Balancing the Brand: Marketing Myself as Both a Professional and an Independent Designer
One of the biggest challenges as a designer today is learning how to market yourself—not just your work. For me, that means walking a unique line: positioning myself as a strong candidate for full-time roles, while also growing my own personal brand design business.
At first glance, those two goals might seem to conflict. Why would a company hire someone who also runs their own business? But in reality, they complement each other. The same skills that make me valuable as an independent brand designer—strategy, storytelling, visual identity, and client communication—are the same ones I bring to a team setting.
Why I Market Myself in Both Lanes
I believe personal brands and professional brands can (and should) feed each other. Running my own design business keeps my skills sharp and my creative thinking fresh. Working with real clients helps me stay connected to how people experience brands in the wild. On the other hand, collaborating inside a company gives me access to larger teams, systems, and long-term brand challenges I can’t always explore independently.
It’s not about choosing one path—it’s about building a career ecosystem.
How I Do It Strategically
Clear Positioning: I frame my personal brand services (like logo and website design) as a distinct offering under my own name—Daniel Brooks Moore. When applying for roles, I emphasize how that entrepreneurial experience makes me resourceful, client-savvy, and grounded in real-world branding outcomes.
Consistent Branding: My portfolio, social media, and business site all reflect the same identity. Whether a hiring manager or a potential client lands on my site, they get the same story: I’m a creative professional who helps people and businesses stand out.
Transparent Communication: When opportunities come up, I’m upfront. I love full-time work for the collaboration and growth it brings, and I love my business for the creative freedom it offers. Both are expressions of who I am as a designer.
The Bigger Picture
In today’s creative world, being a multi-dimensional professional isn’t confusing—it’s powerful. Companies are hiring people who think like brands, not just people who work on them. Running my own brand design business doesn’t compete with my professional goals; it reinforces them.
It’s not about wearing two hats—it’s about building one cohesive brand that tells a story of expertise, independence, and creativity.
