Here’s the clearest way to think about what a designer can do for your business vs. when DIY may be your best option.
There’s a time to call a designer.
And there’s a time to open Google Slides, mutter a few curse words, and get it done yourself.
I’m not here to judge. I’ve seen plenty of both; the handcrafted, Canva’d, last-minute “just ship it” decks that get the job done, and the ones that make you question your life choices halfway through.
Because honestly, not everything in your business needs a designer. Sometimes DIY is the smartest move. But sometimes, it’s quietly costing you more than you realise.
Let’s separate the two.
When DIY makes sense
You’re drafting an internal checklist.
You’re testing an idea with a quick deck.
You’re still figuring out what you’re even selling.
In those moments, DIY is perfect. It is quick, rough, and totally fine. I even help clients do DIY properly by setting up branded templates and showing them how to use them.
Yes, I’ll walk you through it.
Yes, I’ll answer your questions.
No, I won’t hand you a PDF and disappear.
Because good design isn’t just what I make, it’s what you and your team can keep running long after I’ve left the room.
When DIY starts getting expensive
This is where it usually unravels.
You start DIY-ing decks. Reports. Proposals. Product sheets.
You grab logos off Google.
You reuse charts from old files.
You pick a new font every time PowerPoint opens.
Before you know it, no two documents look related.
Your team is burning hours “beautifying” slides instead of writing them.
Your investor report looks like it’s been dug out of 2003.
And no one’s quite sure what your brand actually is anymore.
That’s when DIY stops being scrappy and starts being sloppy.
It costs you in consistency, in time, and in trust.
The sweet spot (where I usually come in)
Most of my clients don’t need a full-time designer.
They don’t need mood boards, explorations, or fifty logo concepts.
They need someone who can jump in, bring clarity, and get things working again.
Sometimes that means designing templates and running a quick training so your team can take it from there.
Sometimes it means a sharp, investor-ready deck that finally looks like it came from the same company as your website.
Sometimes it’s just me saying: “You don’t need me for this yet. But you will in a month. Let’s plan ahead.”
Design doesn’t have to be dramatic.
But it does have to work.
If you’re spending more time fixing fonts than focusing on the business, maybe it’s time to call in backup.
I’ll bring the templates. You bring the chaos.
We’ll make it make sense.
You don’t need me.
Until you really, really do.
And if you’re still weighing up what a designer can do for your business vs. DIY design, the real question you need to ask yourself is this, “How much easier do I want my life to be?”
