Professional brand design for small business isn’t something I used to prioritise. Like many small business owners, I’d always DIYed my own visual identity in Canva – colours, fonts, logo, everything. It worked well enough…
Until it didn’t.
Over time, this homegrown Canva approach started to really piss me off. My visuals never quite looked how I wanted them to. I’d spend far too long tweaking miniscule little things, hoping it would suddenly click into place, only to abandon it the next day. Something was always off. Eventually, and gawd I don't know what took me so long, I realised I’d outgrown the DIY route.
It just got more and more obvious that I needed a professional – someone who could see the bigger picture and translate what I couldn’t articulate into a cohesive visual brand that actually felt like me. Because although I absolutely knew what I didn't want (a camera logo and swirly handwritten fonts, for a start, eeuuww!), I wrangled and struggled unendingly with what I did want.
That’s when I reached out to Karen Bennett of Karen Bennett Graphic Design.
Karen Bennett
A spark of connection (and a shared love of dogs!)
I first met her at the Outsiders networking group here in Edinburgh. Karen and I hit it off immediately and right away I had a strong feeling right away that I’d enjoy working with her. She has a calm, thoughtful presence, and when I got home later, I had a good old poke through her portfolio,
I could see how considered and cohesive her work was.
I liked it. A lot.
And yes, the fact that she also has a dog and loves going out walking it probably sealed the deal, ha! There’s just something about meeting another business owner who shares your pace, your values, and your way of seeing the world. It gives you confidence that they’ll “get” you – and that definitely turned out to be true with Karen.
More than just design – the power of her process
Once we had a proper chat and Karen patiently listened to me bemoaning and bewailing the fact "I just can't get my visuals to look right, help meeeeee", she sent a detailed brand questionnaire so she could figure out what exactly I needed.
I expected something fairly standard in terms of a questionnaire – a few questions about colours and styles I liked, maybe a bit about what I didn't like, that kind of thing.
Ha, nope! What I got instead was an in-depth process that prompted me to dig a lot more deeply than I anticipated. She asked thoughtful, strategic questions about my business, my personality, my values, and the kind of clients I want to attract.
It was… revealing. In a very good way.
In fact, it had a lot of similarities with the "getting to know you and your business" that I work on with my own clients.
Going through that process with Karen sparked several lightbulb moments. It forced me to think more intentionally about how I want my business to feel – not just to me, but to the people experiencing it. Even if we hadn’t gone ahead with the design, that insight alone would have been worth it.
But thankfully, we did go ahead. And it only got better from there.
Collaborating with someone who listens (and is endlessly patient)
When Karen sent me her first design concept, together with an incredibly useful video walkthrough which explained her thought processes, I felt hopeful. It was polished and cohesive, and definitely had the makings of something great. But I wasn’t 100% sure. I had a few thoughts – what about adding some Celtic-style patterns to reflect my heritage? She took everything I said seriously, even the bits I worried might sound daft, and went away to rework the design.
She came back with a beautifully revised second concept. But – and this is the really interesting bit – once I saw it, I realised I didn’t like my own suggested revisions. It just didn’t look like me. And in that moment, I knew her first concept had been right all along.
Karen never made me feel silly for changing my mind. She was patient, kind, and professional throughout – the kind of designer who genuinely wants you to love your branding. We made a few final tweaks together to refine it even further, and I was left with a complete suite of visual brand assets that feel deeply “me.”
Brand visuals that feel aligned (at last!)
The mood board Karen created for me with images she sourced on Pinterest and Canva
As part of the process, Karen created a bespoke moodboard for me – a visual snapshot of the look and feel she envisioned for my brand.
Graphic designers often use moodboards to explore and communicate ideas before diving into the full design. It brings together colours, textures, typography, and imagery that express the designer's view of the brand’s personality.
For me, it was incredibly useful to see everything in one place – not just what my brand might look like, but how it might feel. It helped align our vision early on and gave me confidence we were heading in the right direction.
The final design is everything I wanted but didn't know I wanted. The colours are natural but elegant, which fits the way I want to come across. The logo includes a starburst, which to me looks like both a compass and a guiding light – a wee nod to how I like to work with my own clients. It’s meaningful, thoughtful, and aesthetically spot on.
But beyond all that, it’s just so usable.
Karen provided the logo in a range of shapes and formats, so I can use it seamlessly across my website, social media, email footer, and marketing materials.
She chose a colour palette and font pairings that feel cohesive and professional, and work really well together aesthetically. All this practicality matters so much more than people realise – it’s what turns a great design into a useful one.
And the biggest shift of all? I feel really happy with how my business is presented visually now. I'm a lot happier sending people to my website. Proud to show up more consistently. Proud to own my brand.
When DIYing it holds you back
Before working with Karen, I was always tweaking things in Canva, trying to make them feel right. And I never quite managed it. It took me longer than I’d like to admit to realise that I’d simply outgrown DIY design.
It’s the same with business photography.
You can take your own photos for a while. You can lean on stock images, or try to cobble something together with your phone. But eventually, you hit a point where it just doesn’t reflect the quality of your work anymore. You know something has to change – not because you can’t do it yourself, but because you shouldn’t have to.
You're past that.
Just like brand design, professional photography isn’t a vanity project. It’s a strategic decision that shapes how people perceive you. When you invest in quality visuals – whether it’s your brand design or your business photography – you create trust, consistency, and connection. You show up as someone who takes their business seriously. And people respond to that.
Exceeded expectations
Karen brought so much more than just design expertise to this project. She listened deeply, challenged me appropriately, and delivered a final product that far exceeded my expectations. It’s rare to find someone who combines creative vision with such genuine care for their clients, and I'm grateful that I did find her.
You can find her here:
If you’ve been feeling off about your visuals – or like your brand isn’t quite keeping up with where you are now – maybe it’s time to ask yourself: have I outgrown the DIY stage? Because I promise, you will at some stage. So don't let it hold you back like I did.
Whether that’s in your design, your photography, or both, I can tell you from experience – hiring the right professional can change everything.
