Preparing to Launch
At the start of 2026, I found myself at a crossroads in my career. I could either continue working in-house for employers, or take the leap into self-employment. I chose the latter, and to kick-start my journey, I needed to create my own brand identity.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of creating and refreshing brands for a variety of organisations. But creating a brand that reflects me has been a fascinating process of self-reflection - and I’ve absolutely loved it!
Introducing HB Marketing Solutions
What’s in a name?
As a sole trader, I’m offering my personal experience and skills, so I wanted my name to be central to my brand identity. Including my full surname was a bit of a challenge (only my husband can spell it!), so I opted for “HB” instead. I’m not a fan of overly mysterious names; I prefer it to be obvious what I do—especially since I’m entering the freelance world as an unknown entity. So, I decided on “Marketing Solutions” as a simple, clear explanation of the services I offer. It’s right there in the logo, saying exactly what I do!
Colour scheme
For the logo, I chose black and purple because the strong contrast makes a bold and simple statement. The deep purple symbolises creativity and wisdom, but I chose it for personal reasons as well. It’s my daughter’s favourite colour, Amethyst is my birthstone, and it reminds me of the many years I spent living near the Cadbury factory in Birmingham, both as a student and early in my career.
The “HB” is styled in a handwritten font to emphasise my personal connection to this brand. I’ve also used the “HB” in white within a purple circle as an icon - this acts as my personal stamp of authenticity, which I can use across my social channels and marketing materials.
The secondary colour palette includes warm beige, muted blues, and dark greys - subtle tones that complement the bold primary colours. When paired with deep purple, these hues evoke a sense of quality, often seen in boutique hotels or high-end restaurants.
A brand is more than just a logo - it’s an identity
I’ve carefully selected images to serve as visual metaphors. Mountains represent greatness, a lightbulb symbolises innovation, and a cat reflects the friendly, approachable side of my personality. All the website images have a purple hue to tie into the overall colour palette. The sans-serif font is clean, modern, and easy to read.
The brand voice mirrors my own: clear, simple, and straight to the point. Even though I’m offering consultancy services, I’ve deliberately kept the language approachable, avoiding business jargon wherever possible.
What is my mission?
To help small businesses achieve great things.
What are my values?
Collaborative
Reliable
Trusted partner
Results-driven
So now I have my brand, and I’ve built my own website. It’s still early days in my journey toward self-employment, but so far, so good. Will it be forever, or just a brief chapter in my career? Only time will tell. But after three commercial clients, I’m on the lookout for more to build my portfolio.
If you want to talk to me about creating your own brand identity or building a website, please get in touch. Connect with me on LinkedIn or send me an email and we’ll arrange a call to discuss your branding needs.
If you enjoyed this blog, you might be interested in how I supported Steve Edgeworth in creating a new brand identity for his HR and Executive Coaching company, Coaching For Performance. You can read about it here.