Ep 60. Why Your DIY Branding Feels Off (and What Actually Fixes It)
Nourish Your Brand · Episode 60
Today I'm taking you behind the scenes of something that started as a personal project and turned into a fun experiment, and the foundations lesson underneath it.
It didn't start with a launch plan or a clever idea. It started because I was in a rut. Let's get into it.
The rut (and the challenge that pulled me out)
Not a design rut, a business rut, which is more frustrating. Everything looked fine from the outside, clients happy, projects wrapping, but I'd lost the excitement. I kept trying to strategise my way out, which is funny, because you can't strategise your way out of a rut that's actually emotional.
So I set myself a challenge: 30 branded offers in 30 days. No agenda, no funnel, just being creative for the sake of it, and getting the reps in on showing my work without overthinking it to death (my real block).
The rule was simple: you designed it, you show it. That shift from "this has to be impressive and strategic" to "this just has to exist" is what reconnected me to my business. (I've been documenting this in my Getting Through the Block series.)
What it reminded me about foundations
The more branded offers I designed, the more I thought back to how I started. When I launched Studio Coya I wasn't a branding studio, I was a graphic designer, and I branded it the way most business owners do: I picked what I liked. It looked good and it worked for over three years, but it wasn't rooted, it wasn't intentional.
When I eventually rebranded properly and strategically, everything felt grounded and me. My branding supported me instead of confusing me, and I stopped reinventing every decision every five minutes. (That's the whole point of Episode 5.)
Breaking my own rule
My friend and sales coach Rachel Emma Waring suggested selling the branded offers as brand kits. My brain immediately rebelled, "I don't sell templated brands, I'd never do that."
But she pointed out these weren't templates, each had a considered aesthetic, personality and whole vibe. She was right. They weren't generic, they were intentionally built, they just came from a personal project rather than a client one.
So I'm breaking my own rule. Not everyone's ready for, or needs, a fully custom brand. Sometimes you just need a really good starting point: colours that actually work together, typography with a purpose, a vibe that isn't whatever you picked last Tuesday. Then Michelle from By Hello Lemon suggested making it an advent calendar, and I jumped on it: 12 completely unique, one-of-a-kind brand foundation kits.
Why DIY branding feels off
If you choose visuals based on what looks cute, if your brand feels close but not quite right, if you change your fonts every couple of weeks, there's a real reason. It's not that you lack taste, it's that your foundations were built on guesswork.
DIY isn't the problem, it's that you've had to guess your way through decisions a designer would normally guide you through, "not that shade, it'll muddy your contrast," "those two typefaces have different personalities."
Imagine not guessing: a foundation that works, colours that complement, type with character. You'd stop second-guessing, stop endlessly redesigning, stop feeling embarrassed by your brand, and start showing up more confidently. That's the real point.
Ask yourself this week
Does your brand feel close but not quite right?
Are you changing fonts and colours every few weeks?
Is the issue really your taste, or foundations built on guesswork?
Where to go from here
If you want that sense of foundation, my Brand Foundation Kits (add your kits/waitlist link) are intentional, one-of-a-kind starting points. And if you'd rather have your foundation built with you from scratch, that's a Brand Recipe session. Come say hi on Instagram and tell me where your branding feels stuck.
Related episodes
Ep 5: Why strong brand foundations make everything else easier
Ep 1: Brand foundations: the two ingredients every brand needs
Ep 61: Why your visuals struggle before you even start
Resources mentioned
Brand Foundation Kits – one-of-a-kind, intentionally designed brand starting points (add link)
Brand Recipe – my 90-minute session to build your foundation with you
Come say hi on Instagram: @studiocoya
Here's More…
Why does my DIY branding feel off even though I like it? Usually because the foundations were built on guesswork rather than intentional decisions. It's not your taste, it's that you didn't have a designer guiding choices like contrast and type pairing, so it feels close but not quite right.
What's a brand foundation kit? A ready-made, intentionally designed starting point, colours, typography and a clear vibe that actually work together, for people who aren't ready for a fully custom brand but want more than guesswork.
Is DIY branding a bad idea? Not at all. The problem isn't doing it yourself, it's having to guess your way through decisions a designer would normally guide. A solid foundation removes the guesswork so you stop second-guessing and start showing up.
About the host
I'm Aiza, the brand chef behind Studio Coya, a branding studio with a food-themed twist. I help established coaches, creators and service providers brand their signature offers so their best work looks as good as it actually is, and sells like hotcakes.
