Better: The Brand Designer Podcast

In this solo episode, I wanted to switch gears and just have a fun little chat with you about life and discuss some current wins and struggles running a business and being a mom currently to little kids. I also discuss a new educational offer I'm creating in partnership with the Minimind—designed to help fellow designers scale their businesses more effectively.00:00: Intro 00:56: Personal Life and Business Updates 02:33: Client Wins and Business Growth 06:38: Team Dynamics and Work Structure 14:53: Struggles and Challenges 22:31: Future Plans and New OffersMy Recently Hired Bookkeeper:Website: www.balancedrootsbookkeeping.comIG: @balancedrootsbookkeepingLinks:The Design Minimind• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.**These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook CommunityOur WebsitePodcast InstagramHello June Creative InstagramThe Design MinimindJoin The Creative Diaries (my email list)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

✨ Get access to my Creative Direction Figma Template for FREE ✨Episode Description:In this episode, I chat with Shannon Mattern, a web design business coach and founder of the Web Designer Academy, to discuss her journey from corporate marketing to running a successful web design coaching business. Shannon shares the key turning points in her career, including how she identified and overcame six common areas where design businesses leak time and money and shares with us what those are. She emphasizes the importance of mindset, proper pricing, and setting boundaries to ensure profitability in your business.Guest Name: Shannon MatternGuest Website: www.shannonmattern.comGuest Instagram: @shannonlmatternShannon’s Course: Web Designer AcademyShannon’s Podcast: Profitable Web Designer00:00 Intro and Creative Template Freebie Info02:49: Shannon's Story19:19: Identifying Time and Money Leaks20:39: The Cost of People Pleasing21:24: Setting Boundaries and Managing Scope24:34: Perfectionism and Pricing Challenges25:35: Client Feedback and Pricing Models28:30: Empowering Clients with Choices35:25: Mindset and Self-Concept in Business37:43: Web Designer Academy Course OverviewLinks:The Design Minimind• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.**These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook CommunityOur WebsitePodcast InstagramHello June Creative InstagramThe Design MinimindJoin The Creative Diaries (my email list)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

✨ **Grab my Creative Direction template for FREE** ✨Curious what the first stage of my brand design projects looks like? Grab the Figma template (and four bonus audio trainings walking you through how to populate it!) below!👉🏼 Grab the template here! — Coming Sept 1st!Episode Description:As the first guest of season 12, I talk with Liz from Favorite Things Studio to discuss the integration of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in brand strategy and design. Liz shares her journey from casting director to boutique brand designer, emphasizing the value of AI tools (ChatGPT being her bread and butter) for creating more efficient and high-quality outputs and how to use them elsewhere in your business and systems. We discuss all things skepticism and the advantages of using AI in the creative industry, and how AI is reshaping the way designers approach their projects. Liz also shares details about her Brand Strategy Purrr-fection course and how she's helping other designers master the fundamentals of strategic branding.00:58: New Updates to the Upcoming Design Minimind Course06:06: Liz's Journey to Brand Design08:10: Starting from Scratch: Learning the Tools14:06: Customizing AI for Your Business19:16: The Future of AI in Brand Strategy26:33: Leveraging AI for Client Questionnaires29:09: Transparency with Clients About AI Usage32:13: Exploring Visual AI Platforms36:57: Creating Custom AI Workflows & Systems40:30: Legal and Ethical Considerations of AI43:16: Brand Strategy Purrr-fection CourseGuest Name: Liz Martinez-NelsonGuest Website: www.favoritethingsstudio.comInstagram: @favorite.things.studioLiz’s Course: Brand Strategy Purrr-fectionLinks:The Design Minimind• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.**Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook CommunityOur WebsitePodcast InstagramHello June Creative InstagramThe Design MinimindJoin The Creative Diaries (my email list)Tags: designer, design, brand design, design studio, design business, brand designer, better podcast, better designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design

