I’ve never been a “fast” designer. I like to take my time and think things out, and I don’t like rushing the process. Now the little voice in my head (hello, imposter syndrome) might tempt me to see this as a bad thing — that I’m wasting time and not being efficient enough.

To be perfectly honest, I used to be self conscious about needing more time. After all, if I design faster I can take on more clients and isn’t that how I make more money and become more successful? Not necessarily.

When it comes to running my brand consulting business, I consider who I work with to be just as important as the work I do. Not every inquiry that lands in my inbox will be a good fit and not every client will be the right one for me. Unfortunately, many of us only realize this once it's too late and we're knee deep in our very own client horror story.

One question I get constantly is how I come up with the color palettes for my branding projects. I find this to be amazing because it was only a few years ago that I really struggled with color, and found myself constantly scrolling enviously through the work of others I considered to be color masters.

Maybe you're in a similar position right now, hoping to really dial in that eye for color to take your brand or your own work to the next level. Either way, know that perfect palette is closer than you think. So let's break this color thing down, shall we?

I'm so pleased to finally share my branding and website work for Fertilust! Between its encouraging and playful feel to all of the symbolic depth behind this beautiful brand, it's one I can't wait to pull back the curtain on. So without further ado, I give you the Fertilust brand!

Note: It's been my privilege to deliver fresh brand insights to you each week for over a year. However, my recent holiday hiatus has fostered some new clarity for my priorities and goals for 2017. These require lots of time and focus. As a result, I'll be scaling my blogging efforts back to a couple times each month.

During this time, I encourage you to revisit my archive of posts since your 2017 self may need some reminders and discover new nuggets of wisdom you missed the first time around. I'm excited to continue bringing you new content this year and can't wait to see what this year holds for all of us!

Looking Back at 2016

Seeing all the recaps of 2016 from my favorite brands and talented friends, I've been inspired to do one of my own. Plus, as my amazing friend and accountability partner Alicja Colon pointed out to me, this will give me a snapshot of my first year (and the years that follow) to look back on as my business grows and evolves.

So without further ado, I give you my review of 2016!

Over the last year I've received quite a few inquiries from people looking for “just a logo.” It seems like a reasonable enough request, right? To some designers it absolutely is, and while I used to work this way at my former jobs, I now turn these projects away. I may be missing out on some business, but it's in service of a greater goal and vision for how I want to work with my clients.

So why don't I offer a logo-only package?

Whether it's a logo and brand identity, package design, or a full website, professional design is an big, exciting investment. You've put a lot of thought into this decision. So now that you've decided to hire a designer, how can you be sure to get the most value for your time and money? Well, friend, these 7 tips will help you do just that!

I've known Alex for a few years now, so when she approached me with an idea for a new business I couldn't have been more curious. She explained that she wanted to provide hands-on marketing consulting for skilled creatives, needed an amazing brand identity to be the face of this new adventure, and was just as enthusiastic about working together as I was. The only issue? She hadn't nailed down a name yet.

The Name Game

I'd been itching to offer naming assistance along with my branding services for quite a while, and this was my chance! I started the process off much like every other branding project I take on—with lots of discovery and strategy. Of course we wanted the name to sound cool, but even more so it had to make sense for her chic, fresh, and fun new brand.

Earlier this summer, my friends from Forefathers Group shared their manifesto on revisions. This post was a bold statement for their business, and struck a serious chord with me. Their perspective falls in line with a lot of my own beliefs on the subject, and I thought it was time to share those with you lovely people.

A few weeks ago, I shared some insight into my One Concept Approach to logo and brand design. Today, I'd like to share why I don't offer revisions—at least not in the traditional sense. But before I share my take, let's chat a bit more about the culture of revisions within design and the psychology behind them.