If there’s a brand designer among us, please don’t cringe and cancel me based on the title alone. Just hear me out. One day, when budget allows, I will most certainly invest in a dreamy elevated brand… But this time, I very intentionally DIYed my own, from strategy to positioning to my logo and all the little details in between.
And here are a few reasons why:
For fun. When I get a creative itch, it doesn’t seem to go away until I scratch it. In little pockets of time here and there, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying writing my brand mission, doodling brand elements, selecting fonts, tweaking colour palettes. Since December when I clued into the fact that it was time, working on the brand has been a little side project that I look forward to when listing and packing orders is done. Diversifying my daily routines and giving me a new creative outlet has filled me up and renewed my inspiration.
To reacquaint myself with my business. I knew and have known for some time that the shop was ready to evolve. As I made the decision to transition to a more personal brand, it was also important for me to have full creative and strategic freedom within the process. I wanted to get my hands dirty with it, and it needed to take as long as it required. Through this whole journey, I’ve learned just how much I believe in my small business, and how much farther I want to take it.
Because I live for a typeface deep-dive. This pretty much ties right in to point number one, but man oh man do I love getting nerdy about fonts and design. (Side note: In my classroom I always tell students to print their good copy portfolio in their “favourite font.” In seeing their choices, I always immediately understand them a little better.) I’ve always made it a point to chase the things I’m obsessed with in my business. Otherwise, what’s the point, right?
Because I had the time and the energy to devote to learning. While I’m obviously not an experienced designer, I had a library of resources To develop the brand, I returned to helpful resources that I’ve gathered along the way:
Brand Bouquet by Naomi Bulger
Brand Brilliance & How to Style your Brand by Fiona Humberstone
Honestly, I couldn’t be happier with what I’ve created. It feels incredibly authentic and ALL MINE. In case you’re listening to the kind of advice I’ve decided to avoid telling you that you absolutely must [insert overly-generalized advice here] consider this post your permission slip to do it yourself.
And when will I be able to show you this new brand? Very soon, loves. If you want to be the first to know, subscribe here to my Substack. I’ll be showing you and walking through it all very soon.
x Sarah