4 Things to Consider When Hiring a Web Designer

4 Things to Consider When Hiring a Web Designer

You're ready to officially launch a website — congratulations! It's a big step in starting (or growing) your business. But if you're new to hiring a web designer, it can be an intimidating process. Here are a few steps to consider when hiring a web designer: portfolio...

How to Collaborate with a Designer

How to Collaborate with a Designer

You've made the choice to work with a designer — congrats! This is a big decision that will take your business to a new level. But there are ways to work with designers that are more effective than others, and collaboration is key. To get the best experience (and...

Setting Goals for a New Year

Setting Goals for a New Year

Happy new year! Did you make any resolutions? While I don't believe in a magical reset when that calendar flips over, I'm sure I'm not alone hoping that 2021 will be at least a bit less tumultuous than 2020... I've spent the last two weeks in pretty quiet reflection....

Tools & Resources to Simplify Your DIY Brand and Marketing

Tools & Resources to Simplify Your DIY Brand and Marketing

I've talked before about why you might want to DIY your brand, especially for a first iteration as you get off the ground. But doing it yourself requires resources. So to save a little time, here's my roundup of great (mostly) free sources to get started. These cover...

Build a Consistent Image Library

Build a Consistent Image Library

Creating a graphic library is important to maintain brand consistency. The images you use connect with viewers on a subconscious level and convey mood more effectively than 1000 words (too cheesy..?). When building this library, it's important to reference your mood...

Community is Essential

Community is Essential

As we approach the end of the year, I'm starting my 2020 reflections and looking ahead at 2021. And man, it has really been a year hasn't it? Ups, downs, and all kinds of crazy pivots. Both for myself, my clients, and my extended circle. But the one thing that has...

How to DIY Your Own Logo

How to DIY Your Own Logo

Cheap logos from crowdsourcing platforms (like 99Designs) are often wrought with issues. With ethical, legal, and creative pitfalls, I want to share an alternative solution — a DIY. Once you have your brand colors and typography chosen, it's pretty simple to create...

7 Types of Logos and How They’re Used

7 Types of Logos and How They’re Used

Think about the logos you see every day — from Pepsi to Shell gas to Google and CNN. You recognize these marks with no more than a quick glance. But have you thought about the ways they're different? There are a variety of "formulas" for creating a new logo. It's...

What is the Difference Between Marketing and Advertising?

What is the Difference Between Marketing and Advertising?

I frequently get asked if I do Facebook ads. The short answer is not really. The truth is that Facebook ads are a subset of marketing — advertising — which is its own specialized niche. While advertising falls under your overall marketing strategy, the actual...

Use Typography to Set Tone and Build Structure

Use Typography to Set Tone and Build Structure

The fonts you use can have a huge impact on the tone of your brand — whether it's more traditional or modern, feminine or masculine, structured or approachable. Let's take a look at some of the options out there, as well as resources for an affordable DIY. A few...