Better: The Brand Designer Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jen Davis & Esther Knox-Dekoning
Giselle Field of Wander Design Co. and Jen Davis of Hello June Creative met on Facebook in 2019 and quickly became biz (and designer) buddies. The branding world felt secretive, competitive, and sometimes really confusing, so their weekly chats were not only LIFE-GIVING but also very much needed in the midst of their crazy schedules. They realized that their honest, soul-chat-level convos could potentially help other brand designers—and thus, Better: The Brand Designer Podcast was born. In summer of 2020, Giselle passed away during a climbing trip in Peru. We encourage all listeners of our podcast to listen to our two Celebrating Giselle episodes. Giselle's adventurous, kind, funny, and supportive presence is missed every day - each and every episode that we record is dedicated to her legacy and her vision for this podcast. In winter of 2022, we welcomed Esther Knox-Dekoning from Sereth Design as a new co-host. It is our honor to continue recording episodes in Giselle's memory and we know that she is with us every time we sit down to record.
In this week's episode I have fellow designer, mom, and business owner Olivia Austin back on the podcast. We chat about the things that don't matter and the things that really do when growing and running a business, and how becoming a mom has made all of that even clearer. Her last episode with me was back in 2022 and so much has changed since we last talked.
Guest Name: Olivia Austin
Guest Website: byoliviaaustin.com & thestudio.co
Guest Social: @thestudio.co & @byoliviaaustin
Guest Podcast: Behind the Design
Course: Studio Growth Accelerator
Previous Guest Episode: S6 E5: Hiring a Team that Supports Your Vision with Olivia Austin
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership.
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, motherhood and business
This week I chatted with Brooke Apffel about building her digital marketing business, Coastal Collective Marketing (CoCo), from the ground up, growing it into an agency with a team, and what the process looked like to eventually sell through an acquisition. We also talk about her social media masterclass, a course I took personally and highly recommend!
Guest Name: Brooke Apffel
Guest Website: coastalcollectivemarketing.com
Guest Social: @coastalcollectivemarketing
The Course: The Social Media Manager Masterclass
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership.
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
In this weeks episode, I'm chatting with my friend Amanda, owner of Poised Avenue Studio, who specializes in stationery, print design, and design licensing.
We talk about why print still matters in a world of digital noise and AI, how tactile collateral can strengthen a brand experience, and how to educate your clients on print and all the possibilities it opens up to elevate their brand presence beyond just digital.
Guest Name: Amanda DeWoody
Guest Substack: amandadewoody.substack.com
Guest Social: @poisedavenue
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
In this week's episode, I talk with brand leader and author Anthony Reeves, who has led the creative teams for major brands like Amazon, Airbnb, Kohler, and more. We talk about his book, Eat the Donkey, what inspired the title, and the idea of making hard short-term choices for long-term success. We also talk about AI and his take on how both small and large companies should be using it while still preserving that human element.
Guest Name: Anthony Reeves
Guest Website: anthonyreeves.co
Guest Linkedin: Connect with Anthony
Eat the Donkey Book: Buy on Amazon
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership.
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
In this solo episode, I chat about my new mini version of the Minimind (the Mirco Mind) and share what we cover in the 4 month program kicking off in August! I also share real pricing & wins from my Design Minimind Program and what they are charging. They discuss the projects they are booking and what they are charging.
Interested in the upcoming Micro Mind (mini 4-month Minimind)? Applications for are now open and live! Apply here
00:00 Intro & overview of the mini Minimind program (The Mirco Mind!)
07:25: Reading student screenshots | What designers are charging.
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership.
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
In this week’s episode, I have SEO and AI search strategist Julia back on the podcast to talk about how designers can show up in AI search results like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and more. We also discuss how AI search overlaps with traditional SEO, and some practical tips and actionable steps you can take to improve your visibility and increase your chances of showing up in AI-generated search results.
Guest Name: Julia Bocchese
Guest Website: juliareneeconsulting.com
Guest Social: @juliareneeconsulting
Episodes Mentioned:
S12E9: Demystifying SEO for Web Designers—SEO Q&A with Julia Bocchese
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership.
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
In this episode, I chat with Ashton Hauff, brand strategist and co-founder of The Good Kids, a branding agency in North Dakota. Ashton talks about their "Slingshot Method," a three-phase process covering strategy, creative, and rollout, and why having a clear system in place makes such a difference in how projects run. We also get into the DACI model, which helps clarify internal roles and approval processes for clients during the project, plus practical strategies for handling client anxiety and keeping the project experience smooth for everyone involved.
Guest Name: Ashton Hauff
Guest Website: thegoodkids.co
Resources: thegoodkids.co/category/resources
Guest Social: @thegoodkids / @ashtonhauff
Guest LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ashtonhauff
Podcasts: The Brand Archive & Brand in Motion
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership.
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
In this solo episode, I'm chatting all about pricing—when it's time to raise your rates, the steps to do it, how to communicate price changes to existing clients, new inquiries, and referrals, and the common mistakes I see designers make along the way, including sharing a few of my own mistakes I have learned from!
Also I have an exciting announcement! - The Mini Minimind (The first ever Micromind) will start on Aug 3, 2026 with applications opening June 1, 2026! If you're interested or just have questions about it, send me a DM over on Instagram @hellojunecreative!
Timestamps:
01:29 - The first Micromind cohort announcement & sharing past student wins
12:00 - How to Raise Your Prices
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership.
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
In this weeks episode I'm chatting with fellow design business owner and mom of three Sydney of Rouse Design Studio in a fun Q&A style all about motherhood and business, and also how we both live on land and raising animals and what that brings into the mix as well.
Guest Name: Sydney Walden (Rouse Design Studio)
Guest Website: rousedesignstudio.com
Guest Social: @rousedesignstudio
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership.
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
Running a business means you're constantly evolving, and in this solo episode I'm sharing with you guys what that's looked like for me lately, what I've outgrown, what I've let go of, and what's working in this season of business for me and my micro agency model.
Also if you're curious to learn more about Scale with Confidence send me a DM on insta @hellojunecreative!
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Become a member with Editorial Stick images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership.
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
In this episode, I chat with Lisa Johnson, brand and web designer and owner of Verve & Concord. We chat about her decision to pivot her business and niche down to work specifically with Catholic and faith-based women in business, what led her there, how it's deepened her client connections, and why choosing a niche that's personally meaningful makes a difference in how you show up and market yourself.
Guest Name: Lisa Johnson
Guest Website: verveandconcord.com
Guest Social: @verveandconcord
Guest Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/verveandconcord
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership.
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
In this episode, I chat with Tina and Jordan, the founders of Editorial Stock Images (ESI). We talk about why the word "stock" tends to make designers cringe, what's actually possible when stock imagery is done well, and how they built ESI to give creative service providers access to assets that feel emotional, editorial, and real.
Sign up here for ESI and use code BETTER15 and get 15% off your membership!
Guest Name: Tina Loszewska & Jordan Aulin
Guest Website: editorialstockimages.com
Guest Social: @editorialstockimages
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership.
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design,
This week’s episode, I chat with Meghan, who works full-time as an art director in New York at a corporate apparel brand while also building her studio, Reine Creative, on the side. We dive into what it really looks like to plan and art direct a photoshoot from concept to execution, and why having strong creative direction behind your visuals matters so much, especially for your website and social media. It was so fun chatting with her and having another past Minimind student on the pod!
Guest Name: Meghan Svetich
Guest Business: Reine Creative
Guest Website: reinecreative.com
Guest Social: @svetiich / @reinecreative
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
I'm back with a solo episode talking all things spring cleaning… your business that is. With spring right around the corner, I'm sharing exactly how I'm cleaning up the backend of my business and refreshing my systems to stay organized during busy seasons and make sure my team is set up for success.
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
This week I have my good friend Ash back on the pod (last time was in 2022!) and so much has shifted for her since then. We chat about her pivot from running an agency and business consulting to stepping into personal development and life coaching focused on pacing, identity, and the “silent burnout” many high capacity women experience. She also shares more about her program, Harmonious Living.
Guest Name: Ashleigh Henry
Guest Website: ashleighchenry.com
Guest Social: @ashleighchenry
The Harmonious Living Program: Click here to learn more
Links Mentioned in Episode:
Take Control of Your Calendar, Take Control of Your Life - Blog Post | IG post
S5E20: Connecting and selling in an Organic Way on Social Media with Ashleigh Henry
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
*Learn more about The Brief Collective's Scaling Summit happening May 3-6, 2026 and reserve your ticket now to attend!
In this week’s episode I have on a past Minimind student and friend of mine, Meg Burk, who is a multipassionate brand designer, font designer, and soon launching her own clothing active wear line as well. We're chatting all things fonts, creativity, and what it really looks like to build a business that holds space for more than one passion.
Guest Name: Meg Burk
Guest Website: bymegburk.com
Guest Social: @bymegburk
Click Here to book an office hour with Meg
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
*Get your ticket for The Brief Collective's Scaling Summit happening May 3rd-May 6th, 2026!
This week, I welcome Kenzi and Marisa, the founders of The Brief Collective, back on the pod for a conversation about the power of getting together with like-minded creatives in person. They share all the details about their upcoming designers retreat, Scaling Summit, happening May 3rd–6th, 2026 in Asheville, NC.
Guest Names: Kenzi Green & Marisa Burgett
Guest’s Website: thebriefcollective.com
Scaling Summit Retreat: Get your ticket
The Brief Collective Social: @thebriefcollective
Kenzi’s Social: @kenzigreendesign
Marisa’s Social: @marisa.burgett.director
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
*Learn more about The Brief Collective's Scaling Summit happening May 3rd-May 6th, 2026 and reserve your spot!
This week I chatted with Matt Ellis, who is the Executive Director of Brand at Metalab in the UK. We talk about how he spotted a gap at MetaLab to bring in more brand services that actually enhance product development, and what makes a brand stand the test of time. He also shares his take on AI—experimenting with new tools while keeping your craft sharp, using AI to explore ideas and make them richer rather than just speeding things up.
Guest Name: Matt Ellis
Guest Linkedin: Connect with Matt
Metalab: metalab.com / @metalab
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
*Learn more about The Brief Collective's Scaling Summit happening May 3rd-May 6th, 2026 and reserve your spot!
In this episode, I chat with Jennifer, VP of Strategy & Innovation at creative agency Marks. She shares her journey from traditional advertising to becoming a leader in brand strategy, and how her autism diagnosis helped many of her ways of thinking finally make sense. We talk about the power of emotional detachment and truth-telling in creative work, plus why adaptability and future-focused thinking matter more than ever—especially for small agencies and independent designers.
Guest Name: Jennifer Murtell
Guest Linkedin: Connect with her.
Episode Mentioned:
S12E4: Six Sneaky Places Design Businesses Leak Time & Money with Shannon Mattern
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
In this episode, I chat with Gina Knox, a financial coach who helps small business owners craft strategic financial plans. She shares her journey from art school to QuickBooks to financial coaching, and dives into the unique financial challenges small businesses face and how to get better at managing your finances. Gina is on a mission to help business owners thrive financially, and I took so much goodness away from our conversation and I hope you do too!
Guest Name: Gina Knox
Guest Website: ginaknox.co
Guest Instagram: @ginaknox
Podcast: Small Business, Big Money
Program: Small Business Money School
https://ginaknoxco.thrivecart.com/money-school/partner/ - Affiliate link
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
In this episode, I chat with Vidya, a leadership catalyzer, strategy consultant, and founder of Warrier Strategy. We talk about the challenges of monetizing your passion, especially in creative fields, which can often lead to burnout. Vidya also shares her personal journey from a seemingly fulfilling life to experiencing burnout, what led her to make major life changes, and how she ultimately transitioned into coaching other business owners and creatives.
Guest Name: Vidya Ramachandran
Guest Website: vidyawarrier.com
Guest IG: @vidya.r.warrier
Liberate Course
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
In this episode, I read and chat about some of the wild client feedback you have received as designers that you guys submitted, plus share a few stories of my own.
*Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
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Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
Happy New Year listeners! In this solo episode, I'm breaking down what an ideal day and weekly schedule looks like for me as a mom of two, wife, and business owner working 24 hours a week. I'm also chat a bit about Scale with Confidence, my new sister offer to The Design Minimind.
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
Enjoy this episode from the archives while we're on our Holiday break! We will be back with season 13 next week!
In this solo episode, I’ll be chatting about ways to improve your efficiency and get faster at brand and web design, allowing you to scale back on your working hours.
Inbox Question:
“What's an appropriate amount of time spent on choosing brand colors (initially)?” - Shelby Reed
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
Enjoy this episode from the archives while we're on our Holiday break! We will be back with season 13 on Jan 13th!
I chat with Emmanuel Probst, Global Lead of Brand Thought-Leadership at Ipsos, a global market research company. We dive into all things market research and brand transformation. Emmanuel gives insights into the skills and empathies independent designers can offer clients that larger agencies can’t, as well as ways to find unique inspiration outside of social media. There are so many incredible topics discussed in this episode and I can’t wait for you to hear it!
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Emmanuel Probst
Guest Business Name: Ipsos
Guest Website: www.ipsos.com/en-us
Guest LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/emmanuelprobst
Links Mentioned:
Purchase Assemblage: The Art & Science of Brand Transformation on Amazon
Access Ipsos’s market research data
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design
Enjoy this episode from the archives while we're on our Holiday break! We will be back with season 13 on Jan 13th!
I interview Chris Misterek from Showit! As you all know I am a huge fan of Showit and we talk everything from Chris' own design journey, to the Showit design community, to creating websites that convert.
Guest Name: Chris Misterek
Guest Business Name: Showit
Guest Website: showit.com
Links Mentioned:
Sign up for Showit - First month FREE using “hellojune”
Spark Conference for Showit Designers
Mec Labs formula: C = 4m + 3v + 2(i-f) - 2a (https://meclabs.com/about/heuristic)
Steve Krug Books on Conversion - Don’t Make Me Think & Rocket Surgery Made Easy
Inbox Question:
"How can I sell Showit as my preferred web building platform to clients, even though they might be more aware of platforms like Squarespace and Wordpress?” - Lauren B.
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program
FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, brand design, brand identity design, design business, better podcast, brand designer podcast, design
Enjoy this episode from the archives while we're on our Holiday break! We will be back with season 13 on Jan 13th!
Adrienne Johnston joins Jen to talk all about how she generates 5+ leads per week WITHOUT doing active content marketing! This was such an interesting and insightful conversation all about using the power of simple, effortless SEO shifts to start capturing leads that may not have been aware of you.
Guest Name: Adrienne Johnston
Guest Business Name: Adrienne Johnston
Guest Website: adriennejohnston.com
Guest Instagram: @adriennebjohnston
Links Mentioned:
Free Resources from Adrienne
Six-Figure Presentation Designer Course
Live Virtual Retreat
Free Masterclass: How to Build a Six-Figure Design Business
Stupid Simple SEO Course
Sem Rush
Ubersuggest
Ahrefs.com
Help A Reporter Out (HARO)
Inbox Question:"Always curious about graduating to bigger clients who can take on more ambitious projects and not living off small projects that feel “good enough” for the client.” - Jackie Antreasian
Links:
The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
We’re wrapping up Season 12, which means it’s inbox question time! I’m answering questions submitted by you guys, mainly from those hopping into our podcast Facebook group. And if you’re not a part of the group yet, go join—you can submit your own question, and it might be featured on a future episode!
Links Mentioned:
Apply to be a guest!
Claude Ai
S5 E14: Iterating on the One Concept Method
S5 E23: Using Intuition in Your Design Process with Alex McGinness
Past Inbox Question episodes:
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 5
Season 6
Season 7
Season 8
Season 9
Season 10
Season 11
Past Motherhood & Business Update Episodes:
S5 E21: 2-Year
S7 E22: 3-Year
S10 E6: 4-Year
S11 E19: 5-Year
Links:
The Design Minimind
FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription*
1 month of Showit FREE with code “HelloJune”*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk*
*Some are affiliate links
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, brand design, brand identity design, design business, better podcast, brand designer podcast
In this solo episode, I'm recapping my 2025 business year and answering some questions about what worked, lessons learned, and things I'm leaving behind in 2025 and what I am taking into 2026.
Mentions in Episode:
My Bookkeeper: Balanced Roots Bookkeeping / @balacnedrootsbookkeeping
Brand Shoot: Lynette Ortiz Photography / @lynetteortiz.photo
Shopify Developer: Jenuine Creative / @jenuinecreative
My Episode with Bethany: The Part-Time Breadwinner: Working Less, Earning More, Living Fully
My Episode with Marty Neumeier: Diving into Octavo, a Thriller for Designers
Purchase his book on Amazon: Octavo: A Novel
Book: Contagious by Jonah Berger
Links:
The Design Minimind - Applications for cohort 6 opens Nov 1st, 2026
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In this week’s episode, Shay, the COO of Bucketlist Bombshells, joins me to discuss scalable business models for brand and web designers. We talk about the challenges designers face, such as revenue plateaus and burnout, and provide actionable insights on transitioning to more sustainable models, as well as the importance of defining a niche, raising rates, and creating recurring revenue through current clients and monthly membership models.
Guest Name: Shay Brown
Guest Website: bucketlistbombshells.com
Guest IG/Connect in the DM’s: @bucketlistbombshells
Links:
Grab your FREE Dream Client Playbook to consistently land more clients & grow your revenue.
Get booked out in your business and start generating $5k+ months: She's Fully Booked.
Hit 6 figures and ready to scale? Join our small group coaching program.
Tune into the Freedom Filled Life Podcast.
The Design Minimind - Cohort 5 is now SOLD OUT.
• Sign up to be notified - Applications for the next cohort open Nov 1st 2026.
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
This week, we are back with another branding bestie episode with my design bestie, Lauren. We chat about the benefits and strategies of trading design services, how Lauren recently did trades with vendors for her wedding, and some past and current trades we’ve both done. We also talk about the importance of choosing the right trade partners, times when trades are appropriate, and making sure you don’t skip the contract just because it’s a trade.
*Don’t forget to drop a post in the podcast FB group or DM Lauren or Jen if you wish and tell us something you have traded services for. We would love to hear about it!
Guest Name: Lauren Braier
Guest Website: elbycreative.com
Guest IG: @elbycreative
Lauren's Pod: Branding Bestie Podcast
Previous Branding Bestie Episodes:
S11E4 Branding Bestie Chit Chat: What’s the Future of the Boutique Brand Design Industry?
S11E8 Branding Bestie Chit Chat: Reading Our Old Goals with Lauren
S11E11 Branding Bestie Chit Chat: Designing a Life You Love
S11E14 Branding Bestie Chit Chat: Breaking Down Sticky Client Situations
Links:
The Design Minimind - Applications open until Nov 20th!
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
✨ The Design Minimind - Apply Here (applications open until Nov 20th — limited spots are filling fast!)
Episode Description:
In this solo episode, I chat about some common mistakes brand and web design studio owners frequently make that are interfering with the growth and profitability as a business owner. Drawing from years of experience and observing patterns among my students in The Design Minimind as a mentor.
Episode Mentioned:
S5 E14: Iterating on the One-Concept Method
Links:
The Design Minimind - Applications open until Nov 20th!
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
The Design Minimind - Accepting Applications NOW OPEN! - Apply Here.
___
This week, I had a past Design Minimind student Shani of Shani Jay Creative on to talk about her experience in the program and how much of an impact it had on her business and the revenue goals she hit and surpassed! We talk about the importance of confidence, going all in, proper mindset, and strategic investments in building a sustainable and profitable design & web business.
Guest Name: Shani Josefovits
Guest Website: shanijaycreative.com
Guest IG: @shanijaycreative
Reclaim Your Brand in 15 days: Sign up here.
Links:
The Design Minimind - Applications NOW OPEN! - Apply Here.
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
I’m back with another spooky client story episode in celebration of Halloween, with Audrey who is my production designer here at Hello June. We read your spooky stories that you submitted anonymously and Jen shares a spooky(kinda) lead that reached out to her as well!
Guest Name: Audrey Humphreys (HJC's production designer!)
Guest Website: audaciouscreativestudio.com
Guest IG: @audaciouscreativestudio
Episodes Mentioned:
S8 E12 | Spooooky Client Stories (Round 2) with Lauren Braier
S6 E12 | Spooooky Client Stories
Kenzi’s Podcast: The Unapologetic Designer Podcast
00:00: Intro & info about my NEW offer Scale with Confidence
13:24: Jen’s Spooky (kinda) Inquiry Story
18:16: Spooky Client Story #1
24:38: Spooky Client Story #2
30:16: Spooky Client Story #3
35:04: Spooky Client Story #4
38:13: Spooky Client Story #5
43:23: Spooky Client Story #6
45:37: Spooky Client Story #7
46:21: “The Day I Met a Ghost..Kinda of” #8
48:20: Spooky Client Story #9
49:38: “The White Roses Incident” #10
55:06: Halloween Plans
Links:
The Design Minimind
• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In this episode, I chat with Katie of Katie Creative Co, who is a social media strategist. We dive into the nuances of using social media effectively—focusing on a people-first approach that prioritizes genuine relationships over algorithmic approval. Katie shares her tactical breakdown of growth, nurture, and connection content, the power of vulnerability and personal storytelling, and practical ways to avoid burnout. This episode is perfect for those looking to enhance their social media presence while staying authentic and avoiding burnout.
Guest Name: Katie Campbell
Guest Website: katiecreativecompany.com
Guest IG: @katiecreativeco
Social Sweet Spot Course: Learn More
00:00: Intro and Minimind Video Library Overview
06:49: Challenges of Social Media for Service Providers
08:01: The Biggest Mistake in Social Media Strategy
08:56: Holistic Approach to Social Media Success
11:56: Person-First Marketing Philosophy
20:55: The Funnel Strategy for Social Media
35:02: Setting Boundaries for Sharing Personal Life
37:46: Pushing Comfort Zones in Social Media
43:44: Balancing Digital Wellness
49:59: Social Media Best Practices to Ignore
51:59: Social Sweet Spot Program
Links:
The Design Minimind
• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Pre-order Octavo on Amazon
Episode Description:
In this week’s episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with one of my design icons, Marty Neumeier, who is an accomplished designer and author. We chat about his new design-thriller book, The Scarlett Files/Octavo, his shift from non-fiction to fiction, and how he integrates design and writing within his work. Marty also shares how his early experiences shaped his career and why storytelling plays such an essential role in branding, design, and his writing.
