How do I get started?

The first step is to complete the discovery form. I'll review your enquiry and get back to you within two working days to arrange a call, ask some further questions, or put together an initial proposal.

What does the process look like?

Every project follows three stages. It starts with discovery, where I explore your market, audience, and competitors to find meaningful insights, then work with you to clarify your brand's purpose, personality, and positioning. From there I move into design, using that strategy as the blueprint for your visual identity, including logo, typography, colours, and brand guidelines. The final stage is delivery, where I bring your brand to life across the touchpoints that matter to your business, from websites to print and signage. You deal directly with me at every stage. There are no handoffs.

How much does it cost?

Every project is different so there's no fixed price list. Budget is one of the first things we discuss, and I'll always be upfront about what's achievable within yours. As a guide, full brand identity projects typically start from £2,500. If you have a rough budget in mind, share it in the discovery form and I'll let you know what's possible.

How long will my project take?

This depends on the scope of the project. A focused brand identity typically takes four to six weeks from the start of the project. Larger or more complex projects will take longer. Timelines are agreed upfront so you always know where you stand.

What is the difference between a logo and a brand identity?

A logo is a single mark. A brand identity is the full visual system: logo, typography, colour palette, imagery style, and guidelines for how everything works together. A logo on its own can look good but without the supporting system it's difficult to apply consistently across everything your business puts out. Most Bullamore projects deliver a complete identity rather than a standalone logo.

Will you design me just a logo?

Yes. I'd always recommend a full visual identity system, it gives you the best possible first impression and the assets to stay consistent, but if a standalone logo is what you need, I'm happy to help with that too.

Do I need to know exactly what I want before getting in touch?

Not at all. Some clients come with a clear brief and others come with nothing more than a sense that something needs to change. Either is fine. The discovery form and initial conversation are designed to help us work out what you need together.

Do you work with businesses outside of Hull?

Yes. I'm based in Hull, but I work with businesses across the UK and internationally. Most projects are managed remotely without any impact on the quality of the work or the working relationship.

Do you offer ongoing support once a project is finished?

Yes. Once a project is complete I'm always available for follow-up work, whether that's additional brand assets, print materials, or updates as your business grows. Many clients come back for ongoing support, and it's something I actively encourage. Consistency over time is what builds a strong brand.

What happens if I don't like the designs?

The process is collaborative throughout, so design presentations are never a surprise. I present concepts with the thinking behind them and we work through feedback together until the direction is right. Revisions are built into every project and outlined in your proposal upfront.

Who owns the final files and copyright?

Once the project is complete and the final invoice is settled, full ownership of the files and copyright transfers to you. You'll receive everything you need to use your brand across any application.

Freelance Brand Designer vs Agency vs DIY — Bullamore | Branding & Logo Design

At some point, most business owners have to decide how they're going to approach their branding.

Do it yourself? Hire a freelance or independent designer? Bring in a branding agency?

There are good reasons to choose any of them. The right answer depends less on which option is supposedly "best" and more on what your business actually needs, where it is now, and how important the brand is to what you're building.

I run an independent branding studio, so you might expect me to tell you that working with an independent designer is always the answer.

It isn't.

Here's how I'd think about the three options.

DIY branding: when it makes sense

DIY branding has never been more accessible. Canva templates, logo generators and other low-cost tools mean you can have something up and running quickly without spending much money.

And sometimes that's exactly what you need.

If you're testing an idea, launching something on a very limited budget, or not yet sure whether the business will exist in six months, spending thousands on a brand identity probably isn't the priority.

The limitation comes when the business starts depending on the brand.

A template can give you a logo and a colour palette, but it doesn't necessarily answer the questions underneath them. Who are you trying to attract? What makes the business different? What should people expect from you? How should the brand work across your website, social media, proposals, packaging or printed materials?

Those decisions still need to be made.

DIY isn't automatically bad. It's simply a different level of investment and involvement.

The question is whether you're comfortable making those decisions yourself.

