Small brand and marketing design studio

Growing small businesses, agencies, charities and organisations that want one designer to keep their materials consistent.

Brand projects at a fixed fee, plus monthly retainers for regular design work, with extra margin on print management where you arrange printing.

• Brand strategy and design
• Pitching and writing proposals
• Project management
• Working with printers, copywriters and web developers

• Consider professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and check what clients ask for
• Check employment status rules before using freelancers, and employer's liability insurance if you hire staff
• Register for VAT when you pass the turnover threshold (check current figures with HMRC)
• Data protection rules apply if you hold client or customer data, so check your ICO registration duties
• Retainer income can drop if one big client leaves, so avoid relying on a single client

Startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £7,000, depending on your equipment, software and how much you invest in setting up. These are estimates, so build your own budget before you commit.

Monthly revenue is typically around £2,000 to £10,000, depending on how many retainer and project clients you have. The estimate assumes at least around 30 hours a week, and relying on one big client is risky.

Consider professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and check what clients ask for. Check employment status rules before using freelancers, employer's liability if you hire staff, the VAT threshold with HMRC, and your ICO duties if you hold data.