Guest Name: Marty Neumeier
Guest Website: martyneumeier.com
Octavo Book: Pre-order on Amazon
Substacks
- The Scarlett Files: martyneumeier.substack.com
- Level C: levelc.substack.com
00:00: Intro & Minimind Wins From Past Students
07:55: Marty's Journey in Design and Writing
10:50: The Scarlet Files on Substack
11:19: The Origins of Graphic Design
12:58: Leonardo da Vinci's Influence
16:33: Challenges of Writing Fiction
18:49: The Intersection of Branding and Storytelling
26:20: Marketing Strategies for Authors
40:44: The Renaissance and Modern Story
43:36: The Aldine Press and Its Innovations
48:00: The Importance of Mentorship
52:31: Level C: Master Classes for Professionals
57:10: The Role of Testing in Design
Links:
The Design Minimind
• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Submit your Spooky Client Stories 👻 🕸️
This week, I chat (Q&A style) with Julia Bocchese who is an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) expert, to discuss SEO strategies tailored specifically for web designers. We talk about the challenges and misconceptions around SEO, including client communication, expectations, and the technical nuances of ensuring sites rank well on Google. Key topics covered include the importance of user experience, site speed, mobile design, image optimization, and the role of tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics. The episode also addresses a bit about AI optimization as well.
Guest Name: Julia Bocchese
Guest Website: juliareneeconsulting.com
Guest IG: @juliareneeconsulting
SEO Tips for website designers: Read Blog
Collaborations & Partnerships: Learn More
Setting up Google Search Console: Watch Video
00:00: Intro, Minimind Reviews, & Spooky Client Stories
05:40: Understanding SEO for Web Designers
06:37: Client Communication and SEO Expectations
07:43: SEO Challenges for Designers
09:33: User Experience
10:35: Site Speed Optimization Tips
13:17: Mobile Design
18:26: Accessibility
22:33: Website Launch and SEO Considerations
26:54: Google Search Console and Analytics Setup
28:16: Connecting Google Search Console to Your Website
33:34: SEO Myths and Misconceptions
37:15: Blogging and AI Optimization for SEO
41:27: Ways to Work with Julia
Links:
The Design Minimind
• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
Some are affiliate links
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer p
In this episode, I chat with Kayla Batista, owner of Brand Barista, all about her journey in the design industry and the unique dynamics of being a white label designer. Kayla shares her background, her transition from one-on-one client work to specializing in white label design, and the flexibility it brings, especially during challenging times. We delve into her business model, the nuances of pricing and process, and how to establish effective and respectful relationships between agency owners and white label designers. Kayla also talks about her course, 'The White Label Way,' and her upcoming Discord community, offering resources and support for designers interested in white label work. Whether you're looking to understand white label design or considering it as an income stream, this episode is packed with valuable insights.
Guest Name: Kayla Batista
Guest Website: brandbarista.co
Guest IG: @brandbarista
Guest Course: The White Label Way
00:00: Intro & Minimind Resource Library
03:00: Mini interview with my 5 yr old son Ryder
04:49: Kayla's Design Journey
06:44: Starting a Business Amidst Challenges
08:39: The Shift to White Label Design
09:25: Balancing Work and Personal Life
12:51: What is White Label Design?
28:58: Pricing Strategies for White Label Work
30:01: Custom Proposals and Client Communication
35:37: Building Long-Term Client Relationships
39:26: Company Culture and Team Respect
39:55: Kayla’s Course Info & Discord Community
Links:
The Design Minimind
• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
*Join the Tezzera waitlist | Launching Fall 2025
In this episode, Abbey McGrew is back on the pod, all the way from Season 1! We discuss all the details of Abbey's latest venture, Tezzera, a CRM designed specifically for designers, tackling a major gap in the market. Abbey discusses the features of Tezzera, its development process, and her vision to make administrative tasks feel creative and on-brand. Tezzera is launching with beta testers in October, with the official launch planned for Nov.
00:00: Intro + Minimind Testimonials
05:51: Abbey’s Life Updates: Moving and Motherhood
11:10: Introducing Tezzera: A New Business Venture
24:25: The CRM Features it will include
36:55: Beta Testing and Launch Plans
Guest Name: Abbey McGrew
Guest Website: wayfairdesignstudio.com
Guest IG: @wayfairdesignstudio
Podcast: Design Unfiltered on Patreon and The Heart-Led Brand
New CRM Launching Fall 2025 - Tezzera
Join the Tezzera waitlist
IG: @tezzera.co
Episodes Mentioned:
S10 E13: Maternity Leave, New Motherhood, & Mom/Design Biz Life - from Design Unfiltered with Abbey McGrew
S1 E11: Attracting Dream Clients and Building Your Design Business with Abbey McGrew
Links:
The Design Minimind
• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast
✨ Grab my Creative Direction template for FREE ✨
Curious what the first stage of my brand design projects looks like? Grab the Figma template (and four bonus audio trainings walking you through how to populate it!)
This week, I chat with Bethany McCamish, a speaker, author, podcast host, and design agency owner, about her multifaceted career journey. Bethany shares invaluable insights into attracting and serving luxury clients, the importance of personal branding, and the impact of authentic storytelling on social media. We both discuss practical advice on elevating your design business and positioning yourself in the luxury market.
Guest Name: Bethany McCamish
Guest Website: bethanyworks.com
Instagram: @bethanyworksdesign
TikTok: @bethanymccamish
Podcast: Unbreakable Brands
00:00: Intro
02:59: Bethany's Career Journey
10:56: Booking Luxury Clients
13:06: Defining Luxury and Premium Clients
14:41: Avoiding Common Mistakes
17:18: Building Personal Connections
23:55: Importance of Messaging and Visuals
25:18: Curating Your Portfolio for Luxury Clients
27:43: Engaging Luxury Clients Through Content
37:55: Bethany’s Mentorship Programs for Designers
Links:
The Design Minimind
• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025
Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well)
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
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*These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
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Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In this solo episode, I wanted to switch gears and just have a fun little chat with you about life and discuss some current wins and struggles running a business and being a mom currently to little kids. I also discuss a new educational offer I'm creating in partnership with the Minimind—designed to help fellow designers scale their businesses more effectively.
00:00: Intro
00:56: Personal Life and Business Updates
02:33: Client Wins and Business Growth
06:38: Team Dynamics and Work Structure
14:53: Struggles and Challenges
22:31: Future Plans and New Offers
My Recently Hired Bookkeeper:
Website: www.balancedrootsbookkeeping.com
IG: @balancedrootsbookkeeping
Links:
The Design Minimind
• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
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Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
✨ Get access to my Creative Direction Figma Template for FREE ✨
Episode Description:
In this episode, I chat with Shannon Mattern, a web design business coach and founder of the Web Designer Academy, to discuss her journey from corporate marketing to running a successful web design coaching business. Shannon shares the key turning points in her career, including how she identified and overcame six common areas where design businesses leak time and money and shares with us what those are. She emphasizes the importance of mindset, proper pricing, and setting boundaries to ensure profitability in your business.
Guest Name: Shannon Mattern
Guest Website: www.shannonmattern.com
Guest Instagram: @shannonlmattern
Shannon’s Course: Web Designer Academy
Shannon’s Podcast: Profitable Web Designer
00:00 Intro and Creative Template Freebie Info
02:49: Shannon's Story
19:19: Identifying Time and Money Leaks
20:39: The Cost of People Pleasing
21:24: Setting Boundaries and Managing Scope
24:34: Perfectionism and Pricing Challenges
25:35: Client Feedback and Pricing Models
28:30: Empowering Clients with Choices
35:25: Mindset and Self-Concept in Business
37:43: Web Designer Academy Course Overview
Links:
The Design Minimind
• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
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Our Website
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The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
✨ Grab my Creative Direction template for FREE ✨
Curious what the first stage of my brand design projects looks like? Grab the Figma template (and four bonus audio trainings walking you through how to populate it!) below!
👉🏼 Grab the template here! — Coming Sept 1st!
Episode Description:
As the first guest of season 12, I talk with Liz from Favorite Things Studio to discuss the integration of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in brand strategy and design. Liz shares her journey from casting director to boutique brand designer, emphasizing the value of AI tools (ChatGPT being her bread and butter) for creating more efficient and high-quality outputs and how to use them elsewhere in your business and systems. We discuss all things skepticism and the advantages of using AI in the creative industry, and how AI is reshaping the way designers approach their projects. Liz also shares details about her Brand Strategy Purrr-fection course and how she's helping other designers master the fundamentals of strategic branding.
00:58: New Updates to the Upcoming Design Minimind Course
06:06: Liz's Journey to Brand Design
08:10: Starting from Scratch: Learning the Tools
14:06: Customizing AI for Your Business
19:16: The Future of AI in Brand Strategy
26:33: Leveraging AI for Client Questionnaires
29:09: Transparency with Clients About AI Usage
32:13: Exploring Visual AI Platforms
36:57: Creating Custom AI Workflows & Systems
40:30: Legal and Ethical Considerations of AI
43:16: Brand Strategy Purrr-fection Course
Guest Name: Liz Martinez-Nelson
Guest Website: www.favoritethingsstudio.com
Instagram: @favorite.things.studio
Liz’s Course: Brand Strategy Purrr-fection
Links:
The Design Minimind
• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, design studio, design business, brand designer, better podcast, better designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
✨ Grab my Creative Direction template for FREE ✨
Curious what the first stage of my brand design projects looks like? Grab the Figma template (and four bonus audio trainings walking you through how to populate it!) below! I'll send it out September 1, 2025 (or automatically after that date) - are you ready? 👀
👉🏼 Grab the template here!
Episode Description:
In this solo episode, Jen talks about the intricacies of naming your business or your client's business. She covers the emotional (yes, that’s a thing!) and psychological aspects of naming, common pitfalls to avoid, essential checks in the naming process, and best practices for creating memorable and unique names.
00:00: Intro
01:11: Exciting New Freebie Announcement and What That Includes
04:11: Diving into Episode Topic
06:20: Psychology and Emotional Impact of Naming
08:02: Abstract and Compound Naming Strategies
09:30: Things to Avoid in Naming
12:35: Naming and Brand Design Considerations
14:32: Ensuring Name Availability and Suitability
16:11: Conclusion and the Upcoming The Design Minimind Cohort 5 Reminder.
Website Mentioned:
USPTO Trademark Search
Links:
The Design Minimind
• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
✨ Grab my Creative Direction template for FREE ✨
Curious what the first stage of my brand design projects looks like? Grab the Figma template (and four bonus audio trainings walking you through how to populate it!) below! I'll send it out September 1, 2025 (or automatically after that date) - are you ready? 👀
👉🏼 Grab the template here!
In this first episode of season 12, Jen is talking about something we've all experienced as business owners—slow seasons. But here's the thing: these quiet moments are actually golden opportunities! She shares ideas and ways for thriving during slower months, like creating low-cost services, launching digital products, or reconnecting with past clients, invest in learning and take courses (hint: The Design Minimind), and more! Slow seasons don't get to define your business—you do.
00:00: Intro/welcome to season 12!
01:27: Upcoming freebie announcement and Info
05:25: The Design Minimind success testimonials
10:00: Diving into the episode topic - slow seasons
12:34: How to generate quick cash in slow seasons
19:36: Ways to make the best use of the extra time
25:51: Final thoughts and encouragement
Episodes Mentioned:
S8E12: Spooooky Client Stories (Round 2) with Lauren Braier
S6E12: Spooooky Client Stories
S3E9: Difficult Client Stories
Links:
The Design Minimind
• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Wrapping up season 11 with a fun one! I’m answering your questions straight from the inbox.
Questions:
5:03: I’m a branding designer currently and I was wondering if you had an episode on pricing brand projects with and without websites?
6:55:How do you professionally incorporate Ai into your process?
12:05: If client "A" offers 10K for a project but you're a little iffy about some portion of the project vs client "B" offers 8K for approximately the same amount of time, which do you choose?
16:39: Creative directing is a role I thought I was ready for this spring and realized quickly that I was not. Can I ask where you get your leads from?
19:39: How do you stay creative when you have multiple projects?
21:44:How can you market yourself as a Brand Designer when you’re too working on your own brand and figuring out how to establish yourself?
22:49: Best places to learn and stay up to date with trends and best practices?
27:16: What must haves should a brand designer have in their contract?
28:20: How do you look for inspiration without comparing yourself to others and making yourself feel small?
29:54: How to help your client keep an open mind during the creative process.
32:00: How to say no when clients ask extra work?
33:35:Does it ever get easy?
35:24: How do we demonstrate our value as designers in an increasingly DIY landscape?
36:47: How people deal with direct competitors to their current client reaching out for branding help in a small market?
Episodes Mentioned:
S10 E7:What Should You Charge? Pricing Survey Results
S1 E10: How to Identify Good Clients and Avoid Red Flag Clients
S10 E1: Our Red Flag List(Avoid These Clients!) with Lauren Braier
S11 E19: 5 Year Update on Motherhood & Business
S10 E5: Why, When, and How to Start an Internship Program
S8 E17: Rethinking Social Media Marketing with Xanthe Appleyard
S8 E 18: How to Launch Your Services with Kelsey McCormick
S6 E19: Turning Your Services Page into a Sales Page with Kelsey McCormick
S5 E2: Finding Creative Inspiration
S11 E11: Branding Bestie Chit Chat: Designing a Life You Love with Lauren
Links:
The Design Minimind • Sign up to be notified - Applications open Nov 1st, 2025
Connect: Facebook Community | Website | Podcast Insta | Hello June Creative Insta | The Design Minimind | The Creative Diaries
In this solo episode, I’m talking about the tools and shortcuts I use every day in Adobe Illustrator (my favorite Adobe software!) while designing for my clients. Plus, I’m sharing exactly where to find them in Illustrator and how I use them. Follow along in more detail over on the blog post while you listen! - hellojunecreative.co/blog.
00:00: Intro
03:52: Pattern Brush Tool
05:31: Duplicate Shortcut
06:27: Smooth Tool
07:39 Pattern Tool
09:21: Width Tool
10:42: Join Tool
11:47: Pathfinder Tool
12:55: Puppet Warp Tool
14:53: Recolor Artwork Tool
15:56: Outline Stroke Tool
Head over to hellojunecreative.co/blog for more tools that I didn’t talk about on the podcast in the blog post! Or go comment on my instagram post over on @hellojunecreate if you know of a tool/shortcut that you use and love that I didn't talk about!
Links:
The Design Minimind
• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*
Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.*
*These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In this solo episode, I'm getting real about what five years of motherhood and business ownership looks like—and spoiler alert, it's nothing like I expected when my son was born back in 2020.
With baby two now in the mix, I'm diving into how being a mom has completely shifted alongside my career. We're talking daily schedules (chaos included), managing client expectations, and Dylan (my husband) now being home full-time with the kids. Plus the financial pressures of variable income and my ongoing feelings of mom guilt.
00:45 Motherhood & Business Q&A
02:15 Daily Schedule & Family Dynamics
07:15 Managing Client Expectations & Project Timelines
09:32 Financial & Growth Considerations
12:22 Personal Development & Mindset
20:33 Client Work & Creativity
24:20 Practical Day-to-Day Management
27:52 Long-Term Vision & Legacy
Episodes Mentioned:
Bonus Episode: Navigating Maternity Leave and Scaling a Business with a Newborn
S5 E21: 2-Year Update on Motherhood and Business
S7 E22: 3-Year Update on Motherhood and Business
S10 E6: 4-Year Update on Motherhood and Business
S9 E3: Steal My Web Design Process
S11 E7: What Happens After You Design a Website?
S11 E2: How to Take(Paid!) Extended Time Away from Your Business
S11 E5: Making “The Leap” from Agency to Studio (and Balancing Mom Life) with Katie Higginbotham
S5 E14: Iterating on the One-Concept Method
S9E10: Entering a New Era of Brand Strategy with Marion Tan
S4 E3: All About Brand Strategy with Melinda Livsey
Links:
The Design Minimind / Get notified - Applications opens Nov '25
30% off of your HoneyBook subscription
1 month Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune”
Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto
Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.
(Some are affiliate links)
Connect With Us: Our Free Facebook Community | Our Website | Podcast Instagram | Hello June Creative Instagram | The Design Minimind | Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)
I’m back with another solo episode where I’m breaking down the complete Hello June offer suite and sharing why having flexible packages has been a total game-changer for the studio.
I discuss my four main package tiers, from full service brand and web combos down to essential branding offerings, plus all the add-ons that support them and how I customize each to fit the client. Plus, I'm sharing how to get valuable feedback from leads (even the ones who don't book) and why your offer suite should always be evolving.
Whether you're just starting out or ready to refine what you've got, this episode is for you.
Links Mentioned:
S11E17: How to Leverage Semi-Custom Web Design with Alex McGinness
S10 E10: How to Run a Successful (and Profitable) Design Intensive with Jenna Johnson
S7 E4: How to Structure, Price, Market, and Sell Design Intensives
The Design Minimind
• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025
Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Hello June Creative Instagram
The Design Minimind
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In this episode, Alex of Arcoiris Design Studio is back on the pod to talk all things semi-custom websites, and why it might just be the best thing for small boutique studios looking to scale without the stress.
They talk through how starting with a solid template can still lead to a high-end, unique result for clients, why not every business needs (or benefits from) a custom build, and how setting boundaries around scope and timelines can protect your time and profitability. This episode is full of helpful tips on creative direction, client communication, and finding smart ways to grow sustainably.
Whether you’re considering building a template shop, white-label web development offers, or simply want to streamline your process, this convo is full with honest insights and actionable takeaways.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Alex McGinness
Guest Business Name: Arcoiris Design Studio
Guest Website: arcoiris.design
Guest Instagram: @arcoiris.design.studio
Links Mentioned:
S5 E23: Using Intuition in Your Design Process with Alex McGinness
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
The Design Minimind
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In this solo episode, Jen’s chatting all about how she’s refined and streamlined her brand and web design process to better serve both her clients and her business.
She emphasizes customizing workflows to fit different client needs, cutting unnecessary steps, and focusing on high-value tasks. Key changes include reducing client calls, minimizing lengthy brand strategy, and relying on simple, effective communication tools with her clients.
Jen also shares practical tips such as live refinement sessions, unlimited revisions within a set time frame, and delivering social-media-ready assets upon off-boarding. These process shifts have saved time, allowed her to take on more projects, all while maintaining a high-quality client experience.
Links Mentioned:
S9E3: Steal My Web Design Process
S5E14: Iterating on the One-Concept Method
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
The Design Minimind
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design, processes, brand and web design
In this episode, I’m chatting with Katie Higginbotham, previous minimind student of mine, designer, studio owner, creative director, and mom of three. We talk all about what it really looked like to make the leap from her established agency job to running her own studio.
With Mother’s Day just behind us, this convo feels especially timely. Katie shares how she knew it was time for a change, how she prepped for the transition, and what it’s been like balancing client work, a part-time role, and mom life all at once. We also dive into the honest truths, like mom guilt, chaotic schedules, and learning to protect the time that matters most.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Katie Higginbotham
Guest Business Name: Katie Higginbotham Design
Guest Website: katie-higginbotham.com
Guest Instagram: @katie_higg_design
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
The Design Minimind
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Branding Bestie Chit Chat is back and in this episode Lauren and Jen share honest examples of when things didn’t go quite as planned in their client projects from unclear direction to challenging feedback and how they navigated those moments. It’s a candid supportive conversation full of lessons learned growth moments and a few laughs as well.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Lauren Braier
Guest Business Name: Elby Creative
Guest Website: elbycreative.com
Guest Instagram: @elbycreative
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In this episode of Better: The Brand Designer Podcast, we sit down with Joy Warren, the creative force behind Joy Warren Creative — a full-service brand and web design studio known for its playful simplicity, vibrant use of color, and custom illustrations. Based just outside Raleigh, NC, Joy shares how she launched her business after relocating from Indiana and built a studio that celebrates and supports small, female-owned businesses.
We kick things off with a quick story time about how Joy’s business began, and then dive into a foundational concept for any designer: the offer suite. What is it, and why does it matter? Joy walks us through how her own suite of services has evolved — including a major shift away from her once-popular Mini Brands offer. She opens up about the mindset behind pivoting, how to stay responsive to your audience’s needs, and why flexibility in your offers is key to long-term success in the design industry.
Whether you’re a seasoned designer or just starting out, Joy’s thoughtful approach to building and refining your offers will leave you feeling inspired and ready to adapt.
Have you re-evaluated your own offer suite lately?
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Joy Warren
Guest Business Name: Joy Warren Creative
Guest Website: joy-warren.com
Guest Instagram: @joywarrencreative
Links Mentioned:
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In this powerful and inspiring episode, we're joined by brand designer Alouette Marsh, whose journey is anything but ordinary. From facing the debilitating effects of endometriosis to rising above it and building a thriving design studio, Alouette shares her deeply personal story of resilience, creativity, and purpose.
We talk about the darkest moments of her health battle, the mindset shifts that helped her through, and the unexpected lessons she now carries into her business every day. Whether you're navigating your own challenges or simply need a reminder that growth is possible—even in the hardest seasons—this conversation is for you.
Guest Info:
Lark Brand Studio
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
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In this episode of Better the Brand Designer Podcast, we’re diving into the ways design influences every part of our lives—far beyond our work as brand designers. Lauren shares how her love for interior design, wedding planning, and beautifully packaged products fuels her creativity, along with how house hunting has sharpened her ability to see potential in unexpected places. Jen talks about infusing creativity into everyday life, from crafting and needlepoint with her kids to designing her dream home. Plus, we explore how our experiences with client relationships and embracing different styles have shaped our design perspectives. Get ready for a fun, insightful chat about how the things we love outside of work make us better designers!
