. To read the full Interviews, sign up to the community here.

Helena Murphy – Commercial photographer capturing product, places and people.

What’s one piece of advice you would give to past you?

Nothing that is meant for you will pass you by. Don’t stress about your ideal timeline – it’s going to unravel in the way it’s meant to, and it’s not a race.

What’s one thing you learnt or implemented in your business where you thought ‘Why didn’t I do this sooner?!’

I definitely would have done the SEO work I’ve done this year much sooner, if I could go back! Because SEO is a slow piece and takes a long time to make an impact, it would have been beneficial to work on it from the start and not be so dependent on a platform you can’t control, like Instagram or TikTok.

Read the full Q&A bu signing into the community here

See Helena’s website here

Lauren Clegg – Jewellery designer and maker creating sterling silver jewellery inspired by nature.

What’s one piece of advice you would give to past you?

Trust my instinct and listen to my inner voice for guidance more. I’ve spent a long time looking externally for direction, thinking that everyone else had insider info that I was lacking, but when I’ve followed advice from external sources, it hasn’t fit right. I realised I just need to trust myself and follow my own path.

What’s one thing you learnt or implemented in your business where you thought ‘Why didn’t I do this sooner?!’

This is going to sound really behind the times, but downloading apps onto my phone for the platforms I use for my business. For example, I sell on Etsy, and I used to transfer all the photos from my phone onto the laptop, to upload them onto my listings. It was so time consuming, then I realised I could download the ‘sell on Etsy’ app, and I can upload images and edit listings straight from my phone. Game changer (that probably everyone else is already aware of!) Lol. 

Read the full Q&A by signing into the community here

See Lauren’s work here

Sophie Carefull – Coach for introverted creatives and a business mentor for personal branding photographers.

What’s one piece of advice you would give to past you?

I’d say: “Everything will get so much easier when you stop fighting against yourself.” I spent so many years focusing on all the things I disliked about myself, and rejecting my true nature as an introvert and someone with anxious tendencies, and actually, the more I’ve been able to face and then embrace those parts of myself, the more peace I experience. 

I never used to believe in the power of self-compassion (“If I stop being horrible to myself, surely I’ll never get anything done?!”), but now I see it as an absolutely essential ingredient for a happy life.

What’s one thing you learnt or implemented in your business where you thought ‘Why didn’t I do this sooner?!’

One of the most important lessons for me has been “be a farmer, not a hunter,” as I think the saying goes. I spent so much of my first couple of years in business on a constant (and tiring) treadmill of trying to find my next new client, that I’d often neglect to appreciate my existing clients. 

It dawned on me that it’d be much more worthwhile to cultivate longer-term relationships with everyone I worked with so that I didn’t have to rely so heavily on outward marketing. I started to get more repeat bookings and referrals when I actively encouraged them, which may sound obvious but I think a lot of us overlook this, especially in the early days when your confidence may still be wobbly and you’re just so relieved when a job goes well that you quickly move onto the next thing without looking back.

Read the full Q&A by signing into the community here

See Sophie’s website here

Ammaarah Jeewa – Creative copywriter for creative women

What’s one piece of advice you would give to past you?

Stop letting other people tell you your limitations. Only you can decide what you are and are not capable of doing. You get to dictate what happens in your business, not everyone else.

What’s one thing you learnt or implemented in your business where you thought ‘Why didn’t I do this sooner?!’

Be authentic. It sounds simple, and maybe almost obvious, but it’s so easy to feel like you have to conform to some type of ‘appearance’. Even when I thought I was being authentic, it turns out, I was still trying to hide. It wasn’t until a gentle marketing coach suggested that I look at what I do through the lens of, ‘Does what you’re doing make you love yourself?’ that it really opened my eyes.. 

I was genuinely surprised at how often the answer was ‘no’. It prompted me to take a good hard look at what I was doing, especially in terms of marketing, and adjust things so that I could finally answer ‘yes’.

Read the full Q&A by signing into the community here

See Ammaarah on instagram here

Rebecca Broad – Writer and social media manager

What’s one piece of advice you would give to past you?

Charge. More. Money. 

What’s one thing you implemented in your business where you thought ‘Why didn’t I do this sooner?!’

Oh, I love Starling Spaces. In my business account with them I have Spaces for all sorts: different tax years (I automatically put away 30% of all income), Christmas bonus, my next three months’ wages, new tech fund, and ‘investment’.

It’s made everything to do with finances so much more visible for me. I never used to feel financially safe enough to spend any business money, but Spaces help me to see what I can afford to spend.

Read the full Q&A by signing into the community here

See Rebecca on instagram here

If you enjoyed reading this wonderful advice for creative business owners, you can join the Tree House Community here!

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I’m really excited to share this with you toda! I was interviewed by Ruth Poundwhite for her podcast Quietly Ambitious all about the benefits of asynchronous communication, and it was such a lovely chat! This is my first time speaking on a podcast!

I have wanted to get into podcast guesting for a while, but being a quiet, introverted person I was putting it off 🙈. I applied to be part of a summit Ruth was hosting, and as a result, she felt my topic would be better on her podcast instead.

