Why your startup needs a brand before a logo
A logo is a mark. A brand is a feeling people can describe. Here is how to build the second before you obsess over the first.
Read article →Brand strategist for startups
Make your startup impossible to forget.
I'm Maya — I help founders turn sharp ideas into brands people recognize, trust, and talk about. Strategy, identity, and voice, all under one roof.
Start a project
strategy / identity / voice
One strategist, obsessed with your brand
For the past eight years I've helped early-stage teams find the words, the look, and the confidence to launch. No handoffs, no account managers — you work directly with me, from first call to final files.
90+
Startups branded
8+
Years in brand design
30+
Launches shipped
Why founders hire me
Strategy before pixels
We lock positioning, audience, and story before anyone sketches a logo — so every design choice has a reason behind it.
Identity systems that scale
You get more than a logo: color, type, layouts, and rules your team can actually follow as you grow.
A direct line, no handoffs
One person owns your brand end to end. Faster decisions, fewer meetings, and nothing lost in translation.
My approach
We start with your story — who you serve, why you exist, and what makes you different. Then we turn that story into a look, a voice, and a system you can run with.
A brand isn't a logo. It's the feeling people get before you've said a word.
Branding that speaks before you do
From first impression to lasting memory, every touchpoint carries the same confidence. Investors get it faster, customers remember it longer, and your team finally has something to rally around.
My branding services
Explore all servicesBrand strategy
Positioning and story that set you apart — the foundation everything else stands on.
Visual identity
Logos, color, and type built into a flexible system your team will actually use.
Voice & messaging
Words that sound like you on your best day — clear, confident, and consistent everywhere.
Brand guidelines
Simple, practical rules that keep every touchpoint on-brand as you grow.
Website & digital
Your identity, translated to the web — pages that look sharp and read even better.
Rebrands & refreshes
Outgrown your look? A focused sprint that sharpens the brand without losing what works.
Brand notes, once a month
One short email on positioning, identity, and voice — with real examples from the studio. No spam, ever.
From the blog
Five questions to ask before you rebrand
Rebranding is a decision, not a design task. Ask these five questions first and you will know whether you need a refresh or a rethink.
Read article → The colour palette that made a fintech feel human
How a warm off-white, cobalt and soft orange palette turned a cold category into something people actually wanted to open.
Read article →Kind words from founders
Happy clients
“Maya didn't just design a logo — she gave us a brand we could feel. Investors finally understood what we do in one glance.”
Sarah Kim
CEO, Northbeam
The strategy work alone was worth it. We finally knew who we were for — the identity was the easy part after that.
Priya Nair
Founder, Loomly
“Every asset was ready to use, and the guidelines were simple enough that our whole team followed them. Rare.”
Elena Rossi
COO, Fathom
Tell me about your project
A few details about your startup and what you need — a new brand, a rebrand, or a refresh. I'll reply within two business days.
Studio
Independent studio, working with founders worldwide.
Replies
Every message gets a personal reply — usually within two business days.