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Lauren Braier
Guest Business Name: Elby Creative
Guest Website: elbycreative.com
Guest Instagram: @elbycreative
Links Mentioned:
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In this episode of Better: The Brand Designer Podcast, we’re diving into the legal side of branding with special guest Alli Elmunzer from Influencer Legal! As brand designers, we create visual identities that help businesses stand out—but how do we ensure those identities are legally protected?
Alli breaks down the key differences between a registered trademark (®), a trademark (™), and copyright (©), and explains when and why brand designers should start thinking about trademarking business names and logos. We’ll also discuss the first steps in guiding clients through the trademarking process and whether independent designers should consider trademarking their own business assets.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Alli Elmunzer
Guest Business Name: Influencer Legal
Guest Website: https://influencerlegal.co/
Guest Instagram: @attorneyalli
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In this week’s episode, I sit down with my good friend Morgan Morris, the talented designer and founder behind Thuro Design. Morgan opens up about her powerful testimony — from life before Christ to how her faith journey has transformed not only her personal life but also her business.
Morgan shares why she made the bold decision to integrate her faith openly into her business, despite the fear of judgment or losing clients. She offers thoughtful advice for other designers of faith who want to share their beliefs authentically while maintaining alignment with their brand and values.
Morgan’s Program: Aligned Designers
Aligned Designers is a mentorship program helping designers create a business aligned with their God-given calling. Our in-depth, 1:1 approach covers business growth and design skill with a faith-centered perspective. You can sign up on our waitlist to be the first to know about Early Bird pricing when we launch again this October. https://thurodesign.com/aligned-designers-2025-waitlist/
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Morgan Morris
Guest Business Name: Thuro Design
Guest Website: thurodesign.com
Guest Instagram: @thuro_design
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In this episode of Better: The Brand Designer Podcast, we’re back with another Branding Bestie Chit Chat featuring Lauren Braier from Elby Creative! We’re diving into the past as we dust off our old goals, reflect on what we’ve accomplished (and what we haven’t), and chat about how we’ve grown both personally and professionally over the years. Join us for an honest and inspiring conversation about evolving as designers, learning from our experiences, and setting new intentions for the future. Tune in for some laughs, insights, and maybe even a little nostalgia!
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Lauren Braier
Guest Business Name: Elby Creative
Guest Website: elbycreative.com
Guest Instagram: @elbycreative
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In this week’s episode, I share about our refinement, QA, pre-launch, and launch phases of our web design projects! Steal my process or adjust for your own needs—it’s all laid out in this episode!
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Podcast Instagram
Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In this episode of Better: The Brand Designer Podcast, we’re joined by the incredible Tonya Bamboe, founder of Booth and Bard, to dive deep into the world of inclusive branding for neurodivergent clients. Tonya shares her journey—from the pivotal moments that shaped her business to how she discovered her passion for serving the "neurospicy" community.
We break down what "neurospicy" means, how Tonya has positioned her brand to support clients who identify with this term, and the intentional shifts she’s made in both her systems and marketing to create a more accessible and empowering experience. Plus, she gets real about the challenges that come with working with neurodivergent clients and how she’s adapted to meet their needs without sacrificing her own well-being.
If you’ve ever wanted to build a business that feels aligned, inclusive, and sustainable—this episode is a must-listen! Tune in and get inspired to refine your own brand with intention.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Tonya Bamboe
Guest Business Name: Booth & Bard
Guest Website: boothandbard.com
Guest Instagram: @boothandbard
Links Mentioned:
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
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Today I go through some of my recent projects breaking down the who, what, when, where and how. Just giving a little peak behind the curtain to some of my favorite projects I have worked with recently.
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In the first episode of our new monthly series, Branding Bestie Chit Chat, I sit down with Lauren Braier to explore a question that’s been buzzing around the boutique brand design community: What’s the future of our industry?
From online chatter to shifts in the career paths of high-profile designers, we dive into why it feels like so many business owners are struggling right now. Is it just the nature of social media amplifying the lows, or is something deeper happening in the branding world?
Lauren and I share our predictions for 2025, including a possible decline in courses and education in favor of 1:1 coaching, the lingering effects of an oversaturated market post-COVID, and the continued importance of showing up authentically on social media (because being a faceless brand just doesn’t cut it anymore).
We also reflect on what these changes mean for our own futures as brand designers. Whether you’re navigating similar questions or just curious about what’s ahead, this episode is packed with insights, candid thoughts, and some serious bestie vibes.
Grab your coffee, tune in, and let’s talk shop!
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Lauren Braier
Guest Business Name: Elby Creative
Guest Website: elbycreative.com
Guest Instagram: @elbycreative
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In this inspiring guest episode of Better: The Brand Designer Podcast, I’m chatting with Kat Super, the talented founder of B Super Design, a boutique brand and web design studio based in Richmond, Virginia. Known for her signature “vintage meets modern” illustrative style, Kat combines brand identity design, web design, and custom illustration into a seamless, full-service experience for her clients—and even offers white-label illustration services to fellow designers.
We dive into Kat’s design journey, her passion for illustration, and how she discovered the unique niche of collaborating with brand designers to create custom illustrations. Kat also shares practical advice for designers looking to strengthen their illustration skills and explains the ins and outs of her white-label services, from inspiration to delivery.
Whether you’re curious about elevating your illustration game, exploring new ways to serve clients, or just love hearing from talented designers, this episode is packed with inspiration and actionable takeaways. Tune in to learn from Kat’s creative process and get a behind-the-scenes look at her approach to design!
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Kat Super
Guest Business Name: B Super Design
Guest Website: www.bsuperdesign.com
Guest Instagram: @bsuperdesign
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In this episode of Better: The Brand Designer Podcast, we’re diving into what’s in and what’s out for creating a thriving, joyful design business in the new year. Inspired by a trend making waves on social media, I’m sharing my personal “ins” and “outs” for a better work-life balance and a more intentional approach to running my brand design studio.
From booking clients far in advance to pursuing non-work-related hobbies (hello, needlepoint Facebook groups!) and crafting offers around work I truly love, I’m redefining success on my own terms. Plus, we’ll chat about what’s out this year, like accepting clients with red flags, obsessive email checking, and overloading on unnecessary business expenses.
I’ll also share a glimpse into my word of the year—gratitude—and how it’s shaping my mindset and goals moving forward. Whether you’re a seasoned designer or just starting out, this episode is packed with relatable insights and practical tips for creating a business you genuinely enjoy.
Links Mentioned:
The Design Minimind Sales Page
The Design Minimind Waitlist
Thuro Design
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In this episode of Better: The Brand Designer Podcast, we dive into the art of stepping away from your business while keeping things running smoothly—whether it's for maternity leave or another extended break. I’m sharing a personal recap of my recent maternity leave, reflecting on the biggest differences from my first experience, and breaking down actionable strategies to prepare for extended time off.
From starting your planning early to adjusting team operations and building a financial buffer, this episode is packed with tips to help you stay organized, maintain client trust, and avoid losing leads. Plus, I’ll share how I kept essential operations like social media, sales, and client communication humming while taking much-needed time to rest and recharge. Whether you're a new mom or planning a well-earned sabbatical, this episode is for you!
Tune in to learn how to plan ahead, set boundaries, and keep your business thriving while prioritizing your personal life.
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Today we’re joined by Katelyn from Studio Kaly talking about what makes a luxury brand design experience and how to craft a luxurious offer suite that sells. If you’re struggling with your positioning and offers, this episode is for you!
Links Mentioned:
Studio Kaly
The Win Without Pitching Manifesto
Inbox Question:
What are the key elements to running a successful photoshoot (for yourself or a client?)
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Have you ever had a review session with a client and they're just not feeling the work you've created? We've been there! In this episode Jen and Esther talk about some of their experiences with push-back and how they worked through the problems to create better solutions for their clients.
Links Mentioned:The Anti-Anxiety Notebook
Inbox Question:
"How do you present your initial designs to the client? What do you include– how many logo/secondary logo ideas, how many fonts (and where to get fonts/legalities), do you photoshop a mock-up and include that with the package? Like what do you do lol" — Mackenzi Chapman
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Episode Description:
In today’s episode Jen shares her entire web design and web development process, from a blank slate all the way to launch day, Jen explains the systems that she has in place that allows her small team to design, build, and deliver the perfect website every time. Get ready to take notes, this one is packed with a lot of value and details!
Inbox Question:
“Finding clients who only need branding services is challenging. I’m often finding web development or design services is easier. What are the best lead gen options for this space?” - Marta Nicole Rodzen
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Earlier this year we asked you to share your difficult client stories and today those stories—as well as our own—are live! Although they are SUPER entertaining, we make sure to also share how the designer could have avoided the problem in the first place so we can all learn together.
Giselle opens the episode by telling the story about her $400 website project and Jen shares what she learned from a difficult contractor relationship from the beginning of her business.
We talk all about making sure our values align with our work and finish up the episode answering the question: “What is your philosophy as a designer?”
Giselle and Jen believe that there is so much to be learned from difficult client experiences. While going through them can be hard, reflecting and sharing them with a supportive community can make us all better designers (see what we did there?)
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Today Jen chats with Olivia Austin from Current Design Studio all about hiring - when to think about it, how to know you’re ready, and how to navigate the hiring and interview process. We approach the hiring conversation from the perspective of knowing your studio values and adding team members who share those values.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Olivia Austin
Guest Business Name: Current Design Studio
Guest Website: https://currentdesignstudio.com/, https://byoliviaaustin.com/
Guest Instagram: https://instagram.com/current.designstudio
Links Mentioned:Gusto
ClickUp
Notion
Motive Affirmation Deck
Inbox Question:“Should I list multiple package/price options on the proposal? My gut is telling me not to, because they will go with the lower price package even though they really need more.” — Chelsea Levinson
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Do you ever feel like you can’t take a TRUE vacation? Maybe your fears are that your clients will be mad, you don’t have enough funds to pay for the time away, or you feel like you have TOO much to do that taking time away doesn’t make sense. We’ve been there. In this episode we talk about:
- The things we do to prepare for vacation
- Battling mindset when taking time away
- How we plan for vacation ahead of time
- How time-off impacts our business and our own mental health?
- How to build rest into our schedules more regularly
- And much more!
Inbox Question:“How do you make the most use of a junior designer/intern?” — Indy Griffiths
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Final episode of the season is here already! Today we answer all of your inbox questions!
Links Mentioned:
S8E15: How to Craft a Luxury Offer Suite that Sells with Katelyn Alyssa from Studio Kaly
S7E10: Font Design, Digital Products, Burnout, and Industry Culture with Jen Wagner
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Today I go over some small changes I made early on in my business that made a big impact on my revenue. This is how I hit my first 100k year.
Links Mentioned:
Don’t Make these Brand Messaging & Positioning Mistakes!
How to Sell Out Your Design Services with Expert Positioning
Spooooky Client Stories (Round 2)
Inbox Question:
"[Question here?]” - [Name Here]
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In this episode I had the pleasure of peppering Rita Julian (a bookkeeper for brand & web designers!) with questions about keeping your business finances nice and tidy (and saving money on taxes!)
Get 20% off Cash + Creatives (DIY bookkeeping course) with the code PODCAST20!
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Rita Julian
Guest Business Name: Julian Bookkeeping
Guest Website: www.julianbookkeeping.com
Guest Instagram: @julianbookkeepingllc
Links Mentioned:
Cash & Creatives (DIY bookkeeping course) - get 20% off with code PODCAST20
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In this episode, I chat with N. Chloé Nwangwu from the consulting agency NobiWorks all about how the traditional ICA (ideal client avatar) model of brand strategy is outdated—and what to do instead!
Guest Information:
Guest Name: N. Chloé Nwangwu
Guest Business Name: NobiWorks
Guest Website: https://www.nobiworks.com/
Guest Instagram: @NobiWorks
Links Mentioned:
NobiWorks Resources mentioned
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This week Lauren (Jen’s previous designer) is back to share about her decision to leave the boutique studio space in favor of the agency world! She talks about her job search, interview process, and differences between boutique and agency she’s been surprised by.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Lauren Braier
Guest Business Name: Elby Creative
Guest Website: www.elbycreative.com
Guest Instagram: @elbycreative
Links Mentioned:
[Insert Links Here]
Inbox Question:
"[Question here?]” - [Name Here]
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I was asked to guest on another podcast called the Design Unfiltered Podcast with Abbey McGrew. You can find a link to that pod below. In this episode we talk about being a new mom, maternity leave, and preparing for a big family change. Thank you Abbey for having me on as a guest!
Design Unfiltered Podcast
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I’m so excited to share an episode of The Unapologetic Designer podcast I recorded with Kenzi Green from Kenzi Green Design and the Brief Collective! We chatted all things brand messaging (I just completed her brand new messaging and home page copy during one of my signature Copy Sprints!)—focusing specifically on mistakes we see designers making (and how to avoid them!
The Unapologetic Designer Podcast with Kenzi Green
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This week I got to chat with a personal friend and past student of mine Madison Standke from Soulful Solution, a boutique brand and web design studio specifically for therapists. We chat all things relationship marketing—how to maximize your current client relationships, get more referrals, and partner with other service providers. We also had a great discussion about finding the balance between motherhood and business!
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Madison Standke
Guest Business Name: Soulful Solution
Guest Website: https://www.soulfulsolution.co/
Guest Instagram: @soulful.solution
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This week I chat with Jenna Johnson from White and Salt - the original creator of the "design intensive." We discuss scheduling, hiring, team management, and of course talk all things design intensives - how to pitch them, how to sell them, and how to make them both profitable for your studio and valuable for your clients.
Guest Info:
Jenna Johnson
Website
Design Intensive Master Training
Inbox Question:
“As a brand designer, how do you find your inspiration when working on a major project with a short deadline”? - Nieves Arellano
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Another solo episode! Today, I talk about some of my business setbacks over the years and how each one taught me valuable lessons that helped both my business and me grow.
Past Episodes Mentioned:Iterating on the One Concept Method
Spooooky Client Stories
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In this weeks episode I go over where our Industry was, is, and where I think it is going. I also share what I have done in my business to try to adapt to these changes in order to not fall behind.
Inbox Question:
“When do you know whether you should niche or not?” - Cristina Mojica
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What is everyone charging in this industry?! I asked and I have the results. This week I surveyed over 100 designers to ask what they are charging for various services and I share what they said with you.
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A more personal episode this week! With baby number two right around the corner I share how both myself and my business have changed in the after the first four years of motherhood.
Links Mentioned:
Carly Riordan
Rowan Made
Inbox Question:
"[Question here?]” - [Name Here]
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Do you want to hire but wondering if it's the right time? Or maybe you are concerned about adding a bunch of overhead to an already successful business. An Internship program may be the answer as an alternative to hiring a full time employee. Today I go over how and why I started an internship program at Hello June. I will also go over how you know it's time to hire and why an internship program may be a better fit for a lot of small businesses.
Inbox Question:
“Do you ever do print design (posters, flyers) etc? If so how do you price for this kind of project? - Tanya LeClair
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This week I am explaining all the web applications and software I use to help manage my business. Spoiler, it's a lot!
Links Mentioned:
Honeybook
Notion
Novo Bank
Gusto
Loom
Quickbooks
Voxer
Slack
Figma
Inbox Question:
“How do you handle feedback from clients that conflicts with your professional design opinion?” - Kemorine Molyneaux
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Brand Messaging is just as important for a brand as the visual design... but what the heck is it?! In today's episode I explain what Brand Messaging is and isn't and how to use your messaging to attract the clients you want to work with and not those that you don't.
Links Mentioned:
The Hello June Brand Messaging & Copy Sprint - DM me on Instagram @hellojunecreative for the link to the sales page!
Perplexity.ai
SEMrush.com
Ubersuggest.com
Inbox Question:
“How do you set the right prices for different branding packages?” - Angelie Napagao
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In today's episode I get super nerdy and do a deep dive into everything fonts!
Links Mentioned:
- Parts of Typography Glossary from Canva
- Pizza Typefaces
- Nikolas Type
- Jen Wagner
- Harmonais VIsual
- TAN Type
- Typical Type
- PeachCreme
- Typia Nesia
Inbox Question:
"Can you be a brand designer if you only know how to use Canva?” - Shannon Lynn
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In the first episode of season 10 I bring back the guest with the most guest episodes, my close friend, and now sadly my former employee Lauren Braier! In this episode we go into our red flag list, talk about our major and more subtle red flags, and share some stories of some recent inquiries we had to let go.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Lauren Braier
Guest Business Name: Elby Creative
Guest Website: www.elbycreative.com
Guest Instagram: @elbycreative
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Jen and Alex from The Arcoíris Design Co. chat all about discovering, cultivating, and making the best use of your intuition in your design business. They discuss what an “intuitive hit” is, how to recognize different types of inspiration and thoughts, and best practices for getting acquainted with your intuition and using it to provide more value to your clients and increasing your creativity. Alex shares a bit about her rebrand, her Oracle Deck, and what creating and launching her Squarespace Template shop was like!
Guest Information:Guest Name: Alex McGinness
Guest Business Name: The Arcoíris Design Co.
Guest Website: https://www.thearcoirisdesign.co/
Guest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thearcoirisdesign.co/
Inbox Question:"How do you create standout brands that aren't typical?" - Chiara Garcia
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We’ve never seen this shared publicly before… we’re pulling back the curtain in today’s episode to share the audio from actual client presentations from our studios! We watched each other’s Strategy/Creative Direction videos and then reacted live to them - noting what we loved about them and making some really juicy suggestions for making them even better. We hope that this episode inspires you to mix things up and gives you some ideas to try in your own brand presentations. Check the Facebook group to see the visuals behind what we discuss in this episode!
Inbox Question:"How do you get faster at design projects and honor limited time especially as a mom? I usually become hyper-focused and tend to go down a rabbit hole of exploring concepts."] - Jolie-Anne Walker
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This episode was inspired by a question from one of the students in my group program for designers The Design Minimind! She wanted to know how I went from the (seemingly) never ending cycle of being overworked, followed by really slow seasons. I go through what I learned in my 1:1 marketing mentorship with Ash from The Cheetah Company, what I did on my own, and things I recommend to designers wanting to break the feast/famine cycle in a way that works best for their businesses and lifestyles.
Links Mentioned:
Sign Up for the Waitlist for my small group program for designers The Design Minimind!
The Cheetah Company Website
The Timeless Sales Method (Ash's Course)
Podcast Episodes I Recommend Related to This Topic:
Going From $0 to Six Figures Post-Maternity Leave with Chaitra Radhakrishna - S6E8
Connecting and Selling in an Organic Way on Social Media with Ash Henry - S5E20
Inbox Question:
“I'd love to hear more about how other designers go about researching new industries or niches. I've mostly worked on referrals and on topics I was already familiar with, and am working on branching out.” - Libby Miner
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Today I’m joined by the design icon Olivia Herrick as we chat about how to create consistent revenue with retainers, maintaining personal boundaries in business, lead generation and SO much more.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Olivia Herrick
Guest Business Name: Olivia Herrick Design
Guest Website: https://www.oliviaherrickdesign.com/
Guest Instagram: @oliviaherrickdesign
Links Mentioned:
www.hellojunecreative.co/minimind
Design Retainer Bootcamp use 50OFF for $50 off
This Season’s Partner:
The Shopify Code(x)
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The finale of season 9 is already here! I can't believe how quickly time goes by! As always we are answering your submitted inbox questions to wrap up this season.
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In today's episode I sit down with my friend Chelsea Blackwell from Honey and Co. Creative. Chelsea is an expert in brand positioning and we talk about how your brand positioning may be what's holding your business back, and how to up-level it.
Links Mentioned:
The Dream Design Biz Mentorship
The Tune-Up Session
Use Code BETTER15 for 15% off The Tune-Up Session Intensive
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Chelsea Blackwell
Guest Business Name: Honey & Co.
Guest Website: https://www.honeyandcocreative.com/
Guest Instagram: @honeyandcocreative
Inbox Question:
“What do you say in a sales call when you get push back about price or value?” - Jennifer Jones
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Hey Guys! So excited to share with you that I'm pregnant! So I thought I would let you guys know how I am managing my first trimester while also being the primary bread winner for my family.
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Today I am talking to my former NYC roommate Emily Claire Hughes! Emily is an email marketing expert who has worked all over the world! Get ready to get email curious!
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Emily Claire Hughes
Guest Business Name: Emily Claire & Co.
Guest Website: https://www.emilyclaireand.co/
Guest Instagram: @emilyinhamburg
Links Mentioned:
https://www.emilyclaireand.co/10k-email-club
Inbox Question:
"What is your opinion on integrating copywriting into the design process?” - Alexa Gupta Wells
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Today I interview Chris Misterek from Showit! As you all know I am a huge fan of Showit and we talk everything from Chris' own design journey, to the Showit design community, to creating websites that convert.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Chris Misterek
Guest Business Name: Showit
Guest Website: showit.com
Links Mentioned:
Sign up for Showit
Spark Conference for Showit Designers
Mec Labs formula: C = 4m + 3v + 2(i-f) - 2a (https://meclabs.com/about/heuristic)
Steve Krug Books on Conversion - Don’t Make Me Think & Rocket Surgery Made Easy
Inbox Question:
"How can I sell Showit as my preferred web building platform to clients, even though they might be more aware of platforms like Squarespace and Wordpress?” - Lauren B.
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The industry landscape when it comes to Brand Strategy is shifting, and designer/strategist Marion Tan from Hearten and Hone and By Marion Co. joins me to talk about her unique approach to offering this signature service to her clients (hint: it doesn’t have to be as complex as you think!)
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Marion Tan
Guest Business Name: By Marion
Guest Website: bymarion.co
Guest Instagram: @bymarion.co
Links Mentioned:
FREE MINI COURSE: Brand Strategy Training Ground https://bymarion.co/training-ground
Use code “BETTER” for $50 off of Marion’s signature brand strategy course, SOUGHT AFTER STRATEGIST http://bymarion.co/sas-betterpod
Inbox Question:
“I’d love advice for how I can relaunch my studio as a luxury brand” - Sierra Mechelle
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I’m on spring break! Enjoy this favorite episode from the archives featuring my good friend Lea Gucciardi from Arq Design Studio.
