I let the client take the lead… and it showed 😬

I’ve been reminiscing a lot lately. Thinking about where I once was in comparison to where I am.

There’s been a lot of growth (backed by a lot of struggles) but, I’m glad I’m here 🥳

When I first started, beyond my basic design skills, strategy knowledge, and business acumen, there was something else that completely overshadowed my design projects…

Allowing clients to lead the projects.

Of course a project should be a collaboration so their input is needed, but I used to let them pretty much dictate what I did, when and how I did it.

This wasn’t the client’s fault though, it was mine.

At the end of the day, the client just wants the best possible outcome for their business. If I’m not the one leading the project, that’s on me.

And in today’s newsletter I want to introduce you to a project that is a direct result of what happens when as a designer you fail to lead a project well.

Meet Scalp Reborn, a Hair Loss Treatment Clinic. (I worked on this project in 2020).

Going into the project, the client had a very defined idea and brief.

There wasn’t much room for experimentation and, in all truth, that didn’t really bother me. I was happy to do as the client said because I wasn’t fully confident in my knowledge and skills to lead a project and suggest ideas the client hadn’t even thought about.

Back then I didn’t understand the importance of designs backed by intention and strategy.

So, I looked at the brief and interpreted it very literally (I think you can tell).

In fact, the design feels like it’s been dragged and dropped from a logo stock site.

If I received the same brief in 2025, there are a tonne of things I’d do differently.

Let’s break it down ⬇️

Confusing Composition:

If the challenge was ‘add as many things as you can into one logo’, I’d have won! But, with the excessive layering, it took away from professionalism and legibility which has a detrimental effect on a brands credibility.

Cookie-cut Creation:

I mimicked what was popular in that industry at the time. Using dots and a face profile seemed the most obvious way to depict what the brand was all about which ultimately, led my design to blend in as opposed to being distinct enough to make an impression.

Unnecessary Elements:

Subtlety wasn’t my forte 🥲 I relished in adding more and more accents that were pretty purposeless - like that green outer ring that added no creative flare or improvement to the design.

Font Fail:

I opted for the same font and weight for both words. Paired with excessive kerning, the logotype had no hierarchy which makes it hard to keep the attention of the consumer.

And honestly? It was just so bland to look at!

I think we can all agree the final result was just a bit of a mess.

My inexperience was showing, not just in the way I designed but in my inability to take control of the project, and craft something that wasn’t so client-centric.

In all seriousness though, I didn’t even realise that my way of working was a problem back then.

And that’s why I love reminiscing.

It’s easy to focus on our failures. But, they’re always lessons.

So, with what I’ve learned over the years, and my confidence in leading a project, here’s what I’d do to fix the logo…

Distinctive > Done Before:

Using an oval shape as a base (representing a birdseye view of someone’s head), I carved an ‘S’ for ‘Scalp’ within the negative space. I then tweaked the shapes surrounding it to fit together like puzzle pieces - emphasising the restorative effects of treatment at Scalp Reborn.

Font Fixes:

I opted for a thick-weighted font for ‘Scalp’ to infer to the inflation of confidence when leaving the clinic and paired it with a thinner, sharper font for ‘Reborn’ to balance the layout and to mimic hair follicles.

Less is More:

I steered clear of chaotic compositions and decided to reduce the amount of elements featured in the design. Doing this instantly fixed the hierarchy and overall confusion.

We’re not finished yet!!

I’d usually wrap this newsletter up right about now but, so many of you asked on the Scalp Reborn Reel how this would translate into a full logo suite.

I’m here to deliver the goods 🤠

5 years ago, I would have sent the design files via email without any guidance and called it a day.

Since then, I’ve massively levelled up.

To stop clients from being experimental with their visual identities, it’s important to walk them through logo and touchpoint usage, which is why I now always include a brand guidelines document and one page cheat sheet with every project ⬇️

It’s one of the simplest ways to make sure your work gets used exactly how it should.

That means no stretched logos, random fonts, or awkward colour combos in sight.

If you want to do the same, I’ve bundled up the exact template I use into a ready-to-go Brand Guidelines Kit.

It includes all the pages your clients need (and none of the fluff) to keep your designs looking flawless long after handoff.

👉 Check out the Brand Guidelines Kit here.

The Revised Design:

Comparing the before and after, we can see how the logo refresh subtly nods to the industry, whilst harnessing a level of professionalism that the previous composition just did not have.

Even though we’ve simplified the design, the new direction not only feels inviting but intentional too - which shows how powerful strategy really is!!

What do you think of this transformation? I’d love to know!

Speak soon,

Abi 😊

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