If you’re a product-based business owner looking for branding that reflects your quality and vision, read on to find out about inspiring businesswoman, Jane from JM Creatives. She set up her brand and web design studio to create flexibility to work around her family and to enable her to make deeper connections and a real difference to product-based businesses.

Find out whether Jane prefers the beach or a swimming pool, and her best piece of business advice.

What was your first job? Did you enjoy it?

My first job was working as a graphic designer in a very small boutique agency – it was just me and my boss! I absolutely loved it. Working in such an intimate setting meant I got my hands dirty with every aspect of the business, from client meetings and project management to print production and supplier negotiations. It was the kind of experience you simply don’t get in larger agencies where roles are more specialised.

One of the highlights was managing a client who owned an international perfume brand. This opened up incredible opportunities to travel and see my designs come to life in different markets.

Looking back, it was the perfect foundation for running my own design studio. I learnt that great design is as much about relationship-building and strategic thinking as it is about aesthetics.

What do you do now? Is this what you originally trained to do?

Following a rewarding corporate career as a graphic designer spanning agencies and fashion retailers, I founded JM Creative – my own brand and web design studio – after having children. The transition wasn’t just about needing flexibility around my family (though that was certainly a factor!). It was about craving a deeper connection and making a real, tangible difference in people’s businesses.

I specialise in working with wholesale-ready product businesses and passionate small business owners who’ve perfected their products but need branding that truly reflects their quality and vision. While my training was in graphic design, what I do now goes far beyond creating pretty visuals. I help businesses develop strategic brand identities that attract the right customers and open doors to stockist opportunities.

You can find out about my work and services from my website, or come and say hello on Instagram.

How do your services help small business owners?

I’m all about helping product-based businesses stand out in crowded markets and attract their ideal customers, whether that’s conscious consumers or premium stockists. Everything I create is rooted in brand strategy, ensuring your visual identity is deeply connected to your values, your story, and what you want to be known for.

I work specifically with businesses that are ready to move beyond DIY branding and need something that matches the quality of their products. Nothing I create is based on fleeting trends or cookie-cutter templates; it’s about real connection, intentional design, and creating a brand foundation that moves your business forward.

My clients often tell me that their new branding gives them confidence to pitch to retailers, raise their prices, and finally feel proud of every touchpoint in their business.

Whether it’s a complete brand identity, packaging design, or a website that converts, my collaborative process ensures you’re involved every step of the way while benefiting from my 22+ years of design experience.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve been given? How did it help you?

The best advice I’ve received is that you can’t be everything to everyone. It’s taken me a while to truly embrace this, but understanding the power of niching has been transformative for my business.

When I first started JM Creative, I was afraid that specialising would limit my opportunities. The opposite turned out to be true. By focusing on wholesale-ready product businesses and being clear about my strategic, non-templated approach, I started attracting clients who were the perfect fit; people who truly valued what I bring to the table. These clients are more aligned with my working style, more excited about the process, and ultimately, we create better work together.

It’s also made my marketing so much easier. Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, I can speak directly to the challenges my ideal clients face, which means they find me when they’re ready, and we hit the ground running.

If you could give your 20-year-old self one piece of career advice, what would it be?

I’d tell her: “In 11 years, you’ll go on maternity leave, and when you try to return, your employer will be frustratingly inflexible, forcing you to leave a job you’ve worked hard to build. You’ll feel stressed, uncertain, and worried about the future. But here’s the truth – this isn’t the end, it’s the beginning of something extraordinary.”

You’re going to build your own design studio. You’ll work with incredible women entrepreneurs, helping them shape their businesses and grow with confidence. You’ll have the flexibility you craved, the creative freedom you dreamed of, and the deep satisfaction of making a genuine difference. That painful moment of corporate inflexibility? It’s actually the push you needed to create something far better than you could have imagined.

So when it happens, take a deep breath, trust yourself, and know that the best is yet to come.

Which do you prefer, tea or coffee? Beach or pool? Seaside or countryside?

Coffee, beach, and seaside – every time! There’s something profoundly calming about the sea that resets my mind. Whenever I get the chance to escape to the coast, it’s like pressing pause on everything.

What’s your dream job or client?

Honestly, I wouldn’t change what I do now! Building JM Creative has allowed me to combine everything I love – strategic thinking, beautiful design, and meaningful collaboration with passionate business owners. The flexibility and creative freedom are priceless.

As for dream clients, I’d love to work with more wellness and beauty brands, particularly those with sustainable values and a focus on natural, high-quality products. There’s something special about designing for businesses that help people feel good in their own skin.

I also have a soft spot for packaging design projects – it takes me back to my roots in print design, and there’s something incredibly satisfying about seeing your work on shelves and in customers’ hands. The tactile element, the way packaging influences buying decisions, the technical challenge of making it both beautiful and functional – it’s design at its most impactful.

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