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Description: I’m on spring break! Enjoy this favorite episode from the archives where Esther and I discuss how to up-level your sales and proposal process.
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Another solo episode! In this one I go through some of the most common design business mistakes new and even experienced designers make. Don't make the same mistakes I did!
Links Mentioned:
25% off one year of Honeybook
Inbox Question:
“Helpful tips to gain confidence in presenting concepts?” - Gemma de Munk
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designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Having a good on / off boarding process is the key to a positive client experience, in today’s episode I am going to do a quick deep dive on mine and show you some lesson’s learned and maybe give you a few new ideas for yours!
Links Mentioned:
Honeybook Discount Code
Boxfox
Inbox Question:
“how to explain the importance of following a brand guide” - Heather Van Dyne
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Episode Description:
Today I go over my desk setup and how I like to keep my office space to make sure I am both productive and in a good mood. A little lighter and on the quick side today.
Inbox Question:
“I’m looking for guidance for the legal side of business setup. Do most people start with a sole proprietorship or an LLC?” - Kaitlin Knust
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I got to chat all things VIP Days (how to price them, how to run them, and how to sell them) with the OG day rate creator herself, Sarah Masci of Day Rate Mastery. Sarah’s story spans well over a decade, and it was incredible to hear how she generated tons of leads early on in her company, how she configured her work schedule, and how she shifted her mindset to be able to make consistent five figure months on day rates alone.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Sarah Masci
Guest Business Name: Sarah Masci
Guest Website: www.sarahmasci.com
Guest Instagram: @sarahmasci
Links Mentioned:
VIP Days 10 Different Ways (Free PDF!)
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designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Inspired by Abbey McGrew’s podcast episode from Unfiltered Designers! How many inquiries we got, how they found us, and who booked!
In this episode Jen shares her secrets for converting those site clicks into Inquiries. Jen shares some real inquiries from real clients and talks about what exactly on her site, her social media, or her brand got those clients from just thinking about it to actually booking a discovery call.
“What are your best tips for advertising yourself as a brand designer?” - Natalie Brown
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Project management is a skill that every brand design studio owner needs. Having good project management doesn’t just help your business run smoothly, but it leads to a good work environment for your employees and provides your clients with a seamless client experience. In today’s episode Jen shares her best tips and lessons learned around becoming a better project manager.
Links Mentioned:Brand Messaging & Copy Sprint for Designers Waitlist - a new Hello June offer!
Iterating on the One Concept Method podcast episode
Notion
shopcreativelaw.com
Inbox Question:
“How do you manage the subjectivity aspect of designing a brand with a client and setting boundaries on the amount of work or options you provide while giving them what they need/want?” - Maddie Jacobs
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Episode Description:
In today’s episode Jen shares her entire web design and web development process, from a blank slate all the way to launch day, Jen explains the systems that she has in place that allows her small team to design, build, and deliver the perfect website every time. Get ready to take notes, this one is packed with a lot of value and details!
Inbox Question:
“Finding clients who only need branding services is challenging. I’m often finding web development or design services is easier. What are the best lead gen options for this space?” - Marta Nicole Rodzen
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Marisa Switzer is the founder of RISE Creative, a strategic design studio for female-founded e-commerce brands. In today’s episode we chat about her shift from the NYC fashion girlie lifestyle to owning a brand studio, showing up confidently as the face of her brand, and how her transition into motherhood has give her added confidence and clarity.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Marisa Switzer
Guest Business Name: Rise Creative Co.
Guest Website: www.risecreativeco.com
Guest Instagram: @risecreativeco
Links Mentioned:
https://risecreativeco.com/bootcamp
Inbox Question:
"Where do you market your services besides your website and Instagram?” - Erin Fitzsimmons
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designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Welcome to the first episode of season 9!! Today I’ll be chatting about ways to improve your efficiency and get faster at brand and web design, allowing you to scale back on your working hours.
Inbox Question:
“What's an appropriate amount of time spent on choosing brand colors (initially)?” - Shelby Reed
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Welcome to another episode from the archives! We have Meredith Uyeyama from Quixotic Design Co on the podcast to chat all about booking dream clients and nailing the sales call.
We open the episode sharing our favorite places to get icons for branding projects. Meredith then tells her story about starting a design studio, becoming a creative director, and managing a team.
We dive into how Meredith has defined her ideal client and successfully found her niche in the industry. Meredith shares how she got her first client and her number one tip for getting referrals.
We share our advice for having an abundance mindset, branding for our ideal client, writing goals and keeping promises to ourselves. Meredith talks all about the strategies her team uses to build relationships with dream clients and the value of building rapport before selling.
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Guest Information:
Guest Name: Meredith Uyeyama
Guest Website: https://www.quixoticdesignco.com/
Guest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quixoticdesignco/
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designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Welcome to another episode from the archives! Five years ago Carli dropped out of design school and started her own business with charging $200 a logo. Today, at 25 years old, She runs a multiple six-figure business that allows her to provide for her growing family, book dream projects at 15k+, all without selling her soul and every hour to her business. Now Carli is teaching other creatives how to charge more while still having more fun in their business. In this episode we talk to Carli about her story, why she's passionate about teaching others how to earn money, and her learnings on the path to success.
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Guest Information:
Guest Name: Carli Anna
Guest Website: https://carlianna.co/
Guest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlianna_/
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designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Welcome to another episode from the archives! Typography is one of the most fun (if not challenging) parts of our jobs as brand designers. We go over the vocab, resources, and chat about our favorite foundries and fonts.
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Welcome to another episode from the archives! Kenzie is a brand and website designer who fell in love with website design and decided to start her business focusing on brand and website design for small businesses. In this episode we talk about the process of building a website from start to finish, making websites feel like our clients’ digital homes, and the details we think about when putting a site together.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Kenzie Amick
Guest Website: https://www.kenzieamick.co/
Guest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kenzieamick/
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It’s our last episode of season 8! Today I’ll be answering your inbox questions, diving into topics like how to get high-profile clients, firing clients, structuring day rates, hiring team members and more! Thank you SO much to everyone for listening along this season.
Links Mentioned:
Our “The One Concept Method” Episode
Our Scaling Episode
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Use code BETTER for $50 off the live cohort of Launch Your Own Way (Jan. 10-12 2024). Today I’m joined by Kelsey McCormick of Coming Up Roses, a squiggle-brained brand designer, marketing strategist, and mentor. Kelsey empowers creative professionals to fearlessly and unapologetically show up as themselves online and IRL. We chat all about launching services, her transition into education, and so much more.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Kelsey McCormick
Guest Business Name: Coming Up Roses
Guest Website: https://www.cominguproses.co/
Guest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cominguproses.co/
Links Mentioned:
Launch Your Own Way - Use code BETTER for $50 off the live cohort of Launch Your Own Way (Jan. 10-12 2024)
Inbox Question:
"How do you keep your designs from falling into the abyss that is the overpopulated design world?” - Mai Mai Gerber
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Today I’m joined by Xanthe of Oh Sierra, a creative studio that help leaders and brands harness the potent power of community – online and IRL – through content marketing strategy, collaborative events, and creative spaces. In this education-packed episode we discuss the future of social media, what designers are overlooking in marketing, thought leadership, and more.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Xanthe Appleyard
Guest Business Name: Oh Sierra
Guest Website: https://ohsierra.ca/
Guest Instagram: @ohsierracreative
Inbox Question:
"What’s your biggest struggle running your business that isn’t talked about enough?” - Mariah M
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Today I chat with Cassidy and Amanda, co-founders of Foxtrot Branding, all about leading a flexible lifestyle with business, being in a business partnership, digital products, and more!
Links Mentioned:
Foxtrot Branding
Launch Your Business in 6 Weeks Freebie
Free Foxtrot Guides
Inbox Question:
“How do you break into a new niche? I have a steady clientele from a specific industry and would like to shift into different industries but don't know how to make the jump without having all the contacts.” - Stevie M
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designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Today we’re joined by Katelyn from Studio Kaly talking about what makes a luxury brand design experience and how to craft a luxurious offer suite that sells. If you’re struggling with your positioning and offers, this episode is for you!
Links Mentioned:
Studio Kaly
The Win Without Pitching Manifesto
Inbox Question:
What are the key elements to running a successful photoshoot (for yourself or a client?)
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Today I’m walking you through how I built my signature group mentorship program, The Design Minimind! The Minimind is an intimate group of designers crafting freedom-filled businesses—together. Doors to the application close on November 19th and spots are extremely limited, so apply today!
Links Mentioned:
The Design Minimind Website & Application
25% off Packaging Design Master with code CLOSINGTIME
Inbox Question:
“How do you explain the real value of investing in a good, comprehensive brand design and strategy plan to potential clients?” - Charmaine Stott
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I chat this week with past Miniminder and personal friend of mine Miriam Noble about mom/biz life, embracing your faith in the business space, and what her experience in The Design Minimind was like!
Links Mentioned:
The Design Minimind: https://hellojunecreative.co/minimind
Inbox Question:
“How do you feel more confident in processes and strategy when you are self taught?” - Katie Jaine Anderson
This Season’s Partner:
The Shopify Codex
theshopifycodex.com
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Happy Halloween, designers! Today I’m joined by my friend and employee, Lauren Braier, as we read your spoookiest client stories. Plus we share some of our own scary client stories at the end!
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Today I’m joined by the design icon Olivia Herrick as we chat about how to create consistent revenue with retainers, maintaining personal boundaries in business, lead generation and SO much more.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Olivia Herrick
Guest Business Name: Olivia Herrick Design
Guest Website: https://www.oliviaherrickdesign.com/
Guest Instagram: @oliviaherrickdesign
Links Mentioned:
www.hellojunecreative.co/minimind
Design Retainer Bootcamp use 50OFF for $50 off
This Season’s Partner:
The Shopify Code(x)
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Q4 is here! Today I’m taking you behind the scenes to give an update of where my business is at, including our project cadence, lead generation, and reflecting on what I’ve learned this year.
Links mentioned:
- Gusto
- Showit shortcuts
This Season’s Partner:
The Shopify Code(x)
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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
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designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Today we’re chatting with Ashton Smith of The Awakening, a Business Coaching and Education platform. Ashton graciously shares her expertise on how to increase profitability in your business while maintaining a peaceful, intentional, and harmonious life.
Links Mentioned:
Learn more about the Awakening Membership (Use code LEGACYCREATOR for 50% off your first month)
Complimentary Profit Planner Our Awakening Academy (for those in the messy middle, ready to sustainably scale)
This Season’s Partner:
The Shopify Code(x)
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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
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designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Today we chat with Brad Almond, creative specialist at Compassion International, about his experience being layed off from his design position and the lessons he’s learned as a result. Whether you’re experiencing a layoff or a slow season of business, Brad shares his encouraging advice on how to stay productive, creative, and positive throughout.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Brad Almond
Guest Business Name: Compassion International
Guest Website: dribbble.com/bradalmond
Guest Instagram: @bradalmondart
Links Mentioned:
Compassion International
Fontspring
Dieter Rams Quote
Inbox Question:
“What advice would you give for someone starting in this industry with no design degree?” - Vivian C.
This Season’s Partner:
The Shopify Code(x)
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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
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designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In today’s episode, Jen walks you through all the things she wish she knew when she started Hello June including legal, finances, style, positioning, client acquisition, mindset and more!
Links Mentioned:
Alli from Influencer Legal
Episode: Using Unique Premium Positioning to Attract High-Ticket Clients with Liz Cholhan
This Season’s Partner:
The Shopify Code(x)
Watch our Instagram Live answering the questions we didn't have time for in our bonus episode!
Watch our FREE Workshop all about the Designer/Developer relationship! We share screenshots of our systems, Lea tells us the details on how to scope and fulfill a $70k project, and we share our insights into what makes a great designer/dev partnership.
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I’m so excited to bring you a bonus episode today with two incredible Shopify developers, Jen Chuah and Lea Gucciardi! We discuss how designer and developer relationships can thrive in order to run successful, easygoing e-commerce projects with no scope creep. If you enjoy this conversation, don’t forget to join our FREE workshop right here in the Facebook group this Tuesday, September 26th led by Lea where we’ll be sharing even more information about how to have a successful Shopify designer/developer relationship.
Links Mentioned:
The Shopify Codex
Watch our Instagram Live answering the questions we didn't have time for in this episode!
Watch our FREE Workshop all about the Designer/Developer relationship! We share screenshots of our systems, Lea tells us the details on how to scope and fulfill a $70k project, and we share our insights into what makes a great designer/dev partnership.
Guests:
Lea Gucciardi of ARQ Studio
Jen Chuah of Jenuine Creative
This Season’s Partner:
The Shopify Code(x)
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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
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designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design, shopify, ecommerce
In today’s episode I chat with Cassie Gudmundson, energetics business coach and host of Wealthy Mama Podcast. We chat about how to embrace flexibility and flow to create a life that feels harmonious with motherhood and business.
Links Mentioned:Reux Design Co.
Curated - Cassie's Signature Program
Wealthy Mama Podcast
Inbox Question:
"How do most designers handle scheduling? Is it more common to do projects VIP-style on a strict timeline/quick turnaround or take multiple on at the same time but each project taking longer? I’m a newer designer and new mom and just got so busy out of nowhere and feel very overwhelmed (but also extremely grateful that it’s all finally paying off!” - Stephanie O’Neal
This Season’s Partner:
The Shopify Code(x)
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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
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designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In today’s episode I chat with Emmanuel Probst, Global Lead of Brand Thought-Leadership at Ipsos, a global market research company. We dive into all things market research and brand transformation. Emmanuel gives insights into the skills and empathies independent designers can offer clients that larger agencies can’t, as well as ways to find unique inspiration outside of social media. There are so many incredible topics discussed in this episode and I can’t wait for you to hear it!
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Emmanuel Probst
Guest Business Name: Ipsos
Guest Website: https://www.ipsos.com/en-us
Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuelprobst/
Links Mentioned:
Purchase Assemblage: The Art & Science of Brand Transformation on Amazon
Access Ipsos’s market research data
This Season’s Partner:
The Shopify Code(x)
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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
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designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In this episode, we explore the journey of Lea Gucciardi, founder of ARQ Design Studio, as she transitioned from being a freelancer to building a successful 6-figure agency. We delve into how to identify that pivotal moment that prompts a shift to a team-based approach, and we discuss some of the challenges faced with scaling. Whether you're a freelancer with dreams of expansion or you’re simply intrigued by the agency world, this episode gives so much insight into self-discovery and deciding what’s best for your business.
Links Mentioned:
Get on the waitlist for The Shopify Codex Round 2
Arq Design Studio website
Find Lea on Instagram
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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
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designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Episode Description:
There’s no right way to run a business! Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting, this episode is a reminder that the journey is uniquely yours. Tune in as we celebrate embracing your creative journey, learning from challenges, and growing without guilt or shame.
Inbox Question:
"What's the greatest personal setback you struggle with that sometimes works against your success as a brand designer? For instance, I'm an overachiever and perfectionist and always have been, but I LOVE brand design and want to know how I can work to overcome or at least reduce the impact of my personal setbacks so I can be my best and achieve success.” - Kelsey Wade
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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
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designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Danielle Joseph is the visionary founder and creative director at Function Creative Co. and founder of Willowspace, the newest CRM tool for designers! Jen and Danielle chat about the importance of crafting a strong client experience and Danielle’s experience building a startup software company.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Danielle Joseph
Guest Business Name: Function Creative Co. and Willowspace
Guest Website: www.willowspace.co
Guest Instagram: @hellofunction @willowspace.co
Links Mentioned:
Enjoy a free month trial of Willowspace using the code BETTERBRAND here!
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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
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designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Welcome to season 8! In today’s episode, Jen discusses her summer sabbatical and how she’s been able to run her business while being out of office. She also gives tips for designers to plan time away from their own businesses without the worry of missed opportunities.
Links Mentioned:
Showit Shortcuts by Seedling Studio
Inbox Question:
"What are some of the best ways to improve workflow?” - Abbey Cabler
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This episode was so wonderful to listen back to! We hope you enjoy. We will be back with Season 8 on August 15th!
If you’ve ever felt like marketing yourself on social media (or elsewhere) felt uncomfortable or you’re worried about coming off “salesy,” then this is the episode for you! Ashleigh Henry of The Cheetah Company is a marketing consultant who focuses on educating powerful women to show up and serve in their digital spaces with intentional storytelling and a whole lot of joy. She chats with us in this episode about breaking the “burn and churn” cycle of content creation and marketing, how to organically make lasting connections that provide conversion or collaboration, and what mistakes she sees brand designers specifically making in their content marketing on social media.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Ashleigh Henry
Guest Business Name: The Cheetah Company
Guest Website: thecheetahcompany.com
Guest Instagram: @thecheetahcompany
Links Mentioned:http://thecheetahcompany.com/
Inbox Question:“I'm always looking for different methods to acquire clients and share my work more efficiently online. What do you do?” — Nakia Chiron
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
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Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
This episode was so wonderful to listen back to! We hope you enjoy. We will be back with Season 8 on August 15th!
Burnout is a strong sign from your body that something is not working. It’s important to listen. In this episode, Jen and Esther talk about what it’s like to maintain creativity when you’re burnt out, keeping the money coming in, and personal stories of working through charred seasons.
Inbox Questions:“How do you maintain your creativity without feeling burnt out?”— AJ Samson
“How do you balance burnout and also keep the $$ coming in?” — Selena Nohea Conmackie
Links Mentioned:Insight Timer — Free guided meditations
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
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This episode was so wonderful to listen back to! We hope you enjoy. We will be back with Season 8 on August 15th!
Imagine an easy, slow morning: you wake up, have breakfast with your family, do an activity with your kids or explore a hobby on your own, work for a couple of hours, then have the rest of the day to yourself. This reality is attainable, but more importantly, you don't need to sacrifice income when you make shifts to get to a more aligned schedule. Today Giselle & Jen chat with Kelsey Kerslake all about her journey from needing to make some quick cash to pay her bills to owning and running a 7-figure business.
Kelsey Kerslake is a multi-passionate CEO of two companies: Pinegate Road, and the Aligned Business. Kelsey has been helping entrepreneurs and businesses build their brands and market their online presences for over a decade. She is a business strategist, coach, and mentor for service-providers, coaches, and educators looking to scale their online businesses in complete alignment with the lives they want to live and the values they hold. She deeply believes that everyone has the potential to make their dreams reality and her businesses help online business owners define their future vision and literally bring it to life through coaching, strategy, design, and websites.
Inbox Question:"How do you get the client to agree the project is finished?" - Jessica Robinson
Links Mentioned:Kelsey's Instagram: instagram.com/kelseykerslake
The Aligned Business Academy: pinegateroad.com/academy
The Aligned Business Mastermind: pinegateroad.com/mastermind
Kelsey's Website: pinegateroad.com
Kelsey's resources: pinegateroad.com/grow-your-biz
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We are excited to have Abbey from Wayfarer Design Studio on the podcast! Abbey is a master at attracting dream projects and spills all her secrets to us on how she does it. She also tells us her design studio's origin story, what she's learned, and how she's up-leveling to the next best version of her studio. Join us!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:
Abbey's Design Shop: https://thedesigneressentialskit.com/
Wayfarer Design Studio: http://www.wayfarerdesignstudio.com/
Wayfarer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wayfarerdesignstudio/
It’s the last episode of Season 7! This week Jen is joined by her new employee and brand design studio owner Lauren from Elby Creative to answer all of your burning inbox questions related to design, business, and everything in between.
Links Mentioned:
Notion
Loom
Flodesk
Honeybook
Figma
Gusto
Monotype Subscription
Audacity
GSAP
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Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
This week Jen opens up about what her third year as a mom while running her business looked like. She goes over some of the top lessons she learned this year, sharing some perspective on her early years as a mom/business owner and also getting pretty deep about some challenges and personal growth she’s experienced this year in particular. Whether you’re a new mom, seasoned mom, or not a mom at all and just curious about her perspective and life, this episode is probably one of her most personal (and favorite) episodes she’s ever recorded!
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Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
N. Chloé Nwangwu is the Brand Scientist, a brand visibility and Digital Diplomacy (like actual diplomacy!) advisor who unabashedly believes brands and visibility strategies not built with power dynamics and biases in mind should consider the old Thanos snap treatment. In this episode Jen interviews N. Chloé about how brand practitioners can be on the lookout for blindspots in brands and bias.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: N. Chloé Nwangwu
Guest Business Name: NobiWorks
Guest Website: nobiworks.com/
Guest Instagram: @nobiworks
Guest Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/nobiworks/
Links Mentioned:
Niching & Stakeholder Spectrum Blog Post from NobiWorks
SNIFF Test
HBR underrepresentation article
Inbox Question:
“How we can all be working towards making a better impact to help reshape the industry?” - Kate Carman
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Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
This episode was inspired by a question from one of the students in my group program for designers The Design Minimind! She wanted to know how I went from the (seemingly) never ending cycle of being overworked, followed by really slow seasons. I go through what I learned in my 1:1 marketing mentorship with Ash from The Cheetah Company, what I did on my own, and things I recommend to designers wanting to break the feast/famine cycle in a way that works best for their businesses and lifestyles.
Links Mentioned:
Sign Up for the Waitlist for my small group program for designers The Design Minimind!
The Cheetah Company Website
The Timeless Sales Method (Ash's Course)
Podcast Episodes I Recommend Related to This Topic:
Going From $0 to Six Figures Post-Maternity Leave with Chaitra Radhakrishna - S6E8
Connecting and Selling in an Organic Way on Social Media with Ash Henry - S5E20
Inbox Question:
“I'd love to hear more about how other designers go about researching new industries or niches. I've mostly worked on referrals and on topics I was already familiar with, and am working on branching out.” - Libby Miner
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Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
This week Lauren Braier of Elby Creative (and now Branding Bestie podcast!) joins Jen for a chat all about hiring - whether that’s for your own studio or for someone else’s studio. Lauren is now (officially!) Jen’s first part time employee but has been with Hello June as a subcontract Production Designer & Admin Assistant for the past one and a half years. We chat through do’s and dont’s for hiring, mistakes we’ve made, recommendations for how to know when to hire, and what you should be doing as a studio owner to prep for your first (or next) hire.
Links Mentioned:
www.elbycreative.com
Packaging Design Master: www.packagingdesignmaster.com - $50 off PDM enrollment with the code BETTER
Branding Bestie Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2OjqjljCGrxhsFy2I3WQAH?si=908e23762b754b9d
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Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Pricing is a crucial aspect of any business, as it can make or break the profitability of the business. Leveraging your expertise and value is a great way to ensure that you are pricing your products or services appropriately. In this episode we talk through some important points to consider when leveraging your expertise and value in pricing, how we determine the value of our expertise (and constantly monitor and adjust it!), and methods we use to communicate our value.
Inbox Question:
"How do I position myself as an expert?” - Iannah James-Smith
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Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
In this episode Esther announces her decision to depart from the podcast due to focusing more time on her rapidly expanding design studio Sereth Design. The hosts discuss what’s next for the podcast (Jen is going to host solo alongside some amazing guests!) and they review their favorite Esther episodes from the past three seasons.
The Better community is so grateful to Esther and all the time, passion, creativity, and heart that she’s brought to the brand over the past three seasons, and she will be missed but wholeheartedly supported in this next phase of her career! We love you Esther!
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Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
This week we did a podcast swap with the lovely Bonnie Bakhtiari from The Brand Strategy Podcast! We chatted all about how difficult it can be to trust yourself as a designer - and what tools we use to strengthen our confidence and self-trust.
Links Mentioned:
Brand Strategy Podcast
B is for Bonnie Design
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Tags:
designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design
Play a game with us! Think the opposite of “Never Have I Ever” - this week, we’re playing “Would You Ever…” We’re doing a Q&A-style episode where we ask some (juicy) questions about being a designer and business owner, working with clients, and our preferences. We also polled our audience (you guys!) on Instagram and share the results alongside our own opinions. Let’s have some fun!
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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Alice Brown is the pen behind Alice Writes Copy, from Cornwall, England: a website specialist, copywriter and SEO strategist for passionate business owners. In this episode Esther interviews Alice about how copy is crucial to websites - and is as important (if not more!) than design. They talk about first impressions, hooking customers and motivating them to move through your site, common mistakes to avoid, and how copywriters work hand-in-hand with designers.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Alice Brown
Guest Business Name: Alice Writes Copy
Guest Website: alicewritescopy.com
Guest Instagram: @alicewritescopy
Guest LinkedIn: Alice Brown
Links Mentioned:Website Builder’s Blueprint
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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This week Jen and Esther chat about life updates (Jen’s recent move and Esther’s travels) and business updates (how things are going and what we’re working on). We also review how Q1 went for Sereth and Hello June, and what’s in the pipeline for Q2 and beyond.
Links Mentioned:Emma Fabros (Jen’s Engagement specialist - tell her I sent you!)
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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Jose is a Venezuelan born self-thought web developer & wellness enthusiast. After 7 years working in all sorts of different non-fulfilling corporate jobs he discovered his passion for coding and the limitless possibilities that it offers. His expertise lies within front-end web developing, and the main languages in his tech stack are JavaScript, and of course HTML and CSS. In this episode, Esther interviews Jose about the designer-developer relationship, his experience developing the Better Podcast website with Esther and Jen, and how overcoming the fear of failing is the key for effective coding and problem solving.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Jose Roa
Guest Business Name: J.Roa Dev
Guest Website: jroadev.com
Guest Instagram: @dev.jroa
Inbox Questions:
- What are some of the key differences between web designer and web developer? When do you hire a web designer and when do you need to bring on a developer? And what would you call someone who designs websites in site builders like Squarespace, WIX, Wordpress, etc.? — Jez Towner Campbell
- How do you want my files to be set up when I hand them over to you? I work in Figma, but is that what other developers use? I also know a developer, who can start developing without me being done — is that something that is common? – Simonka Čellarova
- Can you hire a developer for specific dev tasks? For example: a section you can’t seem to code or figure out yourself. How would you go about reaching out for something like this? — Alex McGinness
- When the project is over, what are monthly, annual tasks one should keep up with to keep the site running smoothly? I would love to sell "maintenance plans to clients". – Simonka Čellarova
- How do you market yourself as a web dev for other designers? — Gloria Novello
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer
When it comes to creative work such as brand design and website design, it is important to keep in mind the end user's perspective. After all, they are the ones who will be interacting with the final product. In this episode, Esther shares some tips for taking customers' and clients' points of view and needs into consideration to create the best result for them. We do this by researching, using customer-centric language, considering user experience, and testing your designs by cross-checking how the audience will see them. Because at the end of the day, the designs are not about us as designers, trends, or what we like - it’s about moving the needle for our clients, telling a story, and making something worth remembering (call back to S7 E6!)
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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This week Jen chats with Jen Wagner, a type designer - and the conversation was incredible. We went totally off-script and talked through some really personal things. Jen shares her story and recent experience with burnout, we chat about culture shifts we’re noticing in the independent designer industry, and then we talk through how to get started in font design and what that looks like for Jen W. and her business.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Jen Wagner
Guest Business Name: Jen Wagner Co.
Guest Website: Jen Wagner Co. website
Guest Instagram: @jenwagner.co
Links Mentioned:Jen Wagner Co. website
Gimlet Studios
Free Font Pairing Guide
Fontself
Glyphs
Learning Type Design by Charles Nix
Ingrid from Penguin Designing
Maria Bowler - Writer & Creative Coach
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer
As we build our businesses, we find that we’re constantly monitoring and evaluating our models, as well as taking into account the lessons we learn along the way in order to expand into the higher levels of success and growth we desire. In this episode we’re talking about two very separate things that work closely together: Boundaries and Expansion. We’ve found that you FIRST need boundaries in order to step into a space where you can THEN expand and grow. We talk about how we prune and cull our business models and activities and watch them bloom.
Inbox Question:
“What are the biggest red flags when a client is inquiring about a project? What are the most important lessons the designer has learned when working with clients?” — Kristy Lee Ueda
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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Anyone ever been afraid of looking at their books? This week Jen pulled back the curtain on her business expenses. She goes over what the last few years of running Hello June have looked like financially, trends she’s noticed, goals she’s had, mistakes she’s made, and things she’s doing now to help her business stay lean and profitable.
Links Mentioned:Profit First
Gusto - payroll & taxes
Adobe - pretend to cancel and they’ll give you a discount
Quickbooks Online
Tonic Site Shop - Showit Templates
Inbox Question:
"As a freelancer what are the options for self-employed insurance and plans for retirement savings? How do you approach retirement savings and health insurance when you’re a full time freelancer?” - Miroslava Ruth
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer
We’ve been taught to think that being multi-passionate means we’re not good at any one thing, lack focus, and are easily distracted. BUT THAT’S JUST NOT TRUE. Being multi-passionate means you’re curious, interesting, driven to learn, excited about life & being creative. In this episode we talk about what it means to be multi-passionate, how to celebrate and honor you many creative ideas, how to identify the type of multi-passionate you are, and how to do it all - in the best way that works for you.
We discuss 4 models which are written in the book “How to be Everything” by Emilie Wapnie:
- The Group Hug approach: This is about having one multifaceted job or business that involves wearing many different hats.
- The Slash approach: This model involves having 2 or more part-time jobs going at the same time or move between on a regular basis.
- The Einstein approach: Here you have one full-time job or business, but it leaves you time and energy to pursue other passions on the side.
- The Phoenix approach: You work in a single industry for months or years, then to change career in a new industry.
Links Mentioned:The Multi-Passionate Phenomenon via The Business & Financial Times
“Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert
“How to be Everything” by Emilie Wapnie
Inbox Question:“How do you stop comparing yourself? I love the work I create but I always strive to be better. Sometimes I get imposter syndrome along the way.” — Julianna Porter
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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As designers, it is our job to deliver designs to our clients that are unique, ground-breaking, and ultimately: worth remembering. We are bombarded with brands, website, ads, day in and day out. But how many of those brands stick out to you? Very few! As you’re designing, it’s important to keep that in mind and work towards being the brand that sticks out. In this episode Esther talks about her 4 step fool-proof way to ensure she’s delivering brands that are each unique in their own way:
- Start with Strategy
- Tell a Story
- Break the Mold
- Be Unique (Don’t Copy)
Inbox Question:"What are your thoughts about implementing personality types into branding?” - Lovella JG
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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Today Adrienne Johnston joins Jen to talk all about how she generates 5+ leads per week WITHOUT doing active content marketing! This was such an interesting and insightful conversation all about using the power of simple, effortless SEO shifts to start capturing leads that may not have been aware of you.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Adrienne Johnston
Guest Business Name: Adrienne Johnston
Guest Website: https://adriennejohnston.com/
Guest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adriennebjohnston/
Links Mentioned:Free Resources from Adrienne
Six-Figure Presentation Designer Course
Live Virtual Retreat
Free Masterclass: How to Build a Six-Figure Design Business
Stupid Simple SEO Course
Sem Rush
Ubersuggest
Ahrefs.com
Help A Reporter Out (HARO)
Inbox Question:"Always curious about graduating to bigger clients who can take on more ambitious projects and not living off small projects that feel “good enough” for the client.” - Jackie Antreasian
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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If you guys are as curious as we were about adding design intensives into your offer suite, this episode is the one-stop-shop guide you’ve been looking for! We go through who intensives work best for, the pros and cons of offering them, and best practices for pitching and selling them to clients. We also go through some of the mistakes we’ve made when offering intensives - and what we’ve learned along the way.
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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Ever wanted your business and life to feel simpler and easier? This week Jen goes over one of her biggest values - simplicity - and how she lives out that value in her design work, business, and her life. She’s always saying, “Let it be easy,” and hopes that this episode feels like a breath of fresh air and an invitation to a more spacious business and life.
Links Mentioned:
Paula Scher Citibank Story
Inbox Question:
“What is the most time consuming aspect of brand and web design?” - Ellie Johnson
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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Fungi Dube is a creative solopreneur and ardent Pan-Africanist Brand, Visual, and Webflow Web Designer who is passionate about elevating African narratives through modern design and cultivating Afro-positive sentiments. Her work is heavily influenced by the profound nuances that are embedded in African cultures, likes the use of patterns, textures, historical writings, graphic symbols, and color as a form of visual and global communication. She is also a speaker and mentor; also currently works with Flux Academy as a Brand Design Coach. We speak with Fungi about her positioning and how she uses culture to impact her design and share powerful stories!
Guest Information:Guest Name: Fungi Dube
Business Name: Fungi Dube Graphics
Website: www.fungidube.com/
Instagram: @fungidubegraphics
Twitter: @fungi_dube
LinkedIn: in/fungidube
Behance: @fungidube
Inbox Question:"I'd love to learn what brand designers think about verbal identity and how they work with copywriters!” — Andrea Shah
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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There are a couple things that we learned the hard way - and we want to help you avoid those mistakes! We chat through client communication errors we’ve made, our philosophy on hiring, standing up for yourself, and weathering the ups and downs of business. We’re curious - what’s one lesson you learned the hard way in your business?
Inbox Question:"How do you develop your identity and visibility to find clients?” - Maël Petit
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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Happy 2023 and welcome to Season 7! Esther and Jen recap their holiday breaks, talk about their goals for 2023, and discuss new changes for Season 7 and what to expect. Can’t wait to have you guys along for the ride!
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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This episode was so wonderful to listen back to! We hope you enjoy. We will be back with Season 7 on January 24th!
Brand strategy is the foundation upon which meaningful brand identity design lives. It's important for brand designers to understand the "why" behind brand strategy so they can use it to improve their design work and sell it to their clients as a package with design or standalone service.
Today Jen chats with Melinda Livsey all about Brand Strategy. Melinda is a brand strategist and online educator from Southern California. She currently helps graphic designers become brand strategists so they can develop entire directions and personalities of brands. Her courses Brand Strategy Bootcamp and How to Sell Brand Strategy can be found at https://www.marksandmaker.com.
Links Mentioned:
- Melinda's videos on The Futur's YouTube channel
- Melinda's website
- Melinda's course, Brand Strategy Bootcamp
- Melinda's Brand Strategy Resources
- "The Brand Gap: How to Bridge the Distance Between Business Strategy and Design" by Marty Neumeier
- "You Are A Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth" by Jen Sincero
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer
This From the Archives episode is all about getting paid on time and ensuring things don’t get lost in the black hole that is the internet:
- Payments are all about communication and being assertive
- Late fees/things to include in your contract
- Timelines for payments (Giselle recommended 7 days — I agree!)
- How to protect your work - before payments have processed
- Even if you have a barter or discounted services, always have a contract
Enjoy these call-back episodes. We will be back with Season 7 on January 24th!
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer
This episode was so wonderful to listen back to! We hope you enjoy it. We will be back with Season 7 on January 24th!
In this solo episode, Giselle opens up about why and how she launched a digital course. What seems like a couple of months of preparation for the course was really three years in the making. Giselle spills it all to encourage those that dream about making digital products but hold themselves back for many reasons — just like she did to herself.
Giselle covers: product ideation, goal-setting, pre-launching and launching, imposter syndrome, progress over perfection, Essentialism by Greg McKeown, business coaching, overcoming shame, mental health challenges, and future ideas for the course.
From Giselle:
First off, I have to give a huge shoutout to the women that impacted my professional and personal lives, my previous coaches, and current friends: Avani Miriyala, Jane Scudder, and Kelsey Kerslake.
I also wanted to address the importance of taking care of one’s mental health in this episode. My hope is that we as entrepreneurs can have the space to step back when our personal lives call for it and not feel ashamed nor lose the momentum we worked so hard to build for our businesses. It's ok to step back, it's ok to take care of yourself first. Plus, our community is built to support you in both the highs and lows.
Links Mentioned
- Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg Mckeown
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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This From the Archives episode is chocked full of knowledge from Avani Miriyala, Giselle’s business coach. In the episode Avani, Jen, and Giselle talk about:
- Leveling up mentally to be the person you need to be to serve your clients the best
- Falling back in love with learning
- Fixed mindset vs. growth mindset
- How to take time to invest in yourself
- Imperfect action is better than no action; do something small rather than nothing
Enjoy these call-back episodes. We will be back with Season 7 on January 24th!
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer
It’s our final episode of Season 6 and we’re answering your burning questions! Listen to hear your questions about client processes, brand design, business, and more! Some of our questions include:
- “What is the best way to have clients get their content to you before you start a project?” — Annalie Chernin
- “What is the best way to communicate to a client as an introvert?” — Eden Synundu
- “How do I move over from corporate designs (flyers, business cards, etc.) to creating brand identities only?” — @monique_weaktopeak
- “At what point am I a real design business?” — Rachael Lyons
- more!
For the next 4 weeks, we’ll be releasing From the Archives episodes featuring our most listened-to episodes over the seasons. We will be back with Season 7 on January 24th! Happy holidays!
Links Mentioned:
- Branding with Bre from Rowan Made
- The Logo Package Portal
- Iterating on the One Concept Method
- Finding Creative Inspiration
- Introducing Esther-Knox Dekoning & Podcast Updates
- Welcome to Better: The Brand Designer Podcast
This Episode’s Partner:
The Brief CollectiveThe Design Biz Academy from The Brief Collective serves beginner, amateur, and seasoned designers—they have something for total newbies, something for designers needing to enhance their skill set, and something for designers ready to scale their biz & start booking $10K clients. Join now at https://thebriefcollective.com/course. Learn about the 3 Secrets to Booking High Ticket Design Clients right here!
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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Everyone wants to attract the right clients and easily sell high-ticket services - but when was the last time you reviewed what was on your services page? This week Jen chats with Kelsey McCormick from Coming Up Roses all about her journey from climbing the ranks in the music industry to running a brand and web studio, and how Kelsey developed a framework specifically for crafting services pages that convey the transformation you’re selling and that support your sales process from the start.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Kelsey McCormick
Guest Business Name: Coming Up Roses
Guest Website: cominguproses.co
Guest Instagram: @cominguproses.co
Links Mentioned:Services to Sales Workshop
Free ART Framework - Build Your Transformation Statement
Inbox Question:"How do you keep your socials consistent while still sharing a variety of work?” - Elizabeth Cooper
This Episode’s Partner:
Packaging Design MasterSet yourself apart from the competition with the specialized and niche skill of packaging design. Visit packagingdesignmaster.com and use the code BETTER to get $50 off enrollment.
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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This week we turn the tables as Jen interviews Esther and her husband, Jake, about how Jake has played many roles in her business — as a spouse, partner, support system, cheerleader, quality control, and accountant… among MANY others. Jake shares some of the challenges associated with supporting a partner who runs her own business, and how they worked through them together. They also talk about things they’ve learned during a career transition and ways that Esther has felt most supported. If you’re a partner (or roommate, or bestie, or parent!) of a business owner, this one is for you!
Inbox Question:“I want to learn how to be confident in speaking with potential clients and establish authority as a branding expert.” — Khanh Dan
Upcoming Events:
Patreon Only LIVE Q+A Call with our $10 PatronsDecember 6, 2022, at 9 am Central / 10 am Eastern
Become a $10 Patron here.
This Episode’s Partner:
The Brief CollectiveThe Design Biz Academy from The Brief Collective serves beginner, amateur, and seasoned designers—they have something for total newbies, something for designers needing to enhance their skill set and something for designers ready to scale their biz & start booking $10K clients. Join now at https://thebriefcollective.com/course. Learn about the 3 Secrets to Booking High Ticket Design Clients right here!
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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Happy Thanksgiving! In this special episode, we wanted to get personal and share things that we’re grateful for this year both personally and professionally! Spoiler: lots of love fest moments. We also talk about things we’ve learned this past year and then flip it on its head to how we’re moving forward and setting goals for next year. Stay till the end to hear some of the questions we use to check in with ourselves and set goals, so you can start thinking ahead too!
This Episode’s Partner:
Packaging Design Master
Set yourself apart from the competition with the specialized and niche skill of packaging design. Visit packagingdesignmaster.com and use the code BETTER to get $50 off enrollment.
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community
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Have you ever wondered how you could grow your design revenue without spending hours chained to your desk or taking on more clients than you can handle and hiring a huge team? This is the question of the hour for a lot of you - and we’re SO excited to welcome Bonnie Bakhtiari from B is for Bonnie Design to chat about how to earn more while working less! We discuss pricing, sales, offer suite, slow seasons, client objections, and what goes into raising your rates in a sustainable way.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Bonnie Bakhtiari
Guest Business Name: B is for Bonnie Design
Guest Website: https://bisforbonniedesign.com/
Guest Instagram: https://instagram.com/bonniejoymarie?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
The Design Minimind by Hello June CreativeAn intimate group of designers crafting freedom-filled businesses—together. 8 designers. 6 months. A 1:1/group hybrid program. Apply now at The Design Minimind by Hello June Creative.
Inbox Question:"What part of your onboarding process has been the most instrumental in seamlessly educating your client about your process?” - Brooke Gordon
Upcoming Events:
Patreon Only LIVE Q+A Call with our $10 PatronsDecember 6, 2022, at 9 am Central / 10 am Easter
Become a $10 Patron here.
This Episode’s Partner:
The Brief CollectiveThe Design Biz Academy from The Brief Collective serves beginner, amateur, and seasoned designers—they have something for total newbies, something for designers needing to enhance their skill set, and something for designers ready to scale their biz & start booking $10K clients. Join now at https://thebriefcollective.com/course. Learn about the 3 Secrets to Booking High Ticket Design Clients right here!
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community
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Our Resources Page
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This week we chat all things positioning with Liz Cholhan from Highlo Designs - what it means, how to craft yours, and how positioning can impact your business (not only by helping you attract and book higher-ticket/higher-value clients, but also by finding that soul-aligning feeling of clarity in who you are and who you serve). Liz has been running her business for over 10 years, and shares in the ins and outs of her personal positioning journey as well as her best advice for designers looking to stand out in what feels like a crowded industry.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Liz Cholhan
Guest Business Name: Highlo Designs
Guest Website: https://www.highlocourses.com/a/2147509161/WoG5TCvV
Guest Instagram: @highlodesigns
The Design Minimind by Hello June CreativeAn intimate group of designers crafting freedom-filled businesses—together. 8 designers. 6 months. A 1:1/group hybrid program. Apply now at The Design Minimind by Hello June Creative.
Inbox Question:How do you break into a new niche? I have a steady clientele from a specific industry and would like to shift into different industries but don't know how to make the jump without having all the contacts. - Stevie Movall
This Episode’s Partners:
The Brief CollectiveThe Design Biz Academy from The Brief Collective serves beginner, amateur, and seasoned designers—they have something for total newbies, something for designers needing to enhance their skillset, and something for designers ready to scale their biz & start booking $10K clients. Join now at https://thebriefcollective.com/course. Learn about the 3 Secrets to Booking High Ticket Design Clients right here!
The Arcoiris Design Co Squarespace Template ShopWant to offer profitable, semi-custom websites to your clients at budget-friendly prices? Build your client’s website in only 1 week with the Squarespace Template Shop from The Arcoiris Design Co. Get 30% off a template today at spiritualwebdesign.com.
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
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Ever been confused about whether you’re using the right website platform for your studio and your clients? We’re breaking it ALL down today with pros and cons lists for the major websites platforms we see boutique design studios using: Squarespace, Showit, Shopify, Webflow, Wordpress, and Wix. There’s no “wrong” or “right” here (although we know designers have a LOT of opinions!) We’re just here to give our opinions and help you find the right platform for your next project!
Links Mentioned:Awwwards.com
The Shopify code(x) - Use code BETTER for $300 off!
Standout Squarespace by Squarestylist
Inbox Question:“How do you get clients to embrace the design process and be open to the design style you know (through brand discovery and strategy) will connect with their community most?” - Jessica Abell
This Episode’s Partner:
Design Biz Mastery with Morgan RappGrow your revenue and start taking Fridays off (like Jen!) with Design Biz Mastery. Visit dbm.morganrapp.com/better to learn more, get a special bonus, and also receive access to a free training about Morgan’s 3-part framework to peacefully scale your design business towards your first or next 6-figures on part-time hours.
