What I wish every business owner knew BEFORE opening Canva

Okay, real talk... before you open Canva… STOP!

You’re probably about to waste hours designing something that looks cute but does absolutely nothing for your business. (And no, it’s not Canva’s fault. Promise.)

I’ve been a designer for over 30 years, and I’ve seen this happen more times than I can count – even to me!

You get this brilliant idea, open Canva “just to make something quick,” and suddenly three hours later you’ve changed the fonts twelve times, tried six different colours, and still hate it.

Sound familiar? 😅

The truth is, it’s not that you’re bad at design. You’ve just skipped the most important step: getting clear before you create.

Let me explain...

Designing without a Brand Brief = CHAOS

Every design needs a purpose. If it doesn’t, you’re just making something pretty to stare at.

That’s fine if you’re designing wall art for your office… but if you’re trying to attract clients or sell products, your graphics need a job.

Think of it like baking a cake without a recipe. You’ll end up with something, sure, but it might be flat, chewy, or taste like regret. 😂

So before you start designing, grab a pen and answer three things:

• Who am I creating this for?

• What do I want them to feel?

• What do I want them to do next?

If you can’t answer those, you’re just mixing flour and hoping for a soufflé.

Your Brand Brief is your shortcut to Consistency

When you do have clarity, everything speeds up. Suddenly Canva isn’t your enemy; it’s your design assistant.

Having a Brand Brief is like meal prepping for your visuals. You’ve chopped all the fonts, colours, and images beforehand, so when it’s time to “cook,” everything just comes together perfectly. 🥕🍅

No more “which font should I use today?” moments. No more late-night Canva rabbit holes.

It’s your design GPS, keeping you on track and out of template traffic. Because the real magic in branding comes from one thing: repetition.

• Repetition builds recognition.

• Recognition builds trust.

• And trust builds your reputation – the thing that actually grows your business.

Clarity = Confidence

Once you know your brand vibe and message, your designs instantly start to click.

It’s like cleaning your glasses before you start working – suddenly everything looks crisp and clear. You can see what you’re doing again!

Clarity takes away the stress, makes designing fun again, and helps you create work that feels professional, even if you’re not a designer.

And that confidence? It’s contagious. When you start feeling proud of your designs, your audience starts feeling confident in you too.

So here’s a quick challenge before your next Canva session, write this down:
“The purpose of this design is to ______.”

If you can’t finish that sentence… step away from the templates and figure that out first.

Trust me, you’ll save hours, love your designs more, and actually start creating graphics that work.