✨ **Grab my Creative Direction template for FREE** ✨Curious what the first stage of my brand design projects looks like? Grab the Figma template (and four bonus audio trainings walking you through how to populate it!) below! I'll send it out September 1, 2025 (or automatically after that date) - are you ready? 👀👉🏼 Grab the template here!Episode Description:In this solo episode, Jen talks about the intricacies of naming your business or your client's business. She covers the emotional (yes, that’s a thing!) and psychological aspects of naming, common pitfalls to avoid, essential checks in the naming process, and best practices for creating memorable and unique names.00:00: Intro01:11: Exciting New Freebie Announcement and What That Includes04:11: Diving into Episode Topic06:20: Psychology and Emotional Impact of Naming08:02: Abstract and Compound Naming Strategies09:30: Things to Avoid in Naming12:35: Naming and Brand Design Considerations14:32: Ensuring Name Availability and Suitability16:11: Conclusion and the Upcoming The Design Minimind Cohort 5 Reminder.Website Mentioned:USPTO Trademark SearchLinks:The Design Minimind• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.**These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook CommunityOur WebsitePodcast InstagramHello June Creative InstagramThe Design MinimindJoin The Creative Diaries (my email list)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

✨ **Grab my Creative Direction template for FREE** ✨Curious what the first stage of my brand design projects looks like? Grab the Figma template (and four bonus audio trainings walking you through how to populate it!) below! I'll send it out September 1, 2025 (or automatically after that date) - are you ready? 👀👉🏼 Grab the template here!In this first episode of season 12, Jen is talking about something we've all experienced as business owners—slow seasons. But here's the thing: these quiet moments are actually golden opportunities! She shares ideas and ways for thriving during slower months, like creating low-cost services, launching digital products, or reconnecting with past clients, invest in learning and take courses (hint: The Design Minimind), and more! Slow seasons don't get to define your business—you do.00:00: Intro/welcome to season 12! 01:27: Upcoming freebie announcement and Info 05:25: The Design Minimind success testimonials 10:00: Diving into the episode topic - slow seasons 12:34: How to generate quick cash in slow seasons 19:36: Ways to make the best use of the extra time 25:51: Final thoughts and encouragementEpisodes Mentioned:S8E12: Spooooky Client Stories (Round 2) with Lauren BraierS6E12: Spooooky Client StoriesS3E9: Difficult Client StoriesLinks:The Design Minimind• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.**These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook CommunityOur WebsitePodcast InstagramHello June Creative InstagramThe Design MinimindJoin The Creative Diaries (my email list)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

Wrapping up season 11 with a fun one! I’m answering your questions straight from the inbox. Questions:5:03: I’m a branding designer currently and I was wondering if you had an episode on pricing brand projects with and without websites? 6:55: How do you professionally incorporate Ai into your process? 12:05: If client "A" offers 10K for a project but you're a little iffy about some portion of the project vs client "B" offers 8K for approximately the same amount of time, which do you choose?16:39: Creative directing is a role I thought I was ready for this spring and realized quickly that I was not. Can I ask where you get your leads from? 19:39: How do you stay creative when you have multiple projects?21:44: How can you market yourself as a Brand Designer when you’re too working on your own brand and figuring out how to establish yourself?22:49: Best places to learn and stay up to date with trends and best practices?27:16: What must haves should a brand designer have in their contract?28:20: How do you look for inspiration without comparing yourself to others and making yourself feel small?29:54: How to help your client keep an open mind during the creative process.32:00: How to say no when clients ask extra work?33:35: Does it ever get easy?35:24: How do we demonstrate our value as designers in an increasingly DIY landscape?36:47: How people deal with direct competitors to their current client reaching out for branding help in a small market?Episodes Mentioned:S10 E7:What Should You Charge? Pricing Survey ResultsS1 E10: How to Identify Good Clients and Avoid Red Flag ClientsS10 E1: Our Red Flag List(Avoid These Clients!) with Lauren BraierS11 E19: 5 Year Update on Motherhood & BusinessS10 E5: Why, When, and How to Start an Internship ProgramS8 E17: Rethinking Social Media Marketing with Xanthe AppleyardS8 E 18: How to Launch Your Services with Kelsey McCormickS6 E19: Turning Your Services Page into a Sales Page with Kelsey McCormickS5 E2: Finding Creative InspirationS11 E11: Branding Bestie Chit Chat: Designing a Life You Love with LaurenLinks:The Design Minimind • Sign up to be notified - Applications open Nov 1st, 2025Connect: Facebook Community | Website | Podcast Insta | Hello June Creative Insta | The Design Minimind | The Creative Diaries

In this solo episode, I’m talking about the tools and shortcuts I use every day in Adobe Illustrator (my favorite Adobe software!) while designing for my clients. Plus, I’m sharing exactly where to find them in Illustrator and how I use them. Follow along in more detail over on the blog post while you listen! - hellojunecreative.co/blog.00:00: Intro03:52: Pattern Brush Tool05:31: Duplicate Shortcut06:27: Smooth Tool07:39 Pattern Tool09:21: Width Tool10:42: Join Tool11:47: Pathfinder Tool12:55: Puppet Warp Tool14:53: Recolor Artwork Tool15:56: Outline Stroke ToolHead over to hellojunecreative.co/blog for more tools that I didn’t talk about on the podcast in the blog post! Or go comment on my instagram post over on @hellojunecreate if you know of a tool/shortcut that you use and love that I didn't talk about!Links:The Design Minimind• Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.*Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.*Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.*Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.**These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission.Connect With Us:Our Free Facebook CommunityOur WebsitePodcast InstagramHello June Creative InstagramThe Design MinimindJoin The Creative Diaries (my email list)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 solo episode, I'm getting real about what five years of motherhood and business ownership looks like—and spoiler alert, it's nothing like I expected when my son was born back in 2020.With baby two now in the mix, I'm diving into how being a mom has completely shifted alongside my career. We're talking daily schedules (chaos included), managing client expectations, and Dylan (my husband) now being home full-time with the kids. Plus the financial pressures of variable income and my ongoing feelings of mom guilt.00:45 Motherhood & Business Q&A02:15 Daily Schedule & Family Dynamics07:15 Managing Client Expectations & Project Timelines09:32 Financial & Growth Considerations12:22 Personal Development & Mindset20:33 Client Work & Creativity24:20 Practical Day-to-Day Management27:52 Long-Term Vision & LegacyEpisodes Mentioned:Bonus Episode: Navigating Maternity Leave and Scaling a Business with a NewbornS5 E21: 2-Year Update on Motherhood and BusinessS7 E22: 3-Year Update on Motherhood and BusinessS10 E6: 4-Year Update on Motherhood and BusinessS9 E3: Steal My Web Design ProcessS11 E7: What Happens After You Design a Website?S11 E2: How to Take(Paid!) Extended Time Away from Your Business S11 E5: Making “The Leap” from Agency to Studio (and Balancing Mom Life) with Katie HigginbothamS5 E14: Iterating on the One-Concept MethodS9E10: Entering a New Era of Brand Strategy with Marion TanS4 E3: All About Brand Strategy with Melinda LivseyLinks:The Design Minimind / Get notified - Applications opens Nov '2530% off of your HoneyBook subscription1 month Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with GustoGet 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.(Some are affiliate links)Connect With Us: Our Free Facebook Community | Our Website | Podcast Instagram | Hello June Creative Instagram | The Design Minimind | Join The Creative Diaries (my email list)

I’m back with another solo episode where I’m breaking down the complete Hello June offer suite and sharing why having flexible packages has been a total game-changer for the studio.I discuss my four main package tiers, from full service brand and web combos down to essential branding offerings, plus all the add-ons that support them and how I customize each to fit the client. Plus, I'm sharing how to get valuable feedback from leads (even the ones who don't book) and why your offer suite should always be evolving.Whether you're just starting out or ready to refine what you've got, this episode is for you.Links Mentioned:S11E17: How to Leverage Semi-Custom Web Design with Alex McGinnessS10 E10: How to Run a Successful (and Profitable) Design Intensive with Jenna JohnsonS7 E4: How to Structure, Price, Market, and Sell Design IntensivesThe Design Minimind    • Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscriptionConnect With Us:Our Free Facebook CommunityOur WebsitePodcast InstagramHello June Creative InstagramThe Design MinimindTags: 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, Alex of Arcoiris Design Studio is back on the pod to talk all things semi-custom websites, and why it might just be the best thing for small boutique studios looking to scale without the stress.They talk through how starting with a solid template can still lead to a high-end, unique result for clients, why not every business needs (or benefits from) a custom build, and how setting boundaries around scope and timelines can protect your time and profitability. This episode is full of helpful tips on creative direction, client communication, and finding smart ways to grow sustainably.Whether you’re considering building a template shop, white-label web development offers, or simply want to streamline your process, this convo is full with honest insights and actionable takeaways.Guest Information:Guest Name: Alex McGinnessGuest Business Name: Arcoiris Design StudioGuest Website: arcoiris.designGuest Instagram: @arcoiris.design.studioLinks Mentioned:S5 E23: Using Intuition in Your Design Process with Alex McGinnessConnect With Us:Our Free Facebook CommunityOur WebsitePodcast InstagramThe Design MinimindTags: 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