Jade Agard Design

If your studio software costs have crept up this year, you're not imagining it. I went through every design studio subscription I was paying for and found free replacements for most of my client process, from intake forms to invoicing to design software itself. What's the one subscription you'd cut first if you could? Full post is up on the blog.

How to Run a Design Studio Without a Million Subscriptions Running a one-person design studio? Here's exactly what to automate first, what to leave alone, and the tools that make it worth your time.

guys can we talk about pricing for a sec

because if you're anything like me a few years ago, you're either guessing your rates or googling "how much should I charge as a designer" at 1am 😅

I built the Services & Pricing Guide template because I was so tired of clients asking "so what's included" and me fumbling through an explanation in real time on a discovery call. Not a good look when you're trying to sound like the expert in the room.

This template lays out your services, your pricing, and what's actually included in each package in a way that looks polished and feels intentional. No more scrambling to explain your process while a potential client is staring at you waiting for numbers.

And the companion guide walks you through how to actually price your services with confidence, not just what to charge but why, so you're not leaving money on the table or undercharging out of fear.

Literally the two things I wish I had when I was starting out, bundled together so you don't have to figure it out the hard way like I did.

If you've ever gone quiet mid-sentence trying to explain your pricing to a client, this is your sign.

Link in bio to grab it 🤍

Ever sent a branding proposal and then spent the next three days refreshing your inbox? Same. Turns out it's almost never the design work that makes clients hesitate, it's pricing clarity. New post is up with what actually belongs in a proposal that gets signed (and where a design contract fits in too). Anyone else relate to the post-send spiral?

How to Write a Branding Proposal Clients Actually Say Yes To A branding proposal don't get rejected over design skill. It gets rejected over pricing clarity. Here's how to fix that before you hit send.

Have you seen Instagram's new logo yet? The internet's already nicknamed it "Instagzam" because of how the new letterforms connect. I broke down what actually changed in the redesign and, more importantly, how to test your own logo's legibility before it ever reaches a client's inbox. Have you run into a legibility surprise on a logo after it was already finalized? Would love to hear how you caught it (or didn't) in the comments.

When a Logo Redesign Backfires: The Instagram Wordmark Legibility Problem Instagram's new logo has people reading "Instagzam." Here's the logo legibility mistake behind it, and how to test yours before you ship it to a client.

Confession: my first client questionnaire had twenty questions, and I got a lot of "modern but timeless" answers because of it. I cut it down to twelve, sorted into five categories, and the answers I get now are so much more usable. One question in particular ended up completely changing the direction of a project once a client answered it honestly. Curious what questions you ask before starting a brand project, drop them below!

The Questions I Ask Every Client Before Starting a Brand Project The real brand strategy questionnaire I use with every client, the story behind it, and why shorter and sharper beats long every time.

Okay I have to talk about this because y'all keep asking. I made the actual switch from Adobe to Affinity for my brand process and I'm sharing the real breakdown, not just a features chart. The shortcuts that tripped me up, the font thing I somehow didn't see coming, and the one issue I'm still working around when I hand files off to other designers. If you've been going back and forth on Affinity vs Adobe, this one's for you. Link in the comments 👇

jadeagarddesign.com

Ever get client answers back on a branding questionnaire and think "okay but what does that actually mean"? Same. Here's what I changed in mine that fixed it.

What to Include in a Branding Questionnaire (So Clients Actually Answer It) Learn exactly what to include in a branding questionnaire so clients give you real, usable answers instead of vague ones.

These are the pages I didn't know I needed until I'd already done things the hard way.

Early in my career my brand guides were vague in ways I couldn't even see at the time. I thought clear visuals were enough. Turns out clients need more than that. They need to understand the why, know what to do in situations you didn't plan for, and feel confident making decisions without you in the room.

When a brand guide is actually built to do that, the whole handoff changes. Fewer questions. Less back and forth. The brand stays consistent because the system makes it easy to be consistent.
That's what you're looking at here.

Link in bio if you want to see the full template 🔗

Since you've been asking, here's what's actually inside the Brand Presentation Template.

And I want to be real with you because I know how many templates out there look good in the preview and then become a whole project to actually use. This one is not that.

The structure is already done. Brand strategy, creative direction, brand values, audience insights, visual direction, mockups. Every section a solid client presentation needs is already laid out and waiting for your content. You're not starting from a blank slide and hoping it comes together.

It also works in Illustrator, InDesign, Adobe Express, and Affinity, so whatever your setup is, you're covered.
And every template I make comes with a companion guide that walks you through how to fill out each section, including AI prompts if that's part of your process.

If you've been spending hours formatting slides or second-guessing how to present your strategy work, this is the part where that stops. Link in bio 🔗

The designers charging more aren't always doing better work.
They're doing better presentations.

I know that's a little uncomfortable to hear but it's true. The deck is what sells the work to the client. And if you're sending over a PDF with no context, no flow, no story, you're leaving that job to chance.

I put together the 6-slide structure I use in every single handoff in this carousel. Swipe through and take what you need.

And if you want it all done for you, the Brand Presentation Template inside DesignerOS has every section already laid out.

Link in bio.