New Logo, who dis?

I used to keep my own brand in the junk drawer. Client folders? Organized to a T. My brand files? A collage of half-assed ideas, “good enough for now” assets, and a logo that—while fun and cute—didn't resonate with everything else. Every time I sent a deck or opened my site, a quiet thought poked at me: how can clients trust me with their branding if I don’t even look like I have mine together?

I wanted to make people stop and look. I wanted a brand with bite. But my “safe” look was never going to turn heads, and deep down I knew it.

I Hit a Wall

I felt boxed in. My ideas and my direction didn’t match what I was showing. I wanted to say things like Branding with Bite and Major Shelf Appeal, but my visuals didn’t back that energy.

I had a real issue that I saw in my clients all the time: I had started with decoration, not direction.

No strategy. No real clarity on Positioning, Personality, and Audience guiding decisions. And when those three don’t lead, everything feels disjointed.

Old brand vibe: quirky, creative, pretty.

New brand vibe: 90s grunge meets octogenarian art teacher, creative, edgy, cool, fun.

Learn from my mistake: good enough for now is expensive later.

I was my own worst client

Like a lot of emerging brands, I tried to skip strategy. Time felt tight. Anxiety was loud. I thought I could finesse it with a logo, a palette, a vibe. But I couldn’t hack it. Skipping strategy kept me small and made me avoid the stuff that matters, like pitching dream clients or showing up on video.

On a confidence scale, I was a 3.

I knew I was a talented designer.. but my branding felt like I was wearing someone else’s shoes.

So I did what I make my clients do. I took myself through my Bite Guide.

The Bite Guide made me decide

Getting it all out in writing wasn’t new information, but it was the truth in one place. Here’s what I claimed and built around:

• I’m the go-to for bold brands that want major shelf appeal and don’t have the patience to wait months. (Let’s be honest, I don’t have the patients to work on a project that long either.)

• Brand Archetypes: Outlaw and Sage. I’m a rebel guide.

• Audience: Achievers who want empowerment, clarity, and momentum.

• My Promise: A pain-free, efficient process that leaves you confident and ready to take on the world.
  

That foundation snapped everything into place. Strategy first, then creative. Always.

I cut the Fluff

I stopped toning it down because I was afraid bold would scare people away. If my vibe isn’t for you, that’s perfect. We probably wouldn’t have been a fit anyway. I’d rather be someone’s absolute yes than everyone’s maybe.

What I changed

1) Positioning and voice

From polite designer energy to straight-talking creative director who lives for outcomes.

My language now sounds like me and says what I actually do:

Branding with bite for product-based businesses who want major shelf appeal.

2) Offers and the way I work

I rebranded my service names and doubled down on what works:

• The Bite Guide as the entry point

• Project intensives that keep momentum high

I’ll add digital products and email courses soon—but speed and clarity stay core.

3) Visual system that actually carries the message

I leaned into my real taste and history:

• 90s zine energy, photocopy grit, ripped paper, scribbled notes

• My own alcohol ink art (yep, that’s mine)

• My signature navy + four-pointed star

• Hot coral accents that bring the heat

• Fruit with bites—my playful nod to CPG and the “bite” in my method

The mix is intentional: edgy yet approachable, creative and maximalist yet clear, rough with a feminine wink. It looks like me and it works at speed.

What changed in me

It’s early days, so the metrics will come, but the internal shift was immediate. I’m not hiding. I’m pitching faster. I hit record without spiraling. My husband took one look and said, “That’s definitely not for everyone.” He’s right. I’m not for everyone. That used to terrify me. Now I feel free to let my freak flag fly.

I still had to face My Fears

Part of me worried I’d be seen as too young, too edgy, too much.

But the truth is: Branding with bite isn’t a single aesthetic. It’s a brand with personality. With presence.

It’s your vibe—unapologetically—expressed in a way that customers want in their homes and retailers want on their shelves.

Signs you might need to rebrand sooner than later

• You avoid showing your face or pitching dream clients because your brand doesn’t feel ready.

• Your voice says one thing and your visuals say another.

• You can’t answer these clearly: who you’re for, what you promise, the outcome you deliver.

• You feel trapped by your own brand.

• You keep telling yourself you’ll fix it when things slow down.

If that’s you, sit down and get honest. Why are you unsure? What don’t you want people to think? What’s really holding you back from a brand you feel good about? Your answers point to who you truly want to be.

Why this works now

Because I finally let strategy lead. Positioning, Personality, Audience—those three direct every creative decision.

When they’re clear, your brand stops being decoration and becomes a decision engine. You save time. You stop second guessing.

If you’re standing where I stood

You don’t need a shinier logo. You need clarity. You need to hear your own voice without the noise. My Bite Guide was the turning point for me, and it’s the best starting line for you too. Schedule a session here if you want branding with bite.

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Take me as I am - or don’t. I’m good either way. And now my brand shows it.