I really hesitated to reply and say ‘yes please’ because I was so scared of putting myself out there in this way. Inevitably, it felt like fate had stepped in to stop me putting this off, and I knew from listening to Ruth’s podcast already that she was lovely and all of her interviews sounded natural and laid back.

I’m so, so glad that I got to have this wonderful conversation with Ruth – it didn’t feel like an interview at all, it was just a really soul nourishing chat!

We talked about the benefits of asynchronous communication (and what that actually means!), how we can put our needs first and create freedom with the way we support our clients, and all the ways I have reduced 1to1 calls in my business. This will be a great listen if you’ve ever wished you could have a little more freedom and spend a little less time on Zoom.

You’ll find all the links below of how you can listen!

Click here to go to the podcast page on Ruth’s Website

Click here to listen on Spotify

Click here to listen on Apple podcasts

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The wonderful Shilpa hired me to design a colourful, modern brand identity design for her business Mindset, Mimi & Me! It was such a wonderful treat because the whole ethos behind her business made my heart sing!

We both worked with Bloc + Rose on our brand strategies. As a result of getting to know each other on the group calls for ‘The Bloc – Brand Container‘, Shilpa asked me to design her new branding.

At Mindset, Mimi & Me, the goal is to empower kids with self-worth by igniting their imagination. Shilpa translates the wisdom and self-development you have learned on your journey of self discovery into a language that kids love: storytelling, poetry and art.

You can all of the details of the branding below!

Shilpa wanted the branding to be bright and colourful, and to feel that it made sense for a brand creating poetry and art to appeal to children. It needed to be well designed, and modern enough to appeal to parents as well as children.

A last puzzle piece is that the branding needed to speak to Shilpa’s cultural roots. I did this through the shapes, motifs and colours used.

Can you see the shape of the Elephants trunk and how it is mirrored in the letter M throughout the logos and icons?

Colourful confetti, lotus flower shapes, and the teal mixed with the brighter colours all make this branding feel unique and fun with a modern edge. I had so much fun designing it!

Looking for a brand designer yourself?

Would you like to work together on a colourful, modern brand identity design for your business? You can see the main package I have on offer along with the pricing here. Alternatively, get in touch to discuss a custom branding package.

Not sure where to begin? Need help demystifying the branding process? No worries, I’ve got you covered! Head over to the Rebrand Roadmap, a 5 part branding mini course – watch the first video for free 🙂

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When you have an inkling you want to rebrand your business, it might start to make you feel unconfident to show up and share what you do with the world. Or perhaps it’s the other way round. You’re feeling unconfident and you’ve realised you need to shake things up with a rebrand.

A rebrand isn’t the absolute be all and end all. There are many ways to gain confidence (like working with a brand strategist, self-confidence or business coach, or getting help in any area of your business that feels sticky).

It is true however, that a new brand identity will help you to raise your vibration and bring some new energy into your business and build momentum.

You brand for the future; the ‘you’ that’s a couple of steps ahead. This helps you to shift energy and meet the vibration of this new season in your business and get you moving towards it.

It’s important to note that a brand identity on its own won’t bring you more clients, customers, and recognition. You and your actions combined with your wonderful new brand identity – that’s what’s going to move you forwards.

You need to be fully behind your new branding and so there are certain steps to take to make sure that it speaks of your soul and really represents what you do and the impact you want to have on the world.

When you’re fully behind your new branding you’re going to feel more confident to share everything you’re doing with the world.

So, where to start when rebranding?

It helps to go back to basics and make sure you understand what your brand identity and all the moving parts within it need to do.

Once you have a handle on the purpose of each moving part you can review and assess what you already have through a new lens. Ask yourself if each part is functioning as it should be.

This first puzzle piece is one I find my clients have sometimes missed in the past. Having knowledge of what each item is supposed to do means you’ll know when your branding or rebranding efforts are on track. It also means that your efforts are going to be cost and time effective.

What’s the purpose of my brand identity?

Creating a brand identity really is simply telling your brand story through typography, imagery, illustration (if that’s needed), and colour.

If we’re talking about your brand as a whole, you’re telling the story through your words and actions too.

Storytelling with visual branding isn’t linear. Think of it as “Telling a story with layering”. Layering up different elements in your brand to build up a technicolour picture.

When you’re thinking about all the layers in your branding rather than simply the logo and maybe the flat block colours, that’s when you start to build a brand identity that feels technicolour, evocative, exciting.

What’s the purpose of each part within my brand identity?

I have a 20 minute video for you all about demystifying what branding is and what the purpose of each part of the identity is. It’s the first of 5 videos in my branding mini course, The Rebrand Roadmap.

You can sign up to my online course cabin The Tree House to watch this first video for free!

Click the video below to go to the Course page.

And here’s what other people have said about the full mini course:

“Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and insight in such a clear, simple to understand and accessible way. It was exactly what I was looking for. A framework to get me started, and a few insider tips too. I will be dipping in and out of it again and again over the next few months I think as I start thinking more in depth about my rebrand. I just wanted to let you know how happy I am with it.” – Lauren Clegg Jewellery

“I have been working on a logo after watching and working through the Rebrand Roadmap. It was so so good – thank you Meg! I got so much out of it, useful information, tips and tricks. I have really enjoyed the whole process.” – Kathryn Goddard Photography

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