Karla Pamanes | San Antonio Logo Design, Web Design, Branding, Design Mentorship
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Controversial take: It's okay to start with a cheap logo from Fiverr

3/16/2025

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As a professional brand identity designer, it might surprise you to hear me say this, but here’s something I truly believe in my heart: it’s okay to start your business journey with a cheap logo from a place like Fiverr, Upwork, or Canva.
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When you’re just starting out, your priority really should be just getting your business off the ground and generating some income. You might not know who your target audience is, or you may need to make some minor adjustments based on the feedback you receive.

A high-end logo or brand identity design doesn’t make a lot of sense right out the gate if you still have some uncertainty about the who, what, and why of your business or offering.

Don’t get me wrong. I love working with new business owners and helping them navigate the early stages of branding. However, my passion truly lies in collaborating with established entrepreneurs who have proven their concept and are ready to elevate their brand identity.


Some Good Reasons to Start Cheap
I talked a little bit about why starting with an inexpensive logo might make more sense, but let’s go over the three biggest reasons in a little more detail:

You Need to Have Financial Flexibility - Starting a business requires capital. Choosing to start with a more affordable logo means you can allocate more of your resources to things like marketing, product development, and customer experience.

You Need a Solid Proof of Concept - Before you seriously invest in your branding, you need to really make sure that your business idea works. Take time to validate your concept, gain a little bit of traction, and understand your target audience better.

You Need a Little Room for Growth - Your brand will naturally evolve as your business grows. What you need from a brand identity now might be very different from what you need six months or a year from now. You can always rebrand, but waiting a little bit might save you from having to do something like that during your first year of business.


Start Smart, Grow Smarter
The world of entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint… I can tell you that from my own personal experience! 😅 The best thing you can do is to start with what you can afford, focus on growing your business, and when the time is right, invest strategically in your branding.

A cheap logo does not have to be a reflection of the quality of your business. It can just be a stepping stone in your entrepreneurial journey. Start making money first, then reinvest that money into a professional brand identity that hits all the right notes.

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

And of course, if you want to discuss a brand design identity for your business, I would be thrilled to work with you! Just reach out to me via my contact page to get started.

LET'S WORK TOGETHER!
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Why I swear by Flodesk (and why I think you will, too)

3/4/2025

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When I went full-time in my brand identity design business in 2021, I made a commitment to email my list once a month. And I am so proud to say that I have kept that commitment, every single month, even 4+ years later. Of course, there are some months where I have to bribe myself with a “little treat” to sit down and write out my email (especially when I have a lot of design project deadlines approaching) but the time and effort (and my chocolate treat) is always worth it. 🍫 
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The connections that I make through email marketing are so valuable to me personally and also as an entrepreneur. I receive a handful of replies whenever I send out a monthly email, so I know people are actually reading them and enjoying them enough to reach out when something resonates. It’s like social media, but without the algorithm working against you!

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Flodesk is my email marketing not-so-secret weapon


One thing that really helps make the email marketing process super easy for me each month is Flodesk. I have been using this platform for years and as a designer, I love how clean and simple and “pretty” it is. 💗 Those things really matter to me!

Flodesk is built for creatives, small business owners, and entrepreneurs who want to connect with their audience quickly. I don’t have time to mess around with nitpicky formatting tools or worse, learn code. Flodesk is sleek, simple, and it makes your emails look like they were put together by a professional designer. Which, as a professional designer, is huge. 😄
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​Here are a few other reasons I’m obsessed:

✨ Gorgeous templates – No design skills? No problem. Flodesk gives you stunning templates to choose from that you can customize in just a few clicks.

🚀 Simple automations – I love that I can set up welcome sequences, sales funnels, and nurture emails for people who sign up for my courses and other offers.

🎨 Creative freedom – Unlike some other email marketing platforms, Flodesk lets you customize fonts, layouts, and colors so you can match your brand perfectly.

💰 Flat-rate pricing – This is the biggest reason I love Flodesk. I know I won’t have to suddenly pay more each month because I added new email subscribers to my list.

If you’ve been looking for a simple and stress-free way to send emails, I can’t recommend Flodesk enough! It has made the entire email marketing process effortless for me, which means I can continue to send those monthly emails and connect with my people. 
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Whether you're a creative, entrepreneur, or small business owner, Flodesk helps you send beautiful emails in just a few minutes. 💌 Want to give it a try? Use my link to get started for free and see why I am so obsessed with it! 👇🏼​
TRY FLODESK FOR FREE!
WATCH MY FLODESK WORKSHOP

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means if you buy something through them, I earn a small commission—aka snack money for my son and kitty treats! But don’t worry, I only share things from companies I truly believe in.
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    AUTHOR

    Karla Pámanes is an award-winning designer, branding expert, and mentor who helps businesses elevate their brands through strategic and impactful impactful visual design. Based in San Antonio, TX, she lives with her son, Lennon, and their two quirky cats, Teodoro and Paquito.

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  • ABOUT US
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