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community
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Our Resources Page
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We’ve never seen this shared publicly before… we’re pulling back the curtain in today’s episode to share the audio from actual client presentations from our studios! We watched each other’s Strategy/Creative Direction videos and then reacted live to them - noting what we loved about them and making some really juicy suggestions for making them even better. We hope that this episode inspires you to mix things up and gives you some ideas to try in your own brand presentations. Check the Facebook group to see the visuals behind what we discuss in this episode!
Inbox Question:"How do you get faster at design projects and honor limited time especially as a mom? I usually become hyper-focused and tend to go down a rabbit hole of exploring concepts."] - Jolie-Anne Walker
Upcoming Events:
Patreon Only LIVE Q+A Call with our $10 PatronsDecember 6, 2022 at 9am Central / 10am Easter
Become a $10 Patron here.
This Episode’s Partners:
Design Biz Mastery with Morgan RappGrow your revenue and start taking Fridays off (like Jen!) with Design Biz Mastery. Visit dbm.morganrapp.com/better to learn more, get a special bonus, and also receive access to a free training about Morgan’s 3-part framework to peacefully scale your design business towards your first or next 6-figures on part-time hours.
Standout ShopifyStandout Shopify is the most comprehensive and the most supportive Shopify course for designers. Discover what it takes to be a go-to Shopify design expert, all in an engaging, beginner-friendly video format from start to launch. Visit standoutshopify.com to learn more - Oct. 27-31, 2022 is the lowest the price will ever be!
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community
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Our Resources Page
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It’s officially SPOOOOKY szn around here and we wanted to get a little festive. We had our listeners (you guys!) anonymously submit your scariest/most difficult client stories and we read them, react to them, and listen to what they learned from the experience. We truly believe that difficult client experiences are one of the hardest parts of running a design business, but this episode serves to remind us that we’re not alone, it happens to everyone, and what we can do to avoid those situations in the future, or deal with them in the present.
This Episode’s Partners:
Design Biz Mastery with Morgan RappGrow your revenue and start taking Fridays off (like Jen!) with Design Biz Mastery. Visit dbm.morganrapp.com/better to learn more, get a special bonus, and also receive access to a free training about Morgan’s 3-part framework to peacefully scale your design business towards your first or next 6-figures on part-time hours.
Standout ShopifyStandout Shopify is the most comprehensive and the most supportive Shopify course for designers. Discover what it takes to be a go-to Shopify design expert, all in an engaging, beginner-friendly video format from start to launch. Visit standoutshopify.com to learn more - Oct. 27-31, 2022 is the lowest the price will ever be!
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Brand photography goes hand in hand with brand design. You can’t have a solid brand without the supporting visuals. In this episode Esther chats with Adeline Nieto, a NYC-based brand photographer about how to share heart-centered stories through photography, the value and power behind photos, and how brand designers can best collaborate with photographers and our collective clients on commercial shoots.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Adeline Nieto
Guest Business Name: Adeline Artistry
Guest Website: www.adelineartistry.com
Guest Instagram: @adelineartistrystudio
Inbox Question:"Is brand photography important when defining your brand?” - Kristina Lucier
This Episode’s Partner:
Design Biz Mastery with Morgan RappGrow your revenue and start taking Fridays off (like Jen!) with Design Biz Mastery. Visit dbm.morganrapp.com/betterto learn more, get a special bonus, and also receive access to a free training about Morgan’s 3-part framework to peacefully scale your design business towards your first or next 6-figures on part-time hours.
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Our Resources Page
Podcast Instagram
Support us on Patreon
Burnout is a strong sign from your body that something is not working. It’s important to listen. In this episode, Jen and Esther talk about what it’s like to maintain creativity when you’re burnt out, keeping the money coming in, and personal stories of working through charred seasons.
Inbox Questions:“How do you maintain your creativity without feeling burnt out?”— AJ Samson
“How do you balance burnout and also keep the $$ coming in?” — Selena Nohea Conmackie
Links Mentioned:Insight Timer — Free guided meditations
This Episode’s Partner:
Design Biz Mastery with Morgan RappGrow your revenue and start taking Fridays off (like Jen!) with Design Biz Mastery. Visit dbm.morganrapp.com/better to learn more, get a special bonus, and also receive access to a free training about Morgan’s 3-part framework to peacefully scale your design business towards your first or next 6-figures on part-time hours.
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Do you ever think you’re not really doing anything “substantial” as a designer because you’re not saving lives and “just” designing logos and websites. Well we’re here to change that mindset! You can make an impact in the world as a designer in so many ways — both tangible and intangibly. Your skillset allows peoples’ businesses to grow and connect with people, bring joy, improved life, and touch the planet. In this episode we walk through ways to make your mark on the planet in positive, regenerative ways — like the list we talk through below!
You could…
- Donate a percentage of your work to a cause you’re passionate about
- Offer up spaces in your time to do pro-bono work or discounted rate projects.
- Direct your clients to sustainable and ecological sites to order their designed printed materials and packaging.
- Do the research to find which companies reduce their carbon footprint (through printing, shipping, etc.) + understand circular design.
- Teach your clients the importance of using multicultural, size-inclusive, LGBTQ+ photography and promoting diversity.
- Improve your design for visually impaired people by testing your color system contrast and accessibility.
- Continue questioning everything about your process. Continue learning, growing, and evolving to be better than you were yesterday!
Links Mentioned:“Profit First” by Mike Michalowicz
“Company of One” by Paul Jarvis
“Hey Whipple, Squeeze This” by Luke Sullivan
Kutoa Project
Stella’s Voice
PS Print — has options to use recycled paper and soy-based ink
Noissue — sustainable packaging that is eco-friendly
Hex Naw — color tester for accessibility
“Finding BIPOC and LGBTQ+ Stock Photography” by Sereth Design
The Circular Design Guide
Inbox Question:"How can a designer convey the value of brand design to a client with numerical evidence? Can they?” — Joshua Hill
This Episode’s Partner:
Design Biz Mastery with Morgan RappGrow your revenue and start taking Fridays off (like Jen!) with Design Biz Mastery. Visit dbm.morganrapp.com/betterto learn more, get a special bonus, and also receive access to a free training about Morgan’s 3-part framework to peacefully scale your design business towards your first or next 6-figures on part-time hours.
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Jen and Chaitra have a soul chat about how motherhood changed their lives and businesses in this episode! Chaitra walks us through exactly how she hit 6 figures in the first year after her 18 month maternity leave, her best lead generation strategies, and her mindset around business growth, motherhood, and setting (and achieving!) your goals.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Chaitra Radhakrishna
Guest Business Name: Pinkpot Studio
Guest Website: https://www.itspinkpot.com/
Guest Instagram: https://instagram.com/pinkpot.studio?igshid=ODBkMDk1MTU=
This Episode’s Partner:
Design Biz Mastery with Morgan RappGrow your revenue and start taking Fridays off (like Jen!) with Design Biz Mastery. Visit dbm.morganrapp.com/better to learn more, get a special bonus, and also receive access to a free training about Morgan’s 3-part framework to peacefully scale your design business towards your first or next 6-figures on part-time hours.
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Curious about what being an intern at Cosmo was like? Jen chats through not only her time working in NYC at the print versions of Cosmo and Women’s Health Magazine, but also design lessons she learned from those experiences that she uses in her web process today! You’d think there’s not a lot of shared principles between a print magazine and a website, but Jen challenges that in this episode!
Links Mentioned:
Real Simple Magazine
Inbox Question:"How do I know how to position my brand with the design itself?” - Desiree Carillo
This Episode’s Partner:
Design Biz Mastery with Morgan RappGrow your revenue and start taking Fridays off (like Jen!) with Design Biz Mastery. Visit dbm.morganrapp.com/better to learn more, get a special bonus, and also receive access to a free training about Morgan’s 3-part framework to peacefully scale your design business towards your first or next 6-figures on part-time hours.
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
The sales call is one of the hardest parts of running a business, and rightfully so. There’s a lot of pressure around it because it’s ultimately what brings in those clients. In this episode we talk through our personal sales call structures, favorite questions to ask prospective clients, and our blended approach to pricing. We also share what we include in our proposals + how we both set them up differently. You won’t want to miss this episode jam-packed with really meaty details on our process and approach!
This Episode’s Partner:
Design Biz Mastery with Morgan RappGrow your revenue and start taking Fridays off (like Jen!) with Design Biz Mastery. Visit dbm.morganrapp.com/better to learn more, get a special bonus, and also receive access to a free training about Morgan’s 3-part framework to peacefully scale your design business towards your first or next 6-figures on part-time hours.
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Today Jen chats with Olivia Austin from Current Design Studio all about hiring - when to think about it, how to know you’re ready, and how to navigate the hiring and interview process. We approach the hiring conversation from the perspective of knowing your studio values and adding team members who share those values.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Olivia Austin
Guest Business Name: Current Design Studio
Guest Website: https://currentdesignstudio.com/, https://byoliviaaustin.com/
Guest Instagram: https://instagram.com/current.designstudio
Links Mentioned:Gusto
ClickUp
Notion
Motive Affirmation Deck
Inbox Question:“Should I list multiple package/price options on the proposal? My gut is telling me not to, because they will go with the lower price package even though they really need more.” — Chelsea Levinson
Upcoming Events:
Patreon-Only LIVE Quarterly Q&A Call on September 12 at 11am Eastern (10am Central, 9am Pacific) — As we always do, we’ll be holding our chat where our Patrons can come hang out with us and get some personal time to ask questions, chat about what’s happening in your own biz. Become a Patron before then by going to www.patreon.com/betterpodcast so you can get the call info!
This Episode’s Partners:
Design Biz Mastery with Morgan RappGrow your revenue and start taking Fridays off (like Jen!) with Design Biz Mastery. Visit dbm.morganrapp.com/betterto learn more, get a special bonus, and also receive access to a free training about Morgan’s 3-part framework to peacefully scale your design business towards your first or next 6-figures on part-time hours.
The Shopify code(x)If you want to learn how to grow from just a brand designer to a full-service studio that can create custom high quality Shopify stores, The Shopify code(x) is for you. Visit shopifycodex.com/better to get $300 off by using code: BETTERat checkout.
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
OK, we KNOW - everyone has a different ideas on how to run your business and be successful! There’s loads and loads of how-tos out there, what to do and what not to do, and we have some HOT takes. Join us as we go through some potentially controversial (though, not in any highly politicized ways) opinions. SPOILER: Jen and Esther have some differing opinions! And that’s what makes it fun and interesting…
Inbox Question:
“I’m trying to get my brand design packages set up and priced and I see lots of different packages/pricing examples. But I’m curious, as someone who could potentially offer a lot of additional services in a brand identity package, how do you decide what services/deliverables work best in one package compared to another? Or if you do it based on client/project needs, how do you market your services without including package details or price?” - Shelby Delbridge
This Episode’s Partners:
Design Biz Mastery with Morgan Rapp
Grow your revenue and start taking Fridays off (like Jen!) with Design Biz Mastery. Visit dbm.morganrapp.com/better to learn more, get a special bonus, and also receive access to a free training about Morgan’s 3-part framework to peacefully scale your design business towards your first or next 6-figures on part-time hours.
Upcoming Events:
Patreon-Only LIVE Quarterly Q&A Call on September 12 at 11am Eastern (10am Central, 9am Pacific) — As we always do, we’ll be holding our chat where our Patrons can come hang out with us and get some personal time to ask questions, chat about what’s happening in your own biz. Become a Patron before then by going to www.patreon.com/betterpodcast so you can get the call info!
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Get ready for a soul chat! We talk this week about parts of our business that we both really struggle with and coach each other through those tough spots. Jen brings up feelings of scarcity mindset and Esther talks through finding an organic marketing strategy that feels authentic to her brand (and works). We hope this chat encourages anyone who feels similar to us!
Inbox Question:“As a brand designer, should we target our services to a specific market segment, or is it better to enter all markets?” — Titus Harum
Our partners:
Design Biz Mastery by Morgan RappGrow your revenue and start taking Fridays off (like Jen!) with Design Biz Mastery. Visit dbm.morganrapp.com/better to learn more, get a special bonus, and also receive access to a free training about Morgan’s 3-part framework to peacefully scale your design business towards your first or next 6-figures on part-time hours.
The Shopify code(x)If you want to learn how to grow from just a brand designer to a full-service studio that can create custom high quality Shopify stores, The Shopify code(x) is for you. Visit shopifycodex.com/better to get $300 off by using code: BETTER at checkout.
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
We play Never Have I Ever all about design and business topics - the tea is boiling! We chat through embarrassing stories about the beginnings of our business, lessons we’ve learned, projects that didn’t go our way, difficult clients, and so much more. We end with some classic Never Have I Ever questions - you definitely don’t want to miss it!
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Emily is a London born Colombian designer, wellbeing fanatic and the founder of Vibras Creative Studio and House of Vibras. She qualified as a Graphic Designer with a degree from Central Saint Martins in 2017. Her editorial style earned her a place creating layouts at ELLE UK magazine, followed by a string of in-house design roles at household-name British fashion brands.
Despite doing what she was good at in her day job, she knew that something vital was missing. Vibras Creative Studio was born out of a combination of her passions - creativity and wellbeing - with the aim of re-defining how to run a successful business. Her number one priority is to prove to herself and others that it is possible to be a successful entrepreneur, while still looking after yourself - mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally. In this episode, Esther chats with Emily about all the moving parts of her business(es), life transitions, and ultimately how to prioritize mental health through busy seasons.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Emily Ospina-Ruiz
Guest Business Name: Vibras Creative Studio + House of Vibras
Guest Website: www.vibrascreativestudio.com / www.houseofvibras.com
Guest Instagram: @vibrascreativestudio / @houseofvibras
Inbox Question:“How do you go about managing your social media accounts when your someone who doesn’t use social media often, and is someone who just doesn’t want to spend time on their phone all the time?” — Jennifer Hibdige
Upcoming Events:
- Faster with Figma co-workshop with The Shopify (code)x on August 15th at 12pm Eastern (11am Central, 10am Pacific) — In this workshop Lea from The Shopify (code)x will be walking through how to go from Brand Guide to Branded Shopify Store in record time with Figma. The call will be held in our Facebook group, so join us now to get all the deets!
- Patreon-Only LIVE Quarterly Q&A Call on September 12 at 11am Eastern (10am Central, 9am Pacific) — As we always do, we’ll be holding our chat where our Patrons can come hang out with us and get some personal time to ask questions, chat about what’s happening in your own biz. Become a Patron before then by going to www.patreon.com/betterpodcast so you can get the call info!
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
We’re back! Season 6 is on a roll, and we update you guys on our July breaks (Esther adopted a puppy and Jen went to Ireland!), upcoming events, and what to expect for Season 6 of the pod. Check out what’s coming up for us below!
Upcoming Events:
- Faster with Figma co-workshop with The Shopify (code)x on August 15th at 12pm Eastern (11am Central, 10am Pacific) — In this workshop Lea from The Shopify (code)x will be walking through how to go from Brand Guide to Branded Shopify Store in record time with Figma. The call will be held in our Facebook group, so join us now to get all the deets!
- Patreon-Only LIVE Quarterly Q&A Call on September 12 at 11am Eastern (10am Central, 9am Pacific) — As we always do, we’ll be holding our chat where our Patrons can come hang out with us and get some personal time to ask questions, chat about what’s happening in your own biz. Become a Patron before then by going to www.patreon.com/betterpodcast so you can get the call info!
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
We’re taking a short break in between Seasons 5 and 6 (Season 6 is coming in hot August 9!) so we’ve pulled some of our favorite episodes from the archives for you guys to enjoy. This one is Season 3, Episode 10: Value-Based Pricing and Shifting Your Mindset with Morgan Rapp. This was one of our most-requested topics with one of our all-time favorite guests, Morgan Rapp. Morgan is the founder and designer behind Design Biz Mastery, a group coaching educational platform that focuses on teaching designers how to use value-based pricing, structure their offer suites, nail sales calls, and work on their mindset. Morgan shares about her foray into the world of designer education as well as her personal philosophy around value-based pricing and focus on profitability. This one is a favorite for a reason!
Links Mentioned:Original Episode: Season 3, Episode 10: Value-Based Pricing and Shifting Your Mindset with Morgan Rapp
Design Biz Mastery
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
We’re taking a short break in between Seasons 5 and 6 (Season 6 is coming in hot August 9!) so we’ve pulled some of our favorite episodes from the archives for you guys to enjoy. This one is Season 3, Episode 7: Designer Confidence and Imposter Syndrome. This rerun episode with Jen and Giselle was chock full of so much knowledge and vulnerability. Imposter syndrome is something that is all too common for us designers. Our relationship with our work is something sacred. As creatives we often feel like we ARE our work, but breaking out of that is freeing. You are not what you do. Jen and Giselle are open and honest they were about the feelings that are brought up when you see other designers’ work, how you feel about clients’ reactions, and the personal ego.
Links Mentioned:Original Episode: Season 3, Episode 7: Designer Confidence and Imposter Syndrome
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
We’re taking a short break in between Seasons 5 and 6 (Season 6 is coming in hot August 9!) so we’ve pulled some of our favorite episodes from the archives for you guys to enjoy. This one is Season 2, Episode 5: Creative Ways to Get Clients. In this rerun episode, we listen to Jen and Giselle talk about how to get clients in ways that push outside the box. Some of our biggest takeaways from re-listening to this episode was that getting super creative and taking some fun risks can be so impactful for your bottom line. You never know if your highest paying client could be right around the corner!
Links Mentioned:Original Episode: Season 2, Episode 5: Creative Ways to Get Clients
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
We’re taking a short break in between Seasons 5 and 6 (Season 6 is coming in hot August 9!) so we’ve pulled some of our favorite episodes from the archives for you guys to enjoy. This one is Season 2, Episode 1: Setting Healthy Boundaries in Your Design Business. Giselle and Jen chat about what setting boundaries with family and friends, setting boundaries with clients, and setting boundaries with yourself (the hardest part!) We hope this episode not only allows you to listen to Giselle’s beautiful voice and laughter once again, but it inspires you to set the life-giving boundaries that you need to protect your time in your design business.
Links Mentioned:Original Episode: Season 2, Episode 1: Setting Healthy Boundaries in Your Design Business
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
And thats a wrap! Another season has come to an end. In our final episode of Season 5, we answer a whole bunch of your juicy inbox questions.
Thank you for being a part of our community! We can’t wait to keep these conversations going. Let us know if you have any follow up questions, or more thoughts on this episode or any in all of Season 5!
Some of the MANY questions we answer in this episode:
- “What has helped you gain more higher-paying brand design clients?” - Natalie Trinidad
- “How do you know when you have found the right design and to end development phases?” - Charlotte Grimshaw
- “Where do you learn about off-boarding files for client work and what are some ways to keep it all organized??” - Katy Couch
- “As a designer, when you are finished with a brand strategy session with your client, how do you take the information from the brand strategy and apply it to the actual concept or design?” - Erin Baron
- “I’ve wanted to start my own design/marketing business for awhile, but I’ve really struggled to start. I’d love to quit my current 9-5 and try to go at it full time, but I’m scared of what my friends and family will think/say. None of them have a creative job or have ever started their own company. How do you explain what you do/want to do to people who have a more traditional view of work? And how do you push past not getting the support you’re looking for, if they don’t get it?” - Samantha Stratton
Links Mentioned:
- S5 E15 | Advice to Our Younger Selves
- Branding with Bre | Discount Code: giftfromjen
- “Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine” by Mike Michalowicz
- S5 E23 | Using Intuition in Your Design Process with Alex McGinness
Stock Image Sites:
- wellnessstockshop.com
- flickr.com
- unsplash.com
- stocksy.com
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Alejandra is the strategist and designer behind Ale Now Design. She specializes in creating brands with humanity, emotion, and storytelling because she believes business is personal. Alejandra is Peruvian and migrated to the United States when she was 18. She believes this fact has made her identity issues even harder living between two spaces. Not fully belonging to either world, has made her feel like she needs to "fit in" or "choose one" when in reality, she’s learned it is a matter of celebrating her own uniqueness and finding ways to live her "own way.” In this episode we talk about that identity crisis and how it’s impacted the way she creates brands.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Alejandra MacPherson
Guest Business Name: Ale Now Design
Guest Website: alenowdesign.com
Guest Instagram: @ale_now_design
Links Mentioned:
The Shopify Codex - The Shopify Codex is a first-of-its-kind course by Arq Design Studio that helps designers offer Shopify websites that go beyond the restrictions of premade themes. Better: The Brand Designer Podcast listeners get an exclusive discount! Get $300 off the course when you use code BETTER at checkout.
Inbox Question:“Do you also have to be a brand strategist to be a brand designer?” — Veronica Oronos
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Jen and Alex from The Arcoíris Design Co. chat all about discovering, cultivating, and making the best use of your intuition in your design business. They discuss what an “intuitive hit” is, how to recognize different types of inspiration and thoughts, and best practices for getting acquainted with your intuition and using it to provide more value to your clients and increasing your creativity. Alex shares a bit about her rebrand, her Oracle Deck, and what creating and launching her Squarespace Template shop was like!
Guest Information:Guest Name: Alex McGinness
Guest Business Name: The Arcoíris Design Co.
Guest Website: https://www.thearcoirisdesign.co/
Guest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thearcoirisdesign.co/
Links Mentioned:Design Biz Mastery by Morgan Rapp
Branding with Bre by Rowan Made
Inbox Question:"How do you create standout brands that aren't typical?" - Chiara Garcia
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
6 months has FLOWN by! In this episode we wanted to share with you some updates on our own businesses — our project statuses, how we’ve changed as business owners, what’s stayed the same, what we’re learning, and oh so much more! Tune in to hear our real-time goings on, the good the bad and everything in-between.
Links Mentioned:Superhi: Intro to User Experience Course
Inbox Question:“How do I organize my clients time to be able to schedule them for current and future months?” — Mayra Padilla Rosas
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Jen gives an update on what the second year of her life as a mom and business owner looks like compared to the first, and the lessons she learned along the way. This is less of an advice episode (all parents, babies, and families are different) and more of a place for Jen to chat openly about the beauty and the struggles of being a mom and running a business full time. Jen hopes that this episode is relatable, insightful, and interesting to listen to for both people who are and aren’t parents.
