Here’s a question I ask every founder I work with: Have you ever tried to see yourself clearly?

Not your business. Not your strategy. Not your offers. Just… you.

It’s damn near impossible, right? You’re too close. You miss the edges that make you magnetic. You smooth over the uncomfortable parts that actually create connection. You polish away the human bits that make people trust you.

And that’s the part of branding most people get wrong.

The Gap Between Who You Are and How Your Brand Shows Up

Most founders come to me saying some version of this:

“My brand feels off, but I can’t figure out why.”

“I’ve done the strategy work. I know my ideal client. I’ve dialed in my messaging. But something’s still not clicking.”

“I look at my brand and it feels… performative. Like I’m playing a role instead of showing up as myself.”

Here’s what I’ve learned after rebuilding my own brand from the ground up, and working with dozens of founders doing the same:

Your brand doesn’t need to look different.

It needs to actually be you.

Not the polished version you think people want to see. Not the “professional” persona you’ve been performing. The real, relatable, slightly-uncomfortable-to-admit version that sets you apart.

That’s the part you can’t DIY.

Why Most Rebrands Start in the Wrong Place

Most designers start with aesthetics. They ask: “What do you want your brand to look like?” They show you mood boards. Color palettes. Logo concepts. And don’t get me wrong, those things matter. Visual identity is important. But when you start there, you’re building a brand on top of what you think you should be, not who you actually are.

That’s why so many rebrands feel good for 6 months… then start feeling off again. Because the foundation wasn’t you. It was a version of you. A filtered, curated, performance of you.

And performance is exhausting.

The Parts of You That Feel Uncomfortable? That’s Where the Magic Lives.

Here’s what most people don’t realise: The things you’re tiptoeing around in your brand, the edges that feel too raw, too real, too much, those are the exact things that make you magnetic. The human, relatable side you think you need to polish away? That’s what makes people choose you. The story you’re not telling because it feels too vulnerable? That’s the one your ideal client needs to hear.

The opinion you’re afraid to share because it might alienate some people? That’s the one that attracts the right people.

You’re not missing clarity. You’re missing visibility, to yourself.

And that’s not your fault. You’re too close to see it.

This Is Why I Built The ByDeesign Method™ the Way I Did

When I rebuilt my own brand, I couldn’t see myself clearly. I was too close. I kept smoothing over the parts of me that actually made me different because they felt uncomfortable to own.

I needed someone to be the mirror. That experience completely changed how I approach brand design for my clients.

Most designers skip the identity work and jump straight to design. They give you a beautiful brand that looks good… but doesn’t quite feel like you.

I start by showing you who you already are, the parts you’ve been too close to see.

That’s the foundation. Once we extract that, everything else falls into place.

Decode. Design. Direct.™

This is my signature 3-phase process for identity-first brand design:

→ DECODE — Extract What You’re Too Close to See

This is the stage you can’t DIY. We uncover the patterns in who you attract, what they respond to, and why they choose you. We identify what you’ve outgrown but haven’t let go of yet. We pull out the uncomfortable, human side of you that creates real connection—not the polished version you think people want to see.

You can’t be your own mirror. You’re too close. That’s what I’m here for. You walk away with a Brand Truth Document—the foundation for everything we design.

→ DESIGN — Translate You Into Visual + Verbal Identity

Once we know who you are, we design how the world experiences you. This is where your brand becomes clear, cohesive, and commercially effective. We build your complete visual + verbal identity system: logos, colors, typography, brand voice, messaging pillars, scalable templates.

Not just pretty visuals. A system you (and your team) can actually use.

→ DIRECT — Build the Systems That Make Your Brand Usable and Scalable

This is what most designers skip—and where most brands start breaking down. A beautiful brand means nothing if you don’t know how to use it. We build your messaging architecture, offer clarity map, content systems, and brand direction guide, so you never wonder “Is this on-brand?” again.

You walk away with a living brand system that grows with you. Not a static PDF collecting dust.

You can explore the full method here: The ByDeesign Method™ →

---

A Personal Aside: AI Photoshoots and the Question I’m Still Sorting Through

Speaking of being too close to see clearly… I’ve been using AI to refresh images from old photoshoots instead of booking another session. Same me. Just updated. No scheduling, no hair and makeup, no hiring a photographer, no getting dressed up and spending half a day on a shoot.

And it got me thinking:

Should AI photoshoots be part of your personal brand?

I can see both sides of this.

On one hand: If I’m using AI to edit existing photos of me, is that really any different from manually editing in Photoshop? It’s just faster, easier, and doesn’t require years of training to do well.

On the other hand: Is there a line we’re crossing? Does something get lost when we remove the human photographer from the equation? Is there an energy to a real shoot that AI can’t replicate?

I don’t have a definitive answer.

But here’s where I land for now: AI is a tool. Like Photoshop. Like Canva. Like any technology that makes creative work more accessible.

The question isn’t “Should we use AI?” The question is “How do we use it with integrity?”

For me, using AI to refresh existing photos of me feels aligned. I’m not creating a version of myself that doesn’t exist. I’m not presenting something fake. I’m just updating without the time, cost, and energy of a full shoot.

But I also recognize that’s a personal choice. And I’m still sorting through where my line is.

What do you think? I’d genuinely love to hear your perspective. Drop me an email or leave a comment below.

---

You Don’t Need a New Brand. You Need the Right One to Catch Up.

If you’ve been feeling that gap between who you are and how your brand shows up, you’re not imagining it. You’ve evolved. Your brand hasn’t caught up yet.

And the reason you haven’t been able to fix it on your own isn’t because you’re not strategic enough or creative enough.

It’s because you can’t be your own mirror.

That’s the part you need support with. That’s what I’m here for.

---

If you’re ready to close that gap, here’s how we can work together: Explore The ByDeesign Method™ →

Or if you’re not sure where to start, take the quiz: Is Your Brand Working? Find Out in 3 Minutes → You’ll get personalized direction on where your brand is breaking down, and what to do about it.

---

Image Prompt

change the pose so that this lady is leaning on a modern dark wood desk with a mac computer open showing brand design work on screen. Keep the facial features the same and edit the background to a small and cosy office with a modern desk and spa like vibe.