Thinking about investing in brand design?
Before you hire a brand designer, take a little time to get clear on the business behind your brand.
The Groundwork is a free brand design preparation workbook to help you organize your ideas, understand what makes your business special, and figure out what you want your brand to achieve
A little preparation goes a long way
Hiring a brand designer is an investment. And the more they understand about your business, the better they can bring your vision to life.
Inside The Groundwork, you'll work through a few simple exercises to help you get clear on:
Your business: What you do, why you do it, and what makes you different.
Your people: Who you're trying to reach and what matters to them.
Your message: What you want your brand to say and how you want people to feel.
Your direction: Where you want your business to go and what you want your brand to help you achieve.
The practical details: What to gather and consider before working with a designer.
Why I made Groundwork
Hey, I'm Elise, founder and brand designer at Mauka Creative, a New Zealand-based design studio working with adventurous founders around the world. I help businesses turn their ideas, stories, and big-picture visions into one-of-a-kind brand identities that connect with the right people.
I've noticed that many of my clients come to me knowing they need a new brand, but without having fully figured out or articulated the essence of their business. And that's exactly why I created Groundwork.
Having a clarity around who you are, what you stand for, and where you want to go helps your designer do their best work. It gives them the insight they need to create a brand that connects with the right people and spreads the right message - in the long run this will help you get so much more out of your investment in design.
Groundwork is here to help you get that clarity before you work with a designer.
Download your free copy of Groundwork
Great branding starts long before the design work begins. It starts with getting to know the people, purpose and stories behind a business.
Explore our services
Strategy, brand and website design for growing businesses
Brand Strategy
Brand Strategy for businesses ready to grow. We help clarify your purpose, positioning, audience and messaging so your brand has a clear direction and supports your brand and website design.
Brand Design
Logo and brand design for ambitious businesses. We design logos and complete brand identities that help you stand out, connect with your audience.
Website Design
Squarespace website design that supports your brand and business goals. We design clear, considered websites that build trust, guide users and convert visitors into customers.
Graphic Design
Graphic design support for your business. We’ll be your flexible, on-call creative partner delivering consistent, on-brand design for marketing, campaigns and everyday business needs.
