Upshot Design

07/04/2026

16/03/2026

It feels like ages since I last introduced myself properly.
Maybe you’ve never seen me before.
Maybe you’ve known me for ages.

Either way, ‘hiya!’.
Here’s a little video intro just for you. 🙂

04/03/2026

Shootin with for - fun in the sun!

13/02/2026

A strong illustrative style is a great way of bringing a brand identity to life.

Here’s a great example. First Give recently launched their second major programme, One Day. Part of their strategy to reach and activate the generosity of a million young people by 2034, the dropdown day gives secondary school pupils across the country access to inspiring opportunities to give their time, skills and money to help their community.

We worked with the fabulous Dave Smith from to translate key steps in the programme into visual materials to promote the programme online, and love the energy his skill and thought process brings to the snapshots!

13/02/2026

A strong illustrative style is a great way of bringing a brand identity to life.
Here’s a great example. First Give recently launched their second major programme, One Day. Part of their strategy to reach and activate the generosity of a million young people by 2034, the dropdown day gives secondary school pupils across the country access to inspiring opportunities to give their time, skills and money to help their community.
We worked without friend Dave from to translate key steps in the programme into visual materials to promote the programme online, and love the energy his skill brings to the snapshots!

12/02/2026

I’ve just been a-thinkin. Is brand for everyone? I used to think so…

16/01/2026

We love seeing what our clients are up to and this team of superstars are making waves with their beer and community engagement work.

Get down to the tap room in Ivybridge and try their new beer!

Keep up the great work Simon and team.

05/01/2026

Mistaken Identity

Do you share your name with someone else? Someone famous? If you Google your name, who comes up?

I happen to share my name with a high profile political commentator and journalist. And if I had a pound every time someone asked me ‘ooh have you written a book?’ with a picture of his provocative book ‘Chavs’, I’d have, I don’t know, about £21 or something.

Fact is, yes. I have written a book. But not that one.

I wrote Valuable Values: How to uncover what makes YOUR business so remarkable.

A short handbook on brand values. A guide for business leaders who want to find ways to articulate their business more effectively. A thought piece on why brand values are often so criminally uninspiring. A practical process to make it easy to put into action.

I guess the choice is yours.

You could buy a book about something deeply misunderstood and misrepresented, challenge your perceptions and come out of it much more rounded and informed. Or you could buy Chavs.

29/11/2025

I do some of my best thinking alone.
But if I’m honest, I also do some of my best overthinking alone.

Running in circles (almost exclusively metaphorically).
Too many ideas (analysis paralysis, anyone?).
Pre-existing assumptions that need challenging (all too common).

I think this is common for business leaders. It can feel lonely, and we can’t be experts at everything. We need somewhere to take the blockages, the half-finished thoughts, the “is this even any good?” ideas.​

In my personal life, that space is a counsellor. A proper sounding board for the messy, human stuff.

So it got me thinking: what is the equivalent for your brand?

Branding is all about identity – personality, strategy, beliefs, action. Exactly the sort of thing that benefits from a therapist-style conversation.​

That is why we are launching Brand Therapy from Upshot.

A 1:1 session where you bring your questions, ideas and struggles, and leave with more clarity and next steps for your brand.​

If you are a founder, manager, director or solo entrepreneur and this resonates, comment below or send me a DM to grab one of the first five sessions, which I am offering for free until the end of 2025.

17/11/2025

After a wild time at Building Brands UK Brands last week, I almost forgot to SHOUT ABOUT THIS! So I’ll do a bit of SHOUTING now.

The Upshot team has been not just nominated, not just shortlisted, but selected as a FINALIST at the NOTWORKING NETWORKING Nottys awards!

I’ll be representing the team at Sandy Park, Exeter, on Thursday THIS WEEK to celebrate a great event, run by EXCELLENT people who want to shout about others and give them a big ol’ slap on the back (rather than a stuffy pay to play awards scheme)!

Looking forward to getting my posh suit on!

WHO ELSE is coming along?

07/11/2025

Founder and creative director will be presenting the story of the visual identity at Building Brands Exeter.

📆 Thursday 13th November
⏰ 9:30-4:30
📍Sandy Park Conference Centre, Exeter

If you’re in the area and want to come and see what a REAL marketing conference is like (well, a REALLY fun one…), get in asap and secure one of the final tickets - and don’t miss this vulnerable and insightful reveal of all that went on behind the scenes!