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The Weekly Drop In

What not to do when you are ready to hire a designer (+ what to 👀 look for instead)

Published about 1 month ago • 7 min read

"Do I have enough answers for you to really do this?"

Savannah's face on my Zoom screen showed the familiar mix of hope and hesitation I've seen countless times.

As a Broadway professional trying to merge her theatrical world with her freelance business, she was caught in that messy middle so many multi-passionate entrepreneurs find themselves in.

Knowing she wanted to change her brand, but not being able to figure out how to translate her idea into an identity.

And there it was—the exact struggle I designed my entire business to solve.

Let me set the stage for you (slight pun intended 🤣)

Savannah and I were going back and forth about my brand brushstrokes offer via. email - so I offered up the option to book a disco call to figure out whether or not working together would be the right fit.

Because Savannah was stuck on two important questions

  1. Whether or not she was ready for brand design.
  2. Whether or not she could create a personal brand for her business

She went on to explain that "I think with most brand designers, they want me to have a clearer vision”.

Here’s my two cents.

Knowing exactly what your brand should look like is NOT a prerequisite for working with a designer. In fact, if you already knew exactly what you wanted, you'd probably just DIY it.

What you DO need to know:

  1. Your offers (what you're actually selling)
  2. Your audience (who you're selling to)
  3. Your general direction (where you're heading)

That's it.

The rest? That's what you're hiring a designer for.

And here’s what to keep in mind if you are ready.

Here’s what not to do when it comes to finding a designer for your brand (+ what to look for instead)

Let's circle back to Savannah's second question. Beyond wondering if she was ready (she was), she needed to know if I was the right designer for her unique situation.

Here’s what not to do when it comes to finding a designer for your brand.

  • Post a very general “looking for designer recommendations" thread
  • Get bombarded with 50+ pitches from designers who have zero clue about your needs.
  • End up completely overwhelmed

Let's be honest — has anyone ever found their perfect match that way?

Instead, look for these four key factors (or ask for recommendations based on them) to narrow down your options and find someone who can truly translate your vision (even if that vision is still a bit fuzzy).

#1: Design Style

Every designer has their own signature aesthetic. Some create minimal, neutral designs while others work with bold colors and playful elements. Start by finding designers whose design style aligns with the aesthetic you want to create.

What to look for: Portfolio pieces that give you that intuitive "click" feeling. Don't overthink it — trust your gut reaction.

#2: Specializations

Skills - Are you dreaming of custom illustrations like Savannah was? Do you need animations or someone who can code? Different designers offer different specializations, so get clear on what specific skills your project requires.

Platforms - If you're looking for a website designer, this one is especially important. Do you need a Showit site? WordPress? Squarespace? Look for designers who specialize in your preferred platform.

Pro tip: Think about who will be managing your website long-term and choose a platform that will be easiest for you to use — then find a designer who specializes in it.

#3: Experience & Container Size

Next, consider how much support and time you need. Design containers can range from one day to 3+ months. The right experience level and turnaround time should depend on your specific needs.

What to ask yourself: Do you need someone to hold your hand through the entire process, or are you comfortable with a more hands-off approach?

#4: Connection

This is the make-or-break factor. If you're hiring someone to design your brand, you need to feel comfortable with them and trust they can truly understand your vision — especially if that vision isn't crystal clear yet.

Remember how Savannah was worried about merging her Broadway career with her planning business?

She needed someone who could get both worlds and find the common thread.

That kind of translation requires trusting that the desginer get’s your vision, and can build an identity for your brand that brings that vision for your brand to life.

Coming Full Circle

Think about it this way: When you hire an architect, you don't show up with blueprints — you show up with ideas about how you want to live in your space. The architect's job is to translate that vision into something buildable.

Your brand designer should do the same.

If you're a multi-passionate entrepreneur caught in that messy middle — knowing where you're headed but struggling to visually communicate it — I might be the designer you're looking for.

​

My Approach: Story-Driven & Strategic

​

I specialize in:

→ Custom Hand-Drawn Illustrations - that give you the confidence to fully own your positioning and attract ideal clients

→ Color Theory - grounded in fine arts training, not trends

→ Visual Storytelling - finding the common threads in your brand story and positioning and articulating that in your brand's identity

→ Connection - understanding your vision, even when it's hard to articulate and turning it into an identity that feels like you.

Summer Design Spots Now Open

I'm only opening four one-on-one design spots this summer including

3 spots in Brand Brushstrokes, my custom illustration package

(Only one at beta pricing starting at $500 left, then the price will go up, keep scrolling to read a mini case study about my first beta tester, Ash).

1 Spot in Signature Site, my full service 3-month custom web design package

Ready to translate your vision into visuals?

Just like with Savannah, we'll figure out if you're ready and if we're the right fit for each other. No pressure, just clarity.

GET THE RECORDING

the best design *thing* you'll ever do for your brand

Couldn't make the LIVE masterclass? No biggie! You can still grab the recording, and workbook for $20. It may just be the best *design* thing you do for your brand.

But don't take it from me, here's what one of the live attendees had to say ↓

"I loved that it was so practical and actionable, as well as explaining the 'why' behind it all. I feel so much more confident about creating things now!"

DIY YOUR BRAND DESIGN

the cj color kit

This fully customizable Canva template comes with a 30-minute tutorial where I walk you step by step through my color palette design process, so you can apply it to your brand's colors and create something that feels a little more you and a little less everyone else.

FROM THE ARCHIVE

21 website truths after 21 builds

Here are 21 things I want you to know when it comes to your brand's website including:

Choosing the right platform #1-5

Copy & conversion essentials #6-11

Design & user experience #12-17

Tech & marketing realities #18-21

Inside the Brand Brushstrokes Experience: What Ash Really Thought

Remember that Brand Brushstrokes client I mentioned last week? I wanted to share more of Ash's experience because, honestly, her feedback was too good not to dig deeper into when she was saying things like...

"I had a fear of 'are you going to get me?' But that was very quickly absolved. Even five minutes into our first call I thought, 'oh, this is going to be great.'"

Behind-the-Scenes of the Process

What really struck me in our follow-up conversation was how Ash described the experience. As a spirituality coach with that bold "celestial cowgirl" energy, she needed visuals that wouldn't water down her essence.

The breakthrough? That first mood board reveal.

"When I saw how you took our mood board and made it into something cohesive... that was the first time I was like, holy shit, she's going to do the thing!"

This is exactly what Brand Brushstrokes is designed to do — bridge that gap between your Pinterest inspiration and a cohesive visual brand that actually feels like YOU.

What Made the Biggest Impact

While Ash loved her illustrations (rating them "five, six, seven, eight" out of five 😂), what surprised me was what she found most valuable:

"The added value piece was definitely the full presentation... oh my God, that thing is amazing. I have it on, like, a permanent pin tab."

That final presentation showing exactly how to implement the illustrations across different platforms transformed this from "pretty pictures" into a strategic brand asset.

The Confidence Shift

Here's what really matters though. Ash told me:

"I feel way clearer about my brand as a whole and about my positioning. It gave me the confidence to really claim the message I actually want to get across."

Those custom visuals became a "permission slip" to show up authentically without self-censorship. That's the real transformation — not just better visuals, but the confidence to fully own your unique space.

Ash's Advice For Me

Finally, I asked Ash, if you were my business coach advising me on this offer - what would you tell me?

"Shout it from the rooftops. Turn these into case studies... this is wildly helpful."

So that's exactly what I'm doing! 👇

Last Chance: Final Beta Spot Opens June 3rd

As I mentioned last week, the final beta spot for Brand Brushstrokes opens June 3rd for just $500 (price increases after beta).

What's included:

  • 3 custom illustrations capturing your unique brand personality
  • 1 seamless pattern created from your illustrations
  • All files in multiple formats AND all your brand colors
  • That comprehensive presentation Ash can't stop raving about
  • Optional add-on: Brand identity refresh to align everything perfectly

"You were able to pull out threads and give vision to ideas that I didn't fully know how to articulate."

This is perfect for you if you're feeling stuck between "almost professional" and authentically YOU without wanting a complete rebrand.

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The Weekly Drop In

Where strategy meets storytelling – your Monday morning dose of brand foundations that grow with your vision.

I'm a Brand strategist & designer helping multi-passionate entrepreneurs build brands that look like them while being strategic enough to scale. Fine arts background, eldest daughter energy, and a firm believer that brands take way longer than a week to build.

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