Ep. 26 Behind the Scenes of a Decade’s Worth of Rebrands in My Online Design Business
If you’ve ever wondered how often you “should” rebrand your business, let me put your mind at ease: rebranding isn’t a one-and-done event. Your brand will evolve as you grow, and that’s not a sign you’ve done something wrong. It’s a sign you’re moving forward.
Since starting my design business in 2016, I’ve gone through multiple rebrands and refreshes. Some were big overhauls, others were small tweaks. All of them came with lessons I now use to guide my own clients.
In this post, I’m pulling back the curtain on my journey: the visuals, the strategy shifts, the mistakes, and the realizations. My hope is that you’ll walk away knowing when to change, what to keep, and how to make your brand work for you at every stage.
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The Beginning: No Real Brand at All
Back in 2016, branding wasn’t on my radar. I was freelancing on the side of my corporate job, mostly to pay off student loans and save for vacations.
I had no business name, no logo, no color palette, no brand fonts. Just a portfolio website with my name (Morgan Stapp, before I got married) and an hourly rate. My clients were happy, but I wasn’t actually building a brand.
The lesson here: when you’re just starting out, it’s fine to duct tape things together. But don’t confuse “doing good work” with “building a brand.” They’re not the same.
Rebrand #1: Morgan Stapp Design
Six to eight months in, freelancing started to feel real. I rebranded as Morgan Stapp Design, created a logo with watercolor and mountains (because that trend was everywhere), and threw together a purple-and-black website.
I also started marketing on social media for the first time. Was it strategic? Not at all. But it did make me feel more legitimate as a business owner.
Takeaway: Sometimes the first step isn’t about perfect branding. It’s about building confidence and signaling to yourself, “I’m running a business.”
Rebrand #2: Outsourcing Without Strategy
In 2017–2018, I joined a group coaching program. They upsold me on a $2,000 brand and website package, and I thought it was the golden ticket to client growth.
The result? Pretty, but not strategic. They asked what colors and fonts I liked, but never dug into my audience or goals. It didn’t solve my problem of attracting more clients.
To make things worse, I switched from Squarespace to Showit because it was trending, and I hated it. I eventually rebuilt everything back on Squarespace.
Lesson learned: A brand based only on your personal aesthetic with no strategy behind it won’t move the needle. And just because a platform is popular doesn’t mean it’s right for you.
Rebrand #3: Becoming Specht & Co.
By late 2018, I had left my corporate job. I’d also gotten married, which made Morgan Stapp Design feel outdated. Instead of switching to Morgan Specht Design, I chose Specht & Co. to give myself room to grow into an agency.
This time, I designed a new logo with symbolism: an ampersand-turned-woodpecker (Specht means “woodpecker” in German). Woodpeckers symbolize resilience, perseverance, and persistence. Perfect traits for business ownership.
I kept parts of my previous palette, refreshed my visuals, and started building a brand that was part personal and part professional.
Takeaway: The strongest brands balance who you are with what speaks to your clients.
Rebrand #4: Moving Toward Strategy
By 2020, I was ready to raise my prices and work with more established clients. But I realized my brand still felt too juvenile.
So I dove deep into brand strategy:
I read books like Start With Why, StoryBrand, and Brand Brilliance.
I enrolled in a brand strategy course.
I reviewed nearly 300 pages of client intake forms and feedback, highlighter in hand.
From that research, the Stand Out Brand System was born. I rebranded again with new fonts, a refreshed color palette, and a wishbone logo illustrated by a friend. The wishbone was a nod to my family’s Thanksgiving tradition, while rhododendrons and pine branches connected to my Pacific Northwest roots.
But the biggest change wasn’t visual. It was strategic. I started leading with brand strategy, attracting higher-end clients, and packaging my offers differently.
Takeaway: A visual rebrand without strategy is surface-level. When grounded in research and clarity, your visuals amplify your message.
The Most Recent Refresh
In 2024–2025, I wasn’t unhappy with my brand, but I felt uninspired by my color palette. My primary green felt muddy, and my options felt limited when creating content.
So I did a mini refresh:
Swapped green for a deeper navy.
Added accent colors (purple and red/pink).
Tweaked one of my fonts slightly.
The result? I felt excited about marketing again. And because my strategic foundation was solid, the refresh was quick and seamless.
Lesson: You don’t always need a full reinvention. Sometimes a few tweaks can reignite your creativity and breathe life into your brand.
How My Offers Evolved Alongside My Brand
My rebrands weren’t just about visuals. They mirrored the evolution of my offers.
In the early days, I took any design project: hot sauce labels, ballet catalogs, memorial books.
As I grew, I narrowed in on branding and website design.
Today, everything begins with a Stand Out Brand Strategy Session, and my design packages build from there.
Your business model and your brand are inseparable. If your offers shift, your brand, at least your messaging, needs to evolve too.
The Big Lessons from 10 Years of Rebrands
After four-plus rebrands and countless small refreshes, here’s what I know for sure:
Don’t outsource without strategy. Aesthetic-only branding won’t serve your business long-term.
Balance personal and professional. The best brands feel like you while also resonating with your audience.
Branding is never “done.” Your business will evolve, and your brand should evolve with it.
Ready to Build a Brand That Evolves With You?
Your brand doesn’t need a massive overhaul every time you grow, but it does need a strong strategy. That’s what makes all the difference.
🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned In The Episode:
➡️ Follow me on Instagram @spechtand.co
➡️ Grab The Stand Out Brand Foundations Workbook
➡️ Book Your Stand Out Brand Strategy Session (use code SFBPOD for $100 off)
➡️ Reading List: Building A Story Brand, Start With Why, Brand Brilliance
➡️ My Favorite Brand Strategy Course: Brand Master Academy
🎧 Listen to episode 26 of The Six Figure Brand Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube