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
If you’ve ever felt like marketing yourself on social media (or elsewhere) felt uncomfortable or you’re worried about coming off “salesy,” then this is the episode for you! Ashleigh Henry of The Cheetah Company is a marketing consultant who focuses on educating powerful women to show up and serve in their digital spaces with intentional storytelling and a whole lot of joy. She chats with us in this episode about breaking the “burn and churn” cycle of content creation and marketing, how to organically make lasting connections that provide conversion or collaboration, and what mistakes she sees brand designers specifically making in their content marketing on social media.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Ashleigh Henry
Guest Business Name: The Cheetah Company
Guest Website: thecheetahcompany.com
Guest Instagram: @thecheetahcompany
Links Mentioned:http://thecheetahcompany.com/
Inbox Question:“I'm always looking for different methods to acquire clients and share my work more efficiently online. What do you do?” — Nakia Chiron
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Bridging culture and design is a topic that is near and dear to Esther’s heart, especially as she is mixed Chinese-American, and has spent time meeting and connecting with people of all cultures. In this episode she talked about what to do and what not to do when working on a project that has cultural nodes. The big idea here: Being curious, thoughtful, and intentional when bringing culture and storytelling into design allows you to better connect with audiences, make them feel seen, and stand out in a sea of “borrowed” cultures.
Links Mentioned:Sereth Design
Kutoa Project by Sereth Design
Continue the conversation with Esther on Instagram
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
In this episode, we chat about ALL things font license with John Giardiniere, the custom licensing specialist at Fontspring. John breaks down what font licenses are, the different types of licenses are, and how to use them. This episode will give you confidence in understanding the legalities around the fonts you use and love.
Guest Information:Guest Name: John Giardiniere
Guest Business Name: Fontspring
Guest Website: www.fontspring.com
Links Mentioned:www.fontspring.com/worry-free
www.fontspring.com/matcherator
Email john@fontspring.com for questions!
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Do you ever feel like you can’t take a TRUE vacation? Maybe your fears are that your clients will be mad, you don’t have enough funds to pay for the time away, or you feel like you have TOO much to do that taking time away doesn’t make sense. We’ve been there. In this episode we talk about:
- The things we do to prepare for vacation
- Battling mindset when taking time away
- How we plan for vacation ahead of time
- How time-off impacts our business and our own mental health?
- How to build rest into our schedules more regularly
- And much more!
Inbox Question:“How do you make the most use of a junior designer/intern?” — Indy Griffiths
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Natalia is a brand designer and the Owner behind By Nat Studio. She's been designing since 2015 as a side hustle and in 2020 she shifted to working on her business full time. She is based out of South Florida but she's often traveling with her husband embracing the 'digital-nomad' lifestyle. In this episode we chat with Nat on how her business changed and evolved during this time, how she stayed focused and productive, and her big learnings of living that life.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Natalia Agostinelli
Guest Business Name: By Nat Studio
Guest Website: bynatstudio.com
Guest Instagram: @by_nat
Links Mentioned:By Nat Studio Template Shop | 25% off template shop with code BETTER
*Hey Whipple, Squeeze This: The Classic Guide to Creating Great Advertising* — by Luke Sullivan and Anselmo Ramos
Drop Dead Designer with By Ariel Co**Design Biz Mastery with Morgan Rapp
Inbox Question:“What was the greatest resource you used to help you learn how to design a brand?” — Kiana Nicole
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Today’s convo is inspired by an inbox question we received: “If you could travel back in time to any point in your career and give yourself a single piece of advice, when would you go back to and what advice would you give yourself?” — Meher Kaur
In this episode, we chat about:
- What the beginning was like
- Some of the limiting beliefs we had
- Things that were really tough to work through
- How we’ve evolved over time
- We also read short letters to ourselves!
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
A lot has changed for us since we started using the One Concept Method. (Don’t know what we’re referring to? Check out Season 1 Episode 7 for an overview!) We chat today all about where we started, what we updated, our brand strategy & creative direction process, and how to talk with clients about the One Concept Method (educating them on the benefits, feedback, refinements, and more). All of the updates we’ve made to our processes are in service of minimizing refinements and having a smooth and easy concept development and presentation phase of your projects.
Links Mentioned:Elby Creative’s Notion Dashboard Workshop
Branding with Bre
Studio Seaside
Inbox Question:“What’s a must when adding a project to your portfolio? What do you think truly helps tell the client’s story and showcase their new brand/your talents the best way possible?” — Amanda DeWoody
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
This week Jen chats with the ladies from The Brief Collective - Kenzi Green, Marisa Burgett, and Sammi Reese - all about using creative briefs (or conceptual projects) to attract new leads, flex your creative muscles, and practice creating on a deadline. Our convo covers everything from how to create a conceptual project, to how long you can/should spend on them, the benefits both for new and seasoned designers, and how being creative for yourself strengthens your unique style and creative capabilities!
Guest Information:Guest Names: Kenzi Green, Marisa Burgett, and Sammi Reese
Guest Business Name: The Brief Collective
Guest Website: thebriefcollective.com
Guest Instagram: @thebriefcollective
Links Mentioned:https://sharpen.design/
Inbox Question:"How do you make room for your own creations?” - Angela Davis
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Episode Description:Welcome to Better Pod After Dark!! Jk - we’re playing the safe-for-work version of the game “Smash or Pass” today, brand designer edition! We polled you guys on Instagram to see if you liked or disliked certain programs, web platforms, social media, and juicy designer situations, and we play along with you!
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Kenzie is a brand and website designer who fell in love with website design and decided to start her business focusing on brand and website design for small businesses. In this episode we talk about the process of building a website from start to finish, making websites feel like our clients’ digital homes, and the details we think about when putting a site together.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Kenzie Amick
Guest Business Name: Kenzie Amick Co.
Guest Website: www.kenzieamick.co
Guest Instagram: @kenzieamickco
Inbox Question:“Do you register the fonts you use/customize for the client or the client will register/trademark it themselves?” — Rhegimae Samson
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/\
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
One of the questions we get asked most often is: how important is a college degree to running a brand design business? We’re here to chat through the things we found most valuable from our college experiences (Esther in Advertising with a Focus in Design and Jen in Journalism) and the things that we didn’t learn as much about (surprise: the technical side of brand and web design!) We’re both incredibly grateful for the people we are today due to our degrees, but we’re here to lay it all out as to whether what we learned in school had a direct, indirect, (or no direct) impact on our careers as independent brand design studio owners.
Links Mentioned:Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
The Futur Podcast The Art of Negotiation
Standout Squarespace
Branding with Bre
Inbox Question:"Does anyone else neglect their brand as they are too busy working on everyone else?” — Maria Crider
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Have you ever wondered when to know it’s time to start outsourcing and building a team as a brand and web designer? Or what type of outsourcing should you look for? Or how you let go of control when outsourcing? These are all JUICY questions! In this episode, Kailyn Sprinkle, an Online Business Manager (and Esther’s previous VA!) shares her knowledge of the Online Service Provider world and her journey working with Brand and Web Designers.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Kailyn Sprinkle
Guest Business Name: Kailyn Sprinkle Co.
Guest Website: www.kailynsprinkle.com
Guest Instagram: @kailynsprinkle
Links Mentioned:
- Jessica Hawks
- Georgia Petrou
- Courtney Wiemer + Kailyn Sprinkle Co Instagram Toolkit
- Alex Krahling Podcast: Brand High
Inbox Question:“How do you message potential clients in a way that converts on social media?” — Lexie McCarty
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Are you stuck in the mindset that your schedule has to be 9-5 because that’s what everyone else is doing? Well we’re here to tell you that’s far from the truth! The truth is… you can craft your schedule intentionally to fit your needs! We all have different lifestyles, seasons, and energy shifts. In this episode we’re talking about working with your energy to make your schedule fit your needs and what to do when your schedule doesn’t go as planned.
Links Mentioned:Mariah Coz: Fearless CEO — Champagne Client
Inbox Question:“How do you attract higher paying clients?” - Natalia Babalici
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
In this episode we’re talking about being a being a consciously kind boss to yourself and making your business work on your OWN terms. Daniela from Lunaria Design shares how she has come to understand herself and her human design better, which in turn helps take care of her needs first, set boundaries, and be the best boss for herself.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Daniela Marti
Guest Business Name: Lunaria Design Studio
Guest Website: www.lunariadesignstudio.com
Guest Instagram: @lunaria.design
Links Mentioned:Get Your Human Design Chart
Inbox Question:“How can I learn to trust myself more and say no to projects that aren’t ideal, but help pay the bills?” — Mama & Co.
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Five years ago Carli dropped out of design school and started her own business with charging $200 a logo. Today, at 25 years old, She runs a multiple six-figure business that allows her to provide for her growing family, book dream projects at 15k+, all without selling her soul and every hour to her business. Now Carli is teaching other creatives how to charge more while still having more fun in their business. In this episode we talk to Carli about her story, why she's passionate about teaching others how to earn money, and her learnings on the path to success.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Carli Anna
Guest Business Name: Carli Anna Co.
Guest Website: https://carlianna.co/
Guest Instagram: @carlianna_
Links Mentioned:The Brand Mapping Method with Carli Anna
10K Girl Gang
CE-Over-It Podcast
Inbox Question:"What's your worst client story? Spill the tea haha (Follow up to that Question: What advice would you give yourself looking back now that you have more experience?)" — Bianca Martinez
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Saying no to clients is tough! We easily can fool ourselves into saying yes to opportunities that might not be right fits for various reasons. The reasons might be niche, vibes, budget, workload, other red flags. Join our conversation to talk about how we filter clients, trusting our intuition, and saying no gracefully.
Inbox Question:“How many offerings should you have as a designer?” — Bethany McCamish
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Packaging design is a whole other animal - and in our eyes, more complicated than Brand Identity design. There are so many steps, checklists, file types, and terms to understand, let alone legal specifications and printer communications to work through. We invited Lauren Braier, owner of Elby Creative and multipassionate entrepreneur with an emphasis on packaging design, to chat with us about what adding packaging design services to your offerings arsenal looks like.
Elby Creative is a playfully modern design studio that transforms e-commerce brands into scroll-stopping sensations. In this episode Lauren shares loads of valuable information about what you need to know to work with packaging clients (and what pitfalls you need to avoid!) to step into the space with confidence.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Lauren Braier
Guest Business Name: Elby Creative
Guest Website: www.elbycreative.com
Guest Instagram: @elbycreative
Links Mentioned:Discount code for PDM: ‘better’ 75$ off enrollment — elbycreative.com/pdm
Inbox Question:"Could you share 5 valuable tips for your first month after launch?” — Sofia Inacio
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Neurodivergence is the term for those whose brains function differently in one or more ways than is considered standard or typical. In this episode Lea Gucciardi, the Founder and Creative Director of Arq Design Studio, shares about her journey to becoming a multi-6-figure design studio owner, her experience with ADHD and how it impacts her life and business, her coding background, and her newest offer for designers who are looking to take their Shopify projects to the next level. We are so grateful to Lea for opening up to us and our listeners, and for her vulnerability, strength, and willingness to share her story publicly. It is our hope that through this episode, designers with neurodivergent minds feel less alone and and encouraged by Lea's story of resilience and success.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Lea Gucciardi
Guest Business Name: Arq Design Studio
Guest Website: https://www.arqdesign.studio/
Guest Instagram: @arqshopifystudio
Links Mentioned:Lea's Shopify Codex Course
Morgan Rapp Design Biz Mastery
Squarestylist with Rache
Links & Resources from Lea:Youtube community
Resources on Diagnoses
Instagram community
Successful entrepreneurs who are very open about their experiences
Podcast episode worth listening to
Inbox Question:"What is the best way to overcome imposter syndrome?" — Headlands Creative
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Do you ever find it hard to be inspired as a designer? Yes, there's the internet - design portfolios, digital magazines, Dribble, and Pinterest (oh, the joys and drool-worthiness of Pinterest!), and yet... sometimes it's hard to really get the juices flowing! In this episode, Esther and Jen talk about what inspires them both within the industry AND outside of it and discuss how to keep being on the hunt for different ways to bring a unique design perspective to the world.
Links Mentioned:Branding with Bre from Rowan Made
The Brand Gap by Mary Neumeir
Font Inspiration:Fonts In Use
Typewolf
Website Inspiration:MaxiBestOf
Awwwards
Site Inspire
Commerce Cream
Brand Design Inspiration:Identity Designed
Inspiration Grid
Sephora
Target
Creative Magazines:Communication Arts
Real Simple
Inbox Question:How do you prevent new brands from having an identity crisis? (I'm working with a startup)" — Keith Talusig
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Have you ever had a review session with a client and they're just not feeling the work you've created? We've been there! In this episode Jen and Esther talk about some of their experiences with push-back and how they worked through the problems to create better solutions for their clients.
Links Mentioned:The Anti-Anxiety Notebook
Inbox Question:
"How do you present your initial designs to the client? What do you include– how many logo/secondary logo ideas, how many fonts (and where to get fonts/legalities), do you photoshop a mock-up and include that with the package? Like what do you do lol" — Mackenzi Chapman
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterpodcast
Welcome to Season 5 of the Better Podcast! We are officially welcoming Esther Knox-Dekoning as our new co-host! In this episode we get to hear Esther's story and her experience as a designer in the corporate advertising world and how she transitioned to owned her own design studio, Sereth Design.
Guest Information:Guest Name: Esther Knox-Dekoning
Guest Business Name: Sereth Design
Guest Website: www.serethdesign.com
Guest Instagram: @sereth.design
Guest Pinterest: @serethdesign
Links Mentioned:Design Biz Mastery with Morgan Rapp https://morganrapp.com/design-biz-mastery
Cassie Gudmunsen from Reux Design Co https://reuxdesignco.com/sba
Squarestylist https://www.squarestylist.com/
Branding with Bre https://www.rowanmade.com/branding-with-bre
Inbox Question:"I just started offering brand and web design... I am looking for courses and resources to build my branding skills and confidence." — Brooke Anglin
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co.
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterpodcast/
Patreon: https://patreon.com/betterpodcast
A message from Jen:
Hey Better family - I'm honored to post two episodes that Giselle and I recorded together last summer 2020 (episodes 1 and 2) and one episode that I did (episode 3) to comprise a short but very sweet season 4. I encourage you to listen to our memorial episodes, Celebrating Giselle: Podcast Community and Celebrating Giselle: Friends & Family. Enjoy these episodes, I know Giselle is with us when each one is heard <3
Brand strategy is the foundation upon which meaningful brand identity design lives. It's important for brand designers to understand the "why" behind brand strategy so they can use it to improve their design work and sell it to their clients as a package with design or standalone service.
Today Jen chats with Melinda Livsey all about Brand Strategy. Melinda is a brand strategist and online educator from Southern California. She currently helps graphic designers become brand strategists so they can develop entire directions and personalities of brands. Her courses Brand Strategy Bootcamp and How to Sell Brand Strategy can be found at https://www.marksandmaker.com.
Inbox Question:“How do you help, or should you help your clients find the answers to brand strategy questions (eg. What does your ideal customer value?) A question like this may come up in a brand discovery session but is it expected that clients know answers to such specific questions?” - Monica Choi
Links Mentioned:Melinda's videos on The Futur's YouTube channel: tinyurl.com/5y8kr6dk
Melinda's website: marksandmaker.com/
Melinda's course, Brand Strategy Bootcamp: marksandmaker.com/brand-strategy-bootcamp
Melinda's Brand Strategy Resources: marksandmaker.com/brand-strategy-resources
"The Brand Gap: How to Bridge the Distance Between Business Strategy and Design" by Marty Neumeier: amzn.to/3eFVoMg
"You Are A Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth" by Jen Sincero: amzn.to/3FS3sWc
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner
Podcast Website: betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: instagram.com/betterpodcast
A message from Jen:
Hey Better family - I'm honored to post two episodes that Giselle and I recorded together last summer 2020 (episodes 1 and 2) and one episode that I did (episode 3) to comprise a short but very sweet season 4. I encourage you to listen to our memorial episodes, Celebrating Giselle: Podcast Community and Celebrating Giselle: Friends & Family. Enjoy these episodes, I know Giselle is with us when each one is heard <3
Episode Description:
Imagine an easy, slow morning: you wake up, have breakfast with your family, do an activity with your kids or explore a hobby on your own, work for a couple of hours, then have the rest of the day to yourself. This reality is attainable, but more importantly, you don't need to sacrifice income when you make shifts to get to a more aligned schedule. Today Giselle & Jen chat with Kelsey Kerslake all about her journey from needing to make some quick cash to pay her bills to owning and running a 7-figure business.
Kelsey Kerslake is a multi-passionate CEO of two companies: Pinegate Road, and the Aligned Business. Kelsey has been helping entrepreneurs and businesses build their brands and market their online presences for over a decade. She is a business strategist, coach, and mentor for service-providers, coaches, and educators looking to scale their online businesses in complete alignment with the lives they want to live and the values they hold. She deeply believes that everyone has the potential to make their dreams reality and her businesses help online business owners define their future vision and literally bring it to life through coaching, strategy, design, and websites.
Inbox Question:"How do you get the client to agree the project is finished?" - Jessica Robinson
Links Mentioned:Kelsey's Instagram: instagram.com/kelseykerslake
The Aligned Business Academy: pinegateroad.com/academy
The Aligned Business Mastermind: pinegateroad.com/mastermind
Kelsey's Website: pinegateroad.com
Kelsey's resources: pinegateroad.com/grow-your-biz
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner
Podcast Website: www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: instagram.com/betterpodcast
A message from Jen:
Hey Better family - I'm honored to post two episodes that Giselle and I recorded together last summer 2020 (episodes 1 and 2) and one episode that I did (episode 3) to comprise a short but very sweet season 4. I encourage you to listen to our memorial episodes, Celebrating Giselle: Podcast Community and Celebrating Giselle: Friends & Family. Enjoy these episodes, I know Giselle is with us when each one is heard <3
Episode Description:
Welcome back to Season 4 of the podcast! Giselle and Jen come back with an updated "Day in the Life" episode in a casual conversation going through each of their average work days. The first one they recorded was back in season 1 - and a lot has changed, especially since Jen became a mom (and surprisingly, some things have stayed the same!) Giselle and Jen also catch up in general, sharing about new developments in their lives and chatting a bit about the future as well.
Links Mentioned:Typeform: typeform.com
Morgan Rapp: morganrapp.com
1% For the Planet: onepercentfortheplanet.org
Inbox Question:"How do you keep client projects on schedule? What incentives or consequences do you give your clients for their deadlines like getting feedback to you by a certain date? How do you communicate that you need to stay on pace and wrap up their project so you can accommodate other clients? Any tips would be amazing!" - Haley Siebe
Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner
Podcast Website: betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: instagram.com/betterpodcast
This summer, our design community, and the world, lost an incredible soul too soon during a climbing trip in Peru, our very own co-host, Giselle Field. In the first part of this two-part memorial episode, we heard many incredible things about Giselle from our design and podcast community. Now, in the second part of this two-part episode, we will hear from those who were closest to her - her friends and family. Because of Giselle, countless designers, and countless friends and family members, have found friendship, comfort, support, encouragement, and someone to turn to when they felt alone.
A few months after Giselle passed away, Jen created a submission form to which anyone could submit either written or audio memories of their dear friend, podcast co-host, mentor, co-worker, and sister. These two special memorial episodes are where these memories will be forever available to whomever wants to hear how Giselle touched the lives of so many, and the wonderful ways in which she will be remembered. Thank you to everyone who submitted a memory - Jen hopes for these two episodes to be very small reflections and facets of Giselle's beautiful self, a tribute to her life and the impact she had on everyone she touched.
In both of these episodes, Jen is joined by Ella Moyer, UX designer, photographer, past podcast virtual assistant, team member of Hello June Creative, team member of Wander Design Co., and good friend to both co-hosts. Ella has been integral in the success of this podcast, and there were many days where she, Jen, & Giselle would hang out in the Better slack channel together, dreaming about the podcast, and about meeting one day.
Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
This summer, our design community, and the world, lost an incredible soul too soon during a climbing trip in Peru, our very own co-host, Giselle Field. We will hear many incredible things about Giselle from our design and podcast community today, and in the second part of this two-part episode, from those who were closest to her - her friends and family. Because of Giselle, countless designers, and countless friends and family members, have found friendship, comfort, support, encouragement, and someone to turn to when they felt alone.
A few months after Giselle passed away, Jen created a submission form to which anyone could submit either written or audio memories of their dear friend, podcast co-host, mentor, co-worker, and sister. These two special memorial episodes are where these memories will be forever available to whomever wants to hear how Giselle touched the lives of so many, and the wonderful ways in which she will be remembered. Thank you to everyone who submitted a memory - Jen hopes for these two episodes to be very small reflections and facets of Giselle's beautiful self, a tribute to her life and the impact she had on everyone she touched.
In both of these episodes, Jen is joined by Ella Moyer, UX designer, photographer, past podcast virtual assistant, team member of Hello June Creative, team member of Wander Design Co., and good friend to both co-hosts. Ella has been integral in the success of this podcast, and there were many days where she, Jen, & Giselle would hang out in the Better slack channel together, dreaming about the podcast, and about meeting one day.
Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
Podcast Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
In this solo episode, Giselle opens up about why and how she launched a digital course. What seems like a couple of months of preparation for the course was really three years in the making. Giselle spills it all to encourage those that dream about making digital products but hold themselves back for many reasons — just like she did to herself.
Giselle covers: product ideation, goal-setting, prelaunching and launching, imposter syndrome, progress over perfection, Essentialism by Greg McKeown, business coaching, overcoming shame, mental health challenges, and future ideas for the course.
From Giselle:First off, I have to give a huge shoutout to the women that impacted my professional and personal lives, my previous coaches and current friends: Avani Miriyala, Jane Scudder, and Kelsey Kerslake.
