Why Design Should Never Be the First Step
Pretty visuals won’t save unclear messaging. Build the foundation first.
A reminder for every new founder who’s eager to “make it look nice.”
This is my love letter to all the new founders, dreamers, and go-getters building something from scratch.
If I could tell you one thing, it’s this:
your brand should never start with your personal design preferences.
Yup. I said it.
And no—there’s nothing wrong with your Pinterest board.
There’s nothing wrong with loving a certain vibe or colour palette or look. Inspiration is good.
The problem starts when the inspiration becomes the direction before you actually understand what your brand needs to communicate.
Branding isn’t just the first impression.
It’s the vessel that carries your offer, your products, your mission, and your positioning.
It does the talking for you when you’re not in the room.
So before you choose a font or a colour or a mood, here’s what you actually need to know:
Your Checklist Before You Even Think About Design
Your target audience
Who are you really talking to?
What they like
Not just aesthetically. Behaviour, values, priorities, lifestyle.
What your product offers
Its technical purpose AND The real feeling behind it: pampered, convenient, smart, safe, loved, uplifted.
Your product price point
Your identity needs to match the expectation of the price. Period.
Your brand mission
Not a paragraph of fluff.
Just the common thread that connects everything you sell under one umbrella: your brand.
Once these pieces are clear, then you can figure out what your brand should look like.
And here’s the beautiful part:
If it aligns with your Pinterest board? Amazing.
If it doesn’t? That’s fine too.
Doing it right matters more than forcing a look that doesn’t match your offer.
And trust me. Brands can still look beautiful while doing it right.
This is my love letter to all the new founders, dreamers, and go-getters building something from scratch.
If I could tell you one thing, it’s this:
your brand should never start with your personal design preferences.
Yup. I said it.
And no—there’s nothing wrong with your Pinterest board.
There’s nothing wrong with loving a certain vibe or colour palette or look. Inspiration is good.
The problem starts when the inspiration becomes the direction before you actually understand what your brand needs to communicate.
Branding isn’t just the first impression.
It’s the vessel that carries your offer, your products, your mission, and your positioning.
It does the talking for you when you’re not in the room.
So before you choose a font or a colour or a mood, here’s what you actually need to know:
Your Checklist Before You Even Think About Design
Your target audience
Who are you really talking to?
What they like
Not just aesthetically. Behaviour, values, priorities, lifestyle.
What your product offers
Its technical purpose AND The real feeling behind it: pampered, convenient, smart, safe, loved, uplifted.
Your product price point
Your identity needs to match the expectation of the price. Period.
Your brand mission
Not a paragraph of fluff.
Just the common thread that connects everything you sell under one umbrella: your brand.
Once these pieces are clear, then you can figure out what your brand should look like.
And here’s the beautiful part:
If it aligns with your Pinterest board? Amazing.
If it doesn’t? That’s fine too.
Doing it right matters more than forcing a look that doesn’t match your offer.
And trust me. Brands can still look beautiful while doing it right.
Let’s keep in touch.
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