Branding agencies: when a team makes sense

A branding agency brings a team to the project. Depending on the agency and brief, that might include strategists, designers, copywriters, developers, project managers and other specialists.

For larger or more complex organisations, that can be exactly what is needed.

If you're managing multiple brands, have a large internal team, need research across several markets, or have a project with a lot of different moving parts, having several specialists working together can be valuable.

You're also paying for that structure.

There are more people involved, more project management and more overhead, so agency projects generally require a larger budget than working with an individual designer.

That doesn't make an agency better or worse. It makes it a different proposition.

If your project genuinely needs a team, an agency can be the right choice. If it doesn't, you may be paying for a structure your business doesn't actually need.

Independent brand designers: the middle ground

An independent brand designer gives you something between doing it yourself and bringing in a full agency team.

You're working with one person who can take responsibility for the project from beginning to end. That usually means fewer layers, direct communication and a closer relationship with the person actually making the strategic and creative decisions.

There are limitations too.

One person can't provide the same breadth of specialist resource as a large agency. If your project needs a team of copywriters, developers, researchers and designers working simultaneously, an independent studio probably isn't the right shape.

But for many founders, small businesses and growing independents, that isn't what they need.

They need someone who understands the business, asks the right questions, develops the thinking and then turns that into a visual identity that can actually be used.

That's where an independent designer can make sense.

I've sat on the other side of this decision

Before I became a designer, I spent around fifteen years working in hospitality.

I worked in award-winning restaurants, held head chef and management roles, and eventually owned two restaurants that were listed in the Michelin Guide. Later, I opened a Roman-style pizza shop and deli with a completely different price point and audience.

That meant I spent years making decisions about where money should go, which suppliers to trust, what customers were actually paying for and who I wanted representing my business.

So I understand why this decision isn't simply about finding the cheapest option.

When your name is on the business, you want to know that the people working on it understand what they're being trusted with.

That's still how I approach my own work.

I lead every project personally. There's no account manager sitting between you and the designer, and I don't recommend adding strategy or deliverables simply to make a project bigger.

The work should be proportionate to what the business actually needs.

So how do you choose?

Rather than choosing a route first, I'd start with three questions.

What does the business need right now?

If you're testing an idea with very little budget, DIY might be perfectly reasonable.

If you're launching a serious business and the brand will be central to how you attract customers, it's worth investing more thought into it from the beginning.

If you've been trading for years and the business has moved on but the identity hasn't, you may need something more substantial than a new logo.

The important thing is matching the solution to the situation.

How much involvement do you want?

DIY means you're responsible for the decisions.

An independent designer means you're working closely with one person who can guide the process and make those decisions with you.

An agency gives you access to a wider team and a larger range of specialist skills.

None is inherently better. They simply give you different levels of support and involvement.

How complex is the project?

A single business with one clear offer probably doesn't need the same structure as a large organisation with several departments, markets and stakeholders.

Likewise, if you're looking for a logo and a few basic brand assets, a full agency process may be unnecessary.

But if the problem is deeper — your positioning has changed, you're entering a new market, your current identity no longer reflects the business, or everything feels inconsistent — then simply making a new logo probably isn't going to solve it.

Start with the problem rather than the deliverables.

There isn't a universally right answer

DIY gives you control and keeps the initial cost low.

An agency gives you a team and a wider range of specialist resource.

An independent brand designer gives you direct access to one person who can think through the problem with you and take responsibility for the work from start to finish.

For many small and growing businesses, that middle ground can be a good fit. But it isn't the right choice for everyone.

The important thing is not to choose a designer, freelancer or agency simply because someone told you that's what businesses "should" do.

Look at what you actually need.

If you're not sure, that's fine too. A good conversation should help you work that out before you commit to a particular approach.

Not sure what your business needs?

If you're weighing up a new logo, visual identity or something more strategic, take a look at my brand identity service or get in touch to talk through what would make sense for your business.

Freelance Brand Designer vs Agency vs DIY: What's Actually Right for Your Business?