I also wanted to address the importance of taking care of one’s mental health in this episode. My hope is that we as entrepreneurs can have the space to step back when our personal lives call for it and not feel ashamed nor lose the momentum we worked so hard to build for our businesses. It's ok to step back, it's ok to take care of yourself first. Plus, our community is built to support you in both the highs and lows.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:Avani Miriyala’s Instagram
Kelsey Kerslake’s Instagram
Diana Martinez from Required Reading
ClickUp
Clickup for Designers Course
Essentialism by Greg McKeown
*Affiliate links: we receive a small commission to help support the podcast at no cost to you.
And thats a wrap! We’re finishing season 3 off with an episode packed with answers to your inbox questions. Giselle and I talk everything from contracts, whether we pricing on our websites, knowing when to grow teams, (and finding good contractors to work with), communicating value to clients, and more.
We couldn’t be more thankful for our Facebook community and can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this episode!
Our VA:Ella’s website
Ella’s photo site
Ella’s Instagram: @ellamoyer.ux
Our Editor:Stuart's website
Links Mentioned:
All things legal episode
Difficult client stories episode
Our new website
Jen on Clubhouse: @hellojune
Giselle on Clubhouse: @wanderdesignco
Today is a very special episode with just Jen Davis! We had some interest in learning more about Jen’s experience having a baby and scaling her business at the same time, and so she recorded an episode about it where she chats through maternity leave, struggles, wins, mistakes, and what she did during the first 6 months of her baby's life as a mom and a business owner.
From Jen:I am so beyond blessed to have my little baby boy Ryder (who inspired my new studio name - he was born in June 2020!) - but I think beyond sharing the happy, positive, wonderful side of new motherhood it's important to also talk about how hard it can be, especially as someone running a business full time from home.
An important note: like all businesses, all babies (and mamas) are different and find different things that work for them. I am only sharing my personal experience in the hopes that it might encourage other mamas and/or help you avoid the mistakes I made! Like all of our episodes, take what resonates and leave the rest!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website:https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:https://www.hellojunecreative.co
Instagram.com/hellojunecreative
Facebook.com/hellojunecreative
Giselle is joined by Shay M. Lawson, Esq to answer all your legal questions! (Jen badly wishes she could have been there, but the baby needed her that day!)
Giselle and Shay open today's episode answering the icebreaker question: “Thinking back to a year ago today, what is one thing you gained last year that you want to step more into this year?” Then, they move into talking all about the legal side of running a design business.
Shay breaks down brand identity and trademarks, what trademarking a brand looks like and explains what consumer confusion is. She then speaks to filing copyright registration, trademark registration, client services agreements and what to do before starting the design process with a new client. (SO many nuggets here — this is one you will want to take notes on!)
If you are a freelance designer, studio owner, or someone hoping to work with your own clients someday, this episode is one you won’t want to miss! We can’t wait to hear what you think of today’s episode!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:www.shaymlawson.com
www.solo-ceo.com
IG: @shaymlawson
Twitter: @shaymlawson
FB: Shay M Lawson
Podcast: Minute of Your Time
Clubhouse: @shaymlawson
Consult Calendar: bit.ly/consultshay
Work with Shay By Booking a Free Discovery Call Here: solo-ceo.com
Get ready to be inspired! In this week’s episode Jen chats with Morgan Rapp about all things value-based pricing and shifting our mindsets around money and sales.
We break the ice by sharing what our ideal day would look like. Then, Morgan dives into her story — how she got started in design, hit rock bottom in her design business, and what she did to quickly scale to 6 figures.
Morgan shares how she shifted her mindset around time and discovered value based pricing. She talks all about the importance of sales calls and selling confidently. Morgan also discusses why we, as designers, need to focus on listening to the client, learn to speak the client’s language, and uncover and share the value we provide to them.
Finally, Morgan answers the burning question that all of us designers seem to have: “How do I raise my prices without scaring people away?”
If you’ve ever wondered what value-based pricing is, if it might be right for your business, or how to present it to your clients, this episode is for you!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:Apply for Design Biz Mastery (applying isn't a commitment): https://dbm.morganrapp.com/
Earlier this year we asked you to share your difficult client stories and today those stories—as well as our own—are live! Although they are SUPER entertaining, we make sure to also share how the designer could have avoided the problem in the first place so we can all learn together.
Giselle opens the episode by telling the story about her $400 website project and Jen shares what she learned from a difficult contractor relationship from the beginning of her business.
We talk all about making sure our values align with our work and finish up the episode answering the question: “What is your philosophy as a designer?”
Giselle and Jen believe that there is so much to be learned from difficult client experiences. While going through them can be hard, reflecting and sharing them with a supportive community can make us all better designers (see what we did there?)
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:
Brand Mentor by Alex from The Routine Creative
The Contract Shop
Essentialism by Greg McKeown: https://amzn.to/39VtLh7
Required Reading Copywriting
Wander Design’s Philosophy
The Futur CORE Framework Advanced Strategy Bundle Giselle says the bundle is worth getting over just the Framework course, because it has hours of genius advice from previously recorded membership calls regarding facilitating, selling, mindset, etc.
Quill & Co’s Brand Clarity Academy Waitlist
*Affiliate links: we receive a small commission to help support the podcast at no cost to you
One of the most popular questions we get asked is how we book our ideal clients. Today we have Meredith Uyeyama from Quixotic Design Co on the podcast to chat all about booking dream clients and nailing the sales call.
We open the episode sharing our favorite places to get icons for branding projects. Meredith then tells her story about starting a design studio, becoming a creative director, and managing a team.
We dive into how Meredith has defined her ideal client and successfully found her niche in the industry. Meredith shares how she got her first client and her number one tip for getting referrals.
We share our advice for having an abundance mindset, branding for our ideal client, writing goals and keeping promises to ourselves. Meredith talks all about the strategies her team uses to build relationships with dream clients and the value of building rapport before selling.
If you’re ready to level up your design business and confidently book that dream client, this episode is full of tangible takeaways for you! We can’t wait to hear what you think!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:https://www.quixoticdesignco.com
https://www.instagram.com/quixoticdesignco/
$25 off website templates with code BBD: https://www.quixoticdesignco.com/shoptemplates
We get asked all the time about how we get clients and beat imposter syndrome, so today’s conversation is about all things designer confidence and overcoming the ego. If you’re a designer looking to improve your relationship with your work, sell confidently and/or redefine success, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!
We open our chat sharing the last time we felt totally confident in taking on a design project and the last time we felt totally incompetent. Then, our conversation moves to a good discussion about mindset and forming our businesses around what we really want out of life. We talk about becoming self aware, setting intentions, and the importance of not measuring our worth through material things.
Jen shares her story about leaving a great job in NYC and redefining success for herself. We discuss the importance of detaching self worth from both our failures and successes (which, as you probably know, can be super hard for us as creatives). Jen also shares snippets from her “hype folder” (you’re going to want to make your own after this episode)!
We finish our episode talking about the best ways for designers to organize and manage their businesses. We discuss the value of setting up great systems for our teams and Giselle shares all about her new ClickUp for Designers course!
Giselle and Jen got #real in today’s episode and are so excited to be sharing their best advice for designer confidence and overcoming the ego. We can’t wait to hear what you think!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:Essentialism by Greg McKeown: Amazon*
Diagram of imposter syndrome: https://www.instagram.com/p/CHnS-zIAIwM/
Giselle's ClickUp for Designer's Course: www.clickupfordesigners.com
As brand designers, we all know how important brand messaging is, but can often feel overwhelmed by the idea of finding and working with a copywriter. Today we are taking a deep dive in copywriting with Diana from Required Reading.
We start our conversation today with a discussion about books we are reading/recently finished. (You’re going to want to check some of these out!) Diana shares how she got started writing for brands and we share our tips for getting started with a copywriter.
Giselle and Jen share some of the best questions that we ask in client questionnaires and Diana talks all about the importance of brand messaging. We finish off our chat sharing our strategies for confidently beating imposter syndrome.
If you are a brand designer thinking about working with a copywriter or have worked with a copywriter, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Books mentioned:The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: Amazon
Gwyneth Paltrow Cookbook: Amazon
Think Like a Monk: Amazon
Obsessed: Amazon
*Affiliate links: we receive a small commission to help support the podcast at no cost to you
Links Mentioned:Diana’s website: https://www.reqreading.co
Diana’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reqreading/
We are talking all about working with web developers! If you’re a designer, wanting to up your web design game, or start outsourcing the dev work, this episode is for you.
To kick off the episode, we both share what we would do if technology didn’t exist and we didn’t have to make an income. Then we transition into talking all things outsourcing to developers and why web design goes hand in hand with branding.
Giselle shares how she found her developer, we discuss what we look for in web developers, Jen talks about her “revision week”, and we give our best tips for communicating well with our developers.
Web development and outsourcing can be scary, so we packed this episode with tons of tangible takeaways. Whether you are experienced in the designer/developer relationship, or getting ready to start one, we share helpful tips and advice for designers of all levels. We can’t wait to hear what you think!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:TinyPNG: Tinypng.com
Figma: Figma.com
Markup.io: Markup.io
Jen’s PM: nviousstrategies.com
Jen’s Developer: aquilacreative.co
Giselle’s Developer: novatail.co
Giselle's ClickUp Course: clickupfordesigners.com
If you’ve ever wondered what offset printing or flexo printing is, this podcast is for you!
In this episode, we chat with Dave Hopkins of The Print Design Academy. Dave demystifies popular print design terms and shares how designers can increase revenue with print management.
We were so inspired by all of the ways Dave uses print design to create high-value brands, and know you will be too!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:
Print Design Podcast: APPLE | SPOTIFY
Quickie Podcast: APPLE | SPOTIFY
Print Design Academy: https://www.printdesignacademy.com/
Creative Mornings: https://creativemornings.com/
instagram.com/printdesign_academy
Episode 3 is here and we are back with another Jen + Giselle conversation! This week’s chat is all about nailing the sales call and it is packed with takeaways for you guys!
We kick off the episode with an honest conversation about how Covid-19 has effected our businesses this year. We then get into the nitty gritty about our inquiry process, our initial emails, and talking pricing with clients. We share tangible ways we cast vision for our clients and present ourselves as experts in the industry. Jen talks about how she frames deliverables based on client’s needs/budget and Giselle shares deep questions that she asks her clients during the sales call.
We hope this discussion inspires you to confidently approach your sales calls! Comment below and let us know what you think!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:
Honeybook: https://www.honeybook.com
The New Exec: http://thenewexec.com
Get Our Sales Call Question Template!
We are so excited to be sharing our interview with Michael August Bruny-Groth from the Logo Package! If you’ve listened to previous episodes, you know that we LOVE The Logo Package Express. This tool has been a game-changer for our businesses and saved us (literally) hundreds of hours.
Michael shares his story about how The Logo Package Express was developed, we chat about the best branding tools of the trade, switching from Sketch to Figma, and setting up retainers for clients. Michael also gives us a sneak peak into what is coming next for The Logo Package. We can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:The Logo Package Twitter
The Logo Package IG
The Logo Package FB
The Logo Package (Our affiliate link for $20 off Logo Package)*
Resources:
Figma
Ran Segall YouTube (Flux Academy)
Value of Money book (amazon)
Flux Academy
Prospero
Dubsado (20% off your first month or year)
Calendly
Honeybook
Fontspring
Creative Market
Moyo Studio
ClickUp
Logo Geek Facebook Group
*Affiliate links: we receive a small commission to help support the podcast at no cost to you
We cannot tell you guys how excited we are to be back recording, in your earbuds, and hanging out with you guys today! Episode 1 of Season 3 is a classic Jen and Giselle chat. We share updates on our businesses, talk about building teams, Jen shares some big news, and we laugh over more love-fest moments (of course). We are so thankful for all the love and support from this community! We know you guys are going to LOVE our upcoming season 3 episodes!
In this episode: We each share one skill that we have picked up since we last recorded. Jen’s big announcement. Building teams and rebranding. Being a design consultant, not just a designer. Transitioning from Squarespace to Webflow. If you could travel back to any point in your career, what point would you go back to you and what advice would you give yourself?
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:Webflow
Flux Academy Webflow and 10k Website Courses
Giselle’s IG @wanderdesign.co
Jen’s IG: @hellojunecreative
*Affiliate links: we receive a small commission to help support the podcast at no cost to you
Wow, another season in the books! We're wrapping it up with an episode full of answers to your inbox questions. Jen and Giselle cover a wide range of topics for brand designers, including process, value-based pricing, dealing with indecisive clients, and more. Listen in then tell us your answer to our question for you in our Facebook group. Can't wait to hear it!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Get our Diagnostic Call (and future freebies!): https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5fb20acd07f9a37b1e828789
Olive Garden Rebrand: https://thedieline.com/blog/2014/3/10/before-after-olive-gardens-new-logo
Paula Scher Citi logo: https://medium.com/@nedwin/the-1-5m-napkin-abd2702927d0
Amplify Shopify Course by Morgan Rapp: https://www.amplifyshopify.com/
What's a Designer Day Rate? Why would designers replace client retainers for this? And what are the benefits to this service? Join us as Jamie from Spruce Rd describes how this premium one-day design service has empowered her brand design studio, what she's learned, and what she recommends! We also get into a bit of her client psychology and her signature Zero-Revision process.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:Jamie's Website: https://www.sprucerd.com/
Free Zero-Revision Training: https://sprucerd.lpages.co/zero-revision-design-presentation-method/
Shareworthy Course: https://shareworthydesign.com/
Free #BrandSelfCare Challenge: https://sprucerd.lpages.co/brand-self-care/
Are you scared to call yourself a CEO, despite you being the business owner of your independent design gig? We were too, until Jane gave us the low-down on how to unlock our inner CEO and transform our business as a result! In this episode, we talk about what our initial thoughts are on the word "CEO" and the benefits of stepping into this mindset. We also discuss CEO days, why they're important to work ON your business and not just IN your business, and how to start implementing this time into your work week.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:The New Exec Website: thenewexec.com
Jane Scudder Website: janescudder.com
Jane's IG: @thenewexec @janescudder
Jane's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenewexec/
LinkedIn (Jane): https://www.linkedin.com/in/janescudder/
LinkedIn (The New Exec): https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-new-exec/
When it comes to rebranding ourselves, why is it SO HARD despite us brand designers? We have Amber D'Ambrosio (formerly Amber Hukari) tell us all about her rebrand process since she transformed into One 11 Studios. We go over when you actually need to rebrand, valid reasons for rebranding, and what to avoid. Join us!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:Amber's Website: www.one11creativestudios.com
Amber's Instagram: @one11creativestudios
Having a strong, clear design process is SO important to your branding business - but what should that look like, and why is it so key? Brand designer and strategist Steph Wharton breaks down a typical brand design process in a roundtable discussion with Jen & Giselle.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:The Design Experience Shop: https://www.stephwharton.com/
Steph Wharton’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephwharton_
*Flux Academy 10k Website Process Course: https://learn.flux-academy.com/?affcode=244534_fwqbizdl
*Affiliate link: using our link helps support our podcast at no cost to you
What are those limiting beliefs you keep telling yourself? “I’m not good at [blank].” “[Blank] is hard for me.” What if you could turn that around? What would your life look like?
Well, we’re super excited to announce today’s episode because our guest Avani is a master of releasing freelancers from their limiting beliefs! In this episode, we go all in on what it takes to be a successful freelancer, a fixed vs. growth mindset, and how you can implement small practices today to become the person of your dreams!
Avani's Breakthrough Sessions: https://avanimiriyala.com/breakthrough
Links Mentioned:
Avani's Podcast Episode on Mindset: https://lc3.shatrk.com/r/e/R1glHlWOM7CvKq3P?r=https://avanimiriyala.com/005-mind-gym/
Calm meditation app: https://www.calm.com
Headspace meditation app: https://www.headspace.com/
Morning pages overview: https://www.chriswinfield.com/morning-pages/
Neuro-Linguistic Programming overview: https://inlpcenter.org/what-is-neuro-linguistic-programming-nlp/
Get in Touch!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Are you raising kids while also building a design studio - OR are you trying to live your best life while also working from home? Becca Levian from Skye High Interactive chats with us about her transition from agency life to being an entrepreneur, asking for support, the myths of work/life balance, and cultivating a forward-facing mindset while also living your life to the fullest applies both to parents and to people without kids as well.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Getting more clients is at the top of every new brand designer's to-do list - but it can feel overwhelming in the beginning. We chat about some outside-the-box ways we and other designers have gotten clients. Get the ball rolling on that referral train!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Relying on one source of income as an independent design studio owner an be a slippery slope - Alex Cottles of The Routine Creative and Brand Mentor chats with us about why it's important to diversify your income, and how he achieves that in his own studio via multiple types of design clients and passive income like digital products and courses.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Typography is one of the most fun (if not challenging) parts of our jobs as brand designers. We go over the vocab, resources, and chat about our favorite foundries and fonts.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:
Giselle’s favorite font books:
Thinking with Type
The Elements of Typographic Style
Just My Type*
Our favorite foundries:
Hoodzpah Design: https://hoodzpahdesign.com/fonts/
Pizza Typefaces: https://typefaces.pizza/
VJ Type: https://vj-type.com/
Type resources:
Abstract: The Art of Design on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/80057883
TypeWolf: https://www.typewolf.com/
Find my Font: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/find-my-font/id1224842785
Myfonts: https://www.myfonts.com/
What the Font tool: https://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/
What Font Chrome extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/whatfont/jabopobgcpjmedljpbcaablpmlmfcogm?hl=en
RightFont organizer: https://rightfontapp.com/
*Affiliate links: using our link helps support our podcast at no cost to you
Kathy Luong from the full-service creative studio MADE BY WMN chats with us about how to level-up your studio through hiring an amazing team, stepping into a leadership role, and attracting higher-paying clients.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:
MADE BY WMN: madebywmn.co
MADE BY WMN shop: www.madebywmn.shop
Owning a branding studio is fun - but being overwhelmed with the wrong type of work or getting burned out is not. We discuss how best to set boundaries for others and for yourself.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
We cannot believe the season one finale is HERE. We had a great time in this episode answering a lot of inbox questions from our Facebook group! Thank you all so much for your support not only for this podcast, but for everyone else in our group. If you haven't joined us in there yet, find the party here!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:
6 Figure Freelancer Episode Mentioned: https://avanimiriyala.com/affirmations-future-pacing/
Scramble Book Mentioned: https://www.amazon.com/Scramble-agile-strategy-brands-record-ebook/dp/B07GZ81ZLN
We are excited to have Abbey from Wayfarer Design Studio on the podcast! Abbey is a master at attracting dream projects and spills all her secrets to us on how she does it. She also tells us her design studio's origin story, what she's learned, and how she's up-leveling to the next best version of her studio. Join us!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Links Mentioned:
Abbey's Design Shop: https://thedesigneressentialskit.com/
Wayfarer Design Studio: http://www.wayfarerdesignstudio.com/
Wayfarer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wayfarerdesignstudio/
We have a juicy episode for you today! Jen and Giselle share the top traits they learned to spot that their ideal clients share, as well as the ones they learned to avoid. You don't want to miss this one!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Many of us brand designers work from home, so the distractions are everywhere. Whether you're a productivity wiz, or you simply can't keep yourself focused, we hope this episode motivates you to get those tasks done! How do we stay on track with timelines, juggle multiple projects and clients, and steer clear of distractions? Tune in to hear Jen and Giselle's tried and true productivity tips! Then share your best tips with us in the Better Brand Designer Podcast Facebook group.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
This highly requested episode is here! What's it like to run a design studio, and in Jen and Giselle's case, at home? Tune in to hear about what a typical workday is like and how we accommodate our work life to better fit our lifestyles. Then join us in the Better Podcast facebook group to share what your typical workday is like!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
How do you present brand concepts to your client? Do you share three, seven, ten? Or just one? In this episode, Jen and Giselle discuss the Once Concept Method (more like, rave about it) and get a little deep about the psychology behind this method and why they've gotten great results from it.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Branding is so much fun that sometimes we forget that we need to stick to our guns when it comes to getting paid, and getting paid on time. We have a conversation around best practices to keep in mind before a project, during, and after to ensure that the dollar bills hit your bank account on time.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Ahhh pricing... the thing nobody wants to talk about yet everyone is curious about. This is the second episode of our pricing series. We dive into the secrecy behind pricing, our advice on finding YOUR best price points for YOUR business, and have an honest discussion about pricing mistakes we've made and how to avoid them. In this second part of our conversation, we share the biggest mistakes we've made when it comes to pricing ourselves in hope that we save YOU from that headache. Talking about money is so important for business owners, especially those in the design field, and it's a conversation that isn't had nearly often enough. Join us!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Ahhh pricing... the thing nobody wants to talk about yet everyone is curious about. We dive into the secrecy behind pricing, our advice on finding YOUR best price points for YOUR business, and have an honest discussion about pricing mistakes we've made and how to avoid them. Talking about money is so important for business owners, especially those in the design field, and it's a conversation that isn't had nearly often enough. Join us!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Instagram can make or break your business - and when we started, we definitely didn't know the do's and don'ts of using instagram as brand designers. We tapped Amber Hukari, owner of branding studio Amber Hukari Creative, to give us the lowdown on how she's used Instagram to grow her business.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
In this episode we discuss how to deal with "almost-clients:" the ones who are so excited to work with you and then ghost, who are lukewarm and then go with a competitor, or whose budget is just a tragic mismatch. It can be easy to internalize this rejection - bringing yourself and your work down, feeling like you're not good enough, etc. - but in reality, rejection is an integral part of your life as a designer. Chat with us as we give you insights, tips, and discuss personal experiences that will help you handle your next rejection (it happens to all of us!) with grace & ease.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Welcome to Better: The Brand Designer Podcast (and community), a podcast created by brand designers, for brand designers. Join hosts Giselle from Wander Design Co. and Jen from Jen Davis Design as we talk about what it's really like to run a design business (the hard stuff, the fun stuff, & the stuff you don’t see on Instagram.
Our mission is for you to remember this: the only designer you need to be Better than… is the one you were yesterday.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/
Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources