Better: The Brand Designer Podcast

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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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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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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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 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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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 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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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 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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 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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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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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

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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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 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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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 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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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 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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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 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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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

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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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

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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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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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 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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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, 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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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 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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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, 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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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

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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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

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: https://willowspace.app/?lmref=s7e3YA

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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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

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

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Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
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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!

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

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Our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/
Podcast Website: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com
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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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Podcast Resources Page: betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Podcast Instagram: instagram.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!

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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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:

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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:

Resources mentioned in this episode on NobiWorks.com

Stakeholder Spectrum Blog Post from NobiWorks.com

N Factor Group Intensive June 19, 2023

Why We Should Stop Saying “Underrepresented” article from HBR

Inbox Question:

“How we can all be working towards making a better impact to help reshape the industry?” - Kate Carman

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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:

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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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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:

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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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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:

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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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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
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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:
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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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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer

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:
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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:

1. The Group Hug approach: This is about having one multifaceted job or business that involves wearing many different hats.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
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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:

1. Start with Strategy
2. Tell a Story
3. Break the Mold
4. 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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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
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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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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer

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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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer

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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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer

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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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:

www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer

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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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. 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 Free Facebook Community
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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 Free Facebook Community
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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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Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer

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.

Connect With Us:
Our Free Facebook Community
Our Website
Our Resources Page
Podcast Instagram
Support us on Patreon

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 Collective
The 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
Our Website
Our Resources Page
Podcast Instagram
Support us on Patreon

Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting:
www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer

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 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:
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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 Patrons
December 6, 2022, at 9 am Central / 10 am Eastern
Become a $10 Patron here.

This Episode’s Partner:
The Brief Collective
The 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
Our Website
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Podcast Instagram
Support us on Patreon

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
Our Website
Our Resources Page
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Support us on Patreon

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 Creative
An 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 Patrons
December 6, 2022, at 9 am Central / 10 am Easter
Become a $10 Patron here.

This Episode’s Partner:
The Brief Collective
The 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
Our Website
Our Resources Page
Podcast Instagram
Support us on Patreon

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 Creative
An 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 Collective
The 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 Shop
Want 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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Podcast Instagram
Support us on Patreon

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 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.

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

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 Patrons
December 6, 2022 at 9am Central / 10am Easter

Become a $10 Patron here.

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.

Standout Shopify
Standout 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
Our Website
Our Resources Page
Podcast Instagram
Support us on Patreon

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 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.

Standout Shopify
Standout 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 Rapp
Grow 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 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.

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 Rapp
Grow 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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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:
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.
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:
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.
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.

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.

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 [email protected] 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
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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