DON'T BUY A LOGO UNTIL YOU WATCH THIS

From Brand Retro with Cyberdogz · 51:06

Show by Mike Brevik

Mike Brevik welcomes back designer James Martin of Made By James, two years after their first conversation about sketching logos by hand. Since then James has become a creative partner at Lincoln Design Co., joined Canva's Designer Advisory Board, and released his second book, No Bullsh*t Branding, which calls out the jargon, bloated decks, and performative process in how the industry sells branding. They talk about how a designer grows into a business, what James learned from the client side, and how he protects his energy. The takeaway: proof, not persuasion. Your reputation is the evidence you leave behind, not what you say about yourself. KEY TAKEAWAYS Opportunities run through people. Collecting nos and starting conversations with no strings attached is how James built his business and his closest partnerships. Clients don't care about your design software or your jargon. They care about being understood, so keep every client conversation human and simple. Money is the elephant in the room between creatives and clients. Build trust by proving your value before you ever talk price. Sandboxing, talking to the people in a market you want to serve with no agenda, teaches you more than any amount of posting ever will. Don't build a logo, a website, or a brand before your idea is ready. Use James's five idea keys to shape it first. WHO IS THE GUEST? James Martin is the founder of Made By James, a UK based brand and logo design studio built around hand sketched, story driven design. He is a creative partner at Lincoln Design Co., a member of Canva's Designer Advisory Board, and the author of two books, including his latest, No Bullsh*t Branding, which challenges the jargon and theater that have crept into the branding industry. James has coached and worked with thousands of designers on turning their craft into a real business. LINKS AND RESOURCES Guest: Made By James: themadebyjames.com Made By James on Instagram: @made.by.james Made By James on YouTube: @madebyjames Brand Retro Podcast: brandretro.com Cyberdogz Agency: cyberdogzmarketing.com KEYWORDS Made By James, James Martin designer, No Bullsh*t Branding, logo design process, branding for small business, how to hire a designer, designer to business owner, Lincoln Design Co., Canva Designer Advisory Board, client trust in design, minimum viable brand, five idea keys, discovery call tips, networking for creatives, panic branding, Brand Retro Mindset, Mike Brevik, Cyberdogz, Brand Retro Podcast, branding industry jargon EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS [00:00:00 - 00:01:42] Mike recaps James's 2024 visit and sets up a conversation about running a design business, not just drawing logos. [00:01:42 - 00:07:00] James explains how championing Lincoln Design Co. from the outside turned into a real partnership with his friend Dan. [00:07:00 - 00:12:00] Collecting nos, the opportunity play, and why every good thing in James's life traces back to one conversation. [00:12:00 - 00:18:00] Mike and James contrast tactical networking with authentic, no strings attached relationship building. [00:14:00 - 00:16:00] Why the "never do free work" advice online ignores that trust has to be earned first. [00:18:00 - 00:23:00] Money as the elephant in the room, and James's sandboxing method for learning a new market with no agenda. [00:23:00 - 00:27:00] The influencer fantasy, thinking beyond the transaction, and why real clients teach more than designer peer groups. [00:28:00 - 00:34:00] Why James wrote No Bullsh*t Branding and what the industry's jargon and theater cost designers and clients alike. [00:34:00 - 00:40:00] Panic branding, the minimum viable brand, and James's five idea keys for testing an idea before you build it. [00:40:00 - 00:47:00] How James runs a discovery call, keeps it human, and manages a room full of decision makers. [00:47:00 - 00:51:00] Who the book is for, where to find it, where to find James, and Mike's closing idea: proof, not persuasion.

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