My Lucky Rabbit
I suspect most designers wrestle with imposter syndrome, but I’ve found that the creative process is even more overwhelming when it comes to building your own personal brand. I certainly experienced bouts of creative block, self-criticism, and procrastination when it was time to develop my brand identity for Good Luck Design.
I knew the vibe I wanted to convey, but I really struggled with visualizing the logo. Initially, I toyed with the idea of a lettermark using the initials “GL”—with the “L” mimicking a 7. (Fun fact: 7 isn’t just a nod to luck; it’s been my favorite number for as long as I can remember. I even have a quirky and somewhat obsessive habit where all my alarms end in 7, and I adjust my microwave times to round off to a 7.) Despite spending hours trying to merge G and L into something meaningful, I eventually set the project aside to focus on following up on leads and preparing project proposals.
Then reality hit. I couldn’t send out proposals without my own branding and logo. With less than 24 hours on the clock, I dove back in. Under pressure, which is when I typically do my best work, I experienced the “aha!” moment we designers strive for. I remembered that my Chinese zodiac sign is the auspicious rabbit. While sketching a simplified silhouette of a rabbit, I noticed that its basic shape subtly formed the number 7. I explored various sans serif fonts that allowed the number 7 to embody the rabbit’s form and experimented with serif options where elegant swashes could suggest long, flowing ears.
As the logomark began to click, I wrestled with the typeface—arguably the part of the process I overthink the most. Eventually, I landed on a typeface that was fine, slapped the new logomark on my proposals, and shipped them out. Yet, the work was far from over. For several weeks afterward, I battled my inner critic, second-guessing the typeface, color palette, and overall design. I sought feedback from peers, my husband, and even my therapist!
When I started building my website, I found myself paralyzed by the need to perfectly align every element with the logo. That’s when it dawned on me: if this isn’t how I would approach a client’s brand development project, why the hell was I bogging myself down with every little detail?
I paused, stepped back, and returned to basics. With pen and paper, I clearly jotted down my business goals, values, and voice:
Goal: Empower small businesses and startups through thoughtful, transformative design.
Values: Be authentic, show compassion, work efficiently, and remain open.
Voice: A relatable designer who blends strategy with creativity and believes parenthood is a superpower.
Once these foundations were in place, everything else fell into focus. I embraced my lucky number seven rabbit logomark, paired it with a thoughtfully chosen typeface that matched the energy of my voice, and selected a lucky green color—my favorite, naturally.
It’s a rare moment of satisfaction in my work. Though it remains a work in progress, it’s truly mine, and I’m proud of it.