Hi, I’m Melissa Mae — your friendly design partner (and Marketing Translator)

I’m a freelance graphic and web designer with 13 years of experience, a Bachelor’s degree in Web Design, and 100+ small businesses supported across print and digital.

If you’re here because your business is solid but your branding/marketing feels inconsistent, you’re not alone. My job is to help you get clear, look cohesive, and show up confidently—without making you feel overwhelmed or “behind.”

Quick facts

  • 13 years freelance design experience
  • Bachelor’s degree in Web Design

  • 100+ small businesses served

  • Print + digital design under one roof

Why I Do What I Do

When you strengthen a small business, you strengthen a community. Small businesses create jobs, bring personality to neighborhoods, and keep money circulating locally. I love getting to support the people behind those businesses—the ones taking risks, building something from scratch, and chasing a dream. If I can help you show up more confidently, attract the right customers, and grow with a brand that actually matches your talent, then I’m not just designing—I’m helping your dream get the support it deserves.

Most small business owners aren’t lacking talent or effort—they’re lacking a clear brand strategy.

Because when you’re running a small business, you’re doing everything. And branding becomes the thing you squeeze in between client work and real life. So you piece it together as you go… and suddenly you’ve got a logo from five years ago, a website you’re kind of afraid to touch, and social posts that look like they belong to three different businesses.

What I mean by “brand strategy”

When I strategize a brand with a client, it doesn’t stay in theory-land. We turn it into a Branding Guide—your brand’s “rules of the road”—so you (and anyone helping you) can stay consistent without overthinking every decision.

A Branding Guide can include:

  • Brand narrative (who you help, what you help them do, and what makes you different)

  • Logo standards (how to use it, spacing, variations, do/don’ts)

  • Typography (your font system)

  • Color palette (your official colors)

  • Image style (photo/graphic direction that fits your vibe)

  • Mood board (the visual direction that keeps everything cohesive)

How it works

What I can help you with

I offer graphic design + web design services for small businesses, including:

  • Brand strategy + Branding Guide

  • Websites + landing pages (built to guide people to a clear next step)

  • Marketing design (email + social campaigns, lead magnets, brochures, flyers, business cards, signage, publications, and more)

  • Ongoing design support (monthly retainer)

If you’re thinking, “I need someone who can just handle this,” that’s exactly what I do.

What it’s like working with me

You’ll get:

  • friendly collaboration (no design shame here)

  • clear options and clear next steps

  • professional design that still feels like you

  • strategy-informed work, not “pretty for pretty’s sake”

Fit check

We’re a great fit if you:

  • want a cohesive brand across web, email, social, and print
  • are ready to stop DIY-ing and guessing
  • want a designer who can do both graphic design and web design
  • appreciate honest feedback and a collaborative process

We might not be a fit if you:

  • want trendy-only design without strategy
  • are shopping for the cheapest option
  • prefer zero collaboration or feedback

Free Download: The Brand Strategy Checklist

If your marketing feels a little random (and not in a fun, creative way), this checklist will help you figure out what’s missing. In a few minutes, you’ll spot the exact places your brand is weak, and what to fix first so people trust you faster and actually take the next step.

What you’ll get:

  • A simple explanation of what brand strategy is (no jargon, promise)

  • Why it matters for trust + growth (and why “good enough” design can cost leads)

  • A score-yourself checklist to pinpoint your biggest brand gaps

  • Next-step guidance based on your score

Send Me the Checklist

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