A quick word