Does Your Brand Still Fit Who You've Become?
I've spent a lot of time working on logo designs and brand styles these last few months, and it really drove home an idea I haven't talked about in a while:
Your brand isn't supposed to last forever.
It's supposed to fit who you are right now. With maybe a little foresight.
And if you're still using the same designs and website 3, 4, 5 years later, one of two things is true:
Either you haven't grown out of it (which is okay)... or you're pretending you haven't (which I'm guessing is more likely).
A few years in, it's expected for your work to be deeper. To be pickier about who you serve. And hopefully you've stopped trying to appeal to everyone and become more yourself.
But has your brand kept up?
What Brand Evolution Actually Looks Like
I've had two clients recently tell me they wanted their visuals to be "more grounded."
One of these women I had worked with before, one I hadn't. Both felt like they'd matured as people and wanted something earthier, deeper, and more grounded.
→ For one, that meant a full rebrand: new logo, new color palette, complete messaging overhaul. We stripped away the decorative elements and leaned into clean, earthy simplicity.
→ For the other? Just a color palette shift. We kept the logo, kept the structure, but swapped out her colors for deeper, more grounded tones. That's all it took.
Same need. Different solutions. Because brand evolution isn't one-size-fits-all.
And I totally get that feeling.
My own branding right now looks more like it did when I launched 10 years ago than it did six months ago. Because that girl who loved designing and playing with color? She's still in there. (And I'm a bit of a chronic re-brander, so there's that.)
Quick gut check:
When you talk about your business now, do you sound different than you did a few years ago?
Do you feel like you have to add disclaimers and clarify what people might find of yours online?
Have you stopped posting certain things or using certain colors because they don't feel "on brand" anymore?
If you answered yes to any of these, your branding might be holding you back instead of supporting you.
And it doesn't have to mean burning it to the ground to fix it.
What Actually Needs to Change?
Whether you’re looking at a tweak, refresh, or rebrand is a completely unique decision. There’s no one-size-fits all solution for anything when you’re running a business that is an extension of you and your identity.
That said, here's what I've seen work:
The Color Palette Shift
Mary came back to me feeling like her brand was too soft. She wanted more contrast and weight in her style, but didn’t want to fully rebrand. We didn't touch her logo or site structure, just swapped her colors for deeper, tones and swapped out some photos and images on her site. Suddenly the whole thing felt grounded and confident.
The Messaging Maturity
Beth’s visuals had served her well in the first several years of business but she had shifted from cheerleader to sage and needed her branding to match. We did a full rebrand with a new site and updated client content to bring it all together.
The Structural Evolution
Selena had outgrown her single-page site. She needed room for clearer service differentiation, testimonials, her story… a place to really showcase her work. We kept her brand identity intact but gave her the architecture she needed. Same look, bigger house.
The message? There's no "right" level of change. The question is: what needs to shift for your brand to actually reflect who you've become?
How to Tell What You Need:
Not sure if you need a tweak, a refresh, or a full rebuild? That's the first question to answer, because the solution looks completely different depending on where you're starting from.
I've created a simple guide (totally free) that walks you through the exact questions to ask yourself. It helps you figure out:
Whether you need small tweaks or a complete overhaul
What to prioritize first (so you're not wasting money on the wrong things)
How to tell if you can DIY it or if you need help
What questions to ask potential designers if you decide to hire someone
A Note for Clients:
When someone I've designed for comes back and says "I've outgrown this," I get genuinely excited! It means the foundation worked. They grew beyond it, and I love to see it.
Your brand was never supposed to stay static. It was supposed to support you while you figured out who you actually are and what you actually do in your business.
If it doesn't fit anymore, that's a measure of success, and I love to see it.
So if we've worked together before and you're feeling this itchy scratchy roughness around your logo or style, website, templates... whatever... let me know. I'd love to help you get it back to that place when you fell in love.
And if we haven't worked together yet but you're feeling that misalignment? I want to hear about it too.
Your Business Has Evolved. Your Brand Should Too.
I'm booking new clients for spring right now. Whether you need a full brand refresh, a website overhaul, or just want an outside perspective on what's working (and what's not), I'd love to talk.
I work with one client at a time, which means spots can fill up fast. If you've been thinking about this for a while, now's the time.
A portion of revenue from all projects booked will be donated to Maine Needs and the Maine Solidarity Fund.
Whether you're ready to refresh or just thinking about it, I'm here.
Reply and tell me what's shifted for you. I'm genuinely curious.
