Small businesses. Big hearts. And the people behind them.

The stories, the courage and the connections that make my work so rewarding.

I've worked with all sorts of businesses throughout my career, but if you asked me who I love working with most, my answer would be pretty simple.

Independent business owners. Every single time.

And it's not because their projects are necessarily more creative, or because they're easier to work with.

It's because of the people.

I love getting to know the person behind a business. Understanding why they started it, what they've put into it and what they're hoping to achieve.

I love hearing the stories that don't necessarily make it onto their website or social media.

And I love that when we're working together, I'm not just designing something for a business, I'm creating something for someone who has put a huge amount of themselves into building it.

That makes the work feel incredibly personal. And for me, that's what makes it so rewarding.

There's always a story behind the business.

One of my favourite parts of any branding project is the very beginning. Those first conversations where I get to properly know someone.

Not just what they sell or the services they offer, but why they decided to start their business in the first place.

Sometimes it's something they've dreamed about doing for years.

Sometimes they've taken a completely different career path.

Sometimes it's come from a personal experience, a frustration or simply the feeling that there must be a better way of doing something.

And quite often, it's a combination of all sorts of things.

I find those stories fascinating.

Because they tell me so much more about a business than a list of services ever could.

They help me understand what matters to the person behind it, what motivates them and what makes their approach different.

And those are the things that can make a brand feel genuinely meaningful.

I think starting your own business is incredibly brave.

It's easy to look at someone running their own business and see the lovely branding, the website, the social media posts and the freedom that comes with being your own boss.

But there's so much that happens behind the scenes.

The uncertainty. The financial risks. The decisions you have to make on your own.

The days when you question whether you're doing the right thing.

And especially in those early stages, not always having someone to turn to when things get difficult.

Starting a business takes a huge amount of courage.

And so does keeping one going.

Of course, we all want our businesses to be financially successful. We have bills to pay, after all!

But so many of the people I work with have started their businesses because they genuinely love what they do.

They care about the work. They care about their customers. They want to build something they're proud of.

And I have so much respect for that.

I love working directly with the person making the decisions.

There's something really special about working one-to-one with a business owner.

We're not passing ideas through layers of departments or waiting for a whole board of people to agree on a direction.

We're having proper conversations.

I get to hear their ideas, understand their concerns, ask questions and explore possibilities together.

And because I'm speaking directly to the person who's built the business, I get a much clearer understanding of what we're trying to achieve.

It's collaborative in a way I really enjoy.

Sometimes a conversation will take us in a completely unexpected direction. Something they mention in passing might become an important part of their brand story.

And I love those moments.

When you can see someone beginning to recognise what makes their business special, sometimes for the first time.

That's the kind of work I want to be doing.

Some projects stay with you.

One project that will always mean a lot to me is So Seen Circle, created by the lovely Helen.

I actually met Helen at Baby Sensory classes with my youngest daughter. She was running the sessions, and at the time, neither of us had any idea we'd end up working together.

Then, months after I'd last seen her, she got in touch.

She had an idea for a business. Something she'd been thinking about for years, inspired by her own experiences as a parent of a child with special educational needs.

We met for a coffee, and I remember just how much that conversation stayed with me.

Helen spoke about how lonely the experience of being an SEN parent can sometimes feel.

The self-doubt, the challenges and the feeling that other people don't always understand what you're going through.

And she wanted to do something about it.

She had this idea to create a community where SEN parents could feel seen, understood and supported.

But turning that idea into something real was a big step. She was nervous, and understandably so.

Because when something means that much to you, putting it out into the world can feel incredibly daunting.

But she did it.

And I had the absolute pleasure of helping her bring So Seen Circle to life through its branding.

I remember when she had her bags printed and started sending me photographs. Seeing something that had once been an idea discussed over coffee becoming a real, tangible business was just wonderful.

And whenever I've spoken to people about what Helen is creating, the response has been so positive. People immediately recognise how valuable a community like this could be.

That's the part of my job I love.

It's not just seeing a logo on a bag.

It's knowing the story behind it. Knowing how much courage it took for someone to get to that point, and how much the business means to them.

Helen took a chance on an idea she believed in, and she's building something that has the potential to make a genuine difference to other families.

And getting to play even a small part in that? That's why I love what I do.

It's about the people. It always has been.

I've never had ambitions to become a designer working on enormous global brands.

I know that might sound strange to some people, but it's just not what excites me.

I like the personal side of what I do.

I like getting to know my clients, hearing their stories and being part of their business journey.

I like being able to pick up the phone, have a proper conversation and feel as though we're working together rather than just exchanging briefs and designs.

And I like people. Mostly. Dogs, on the other hand? Absolutely all of them.

But seriously, the relationships I've built through my business are one of the things I'm most grateful for.

I don't just want to create beautiful brands. I want to work with people whose businesses mean something to them. People who care, who have taken risks and who are putting something good into the world.

And if I had the choice to do it all again?

I'd choose independent businesses every single time.

Because behind every one of them is a person who decided to take a chance on themselves.

And getting to help them bring that vision to life is a pretty wonderful thing to do for a living.

I'm Lauren, the independent designer behind LJ Design Co. I work with passionate business owners to create thoughtful, strategic brand identities that reflect the people and stories behind them.

If you've built a business you love and you're ready for branding that feels genuinely yours, I'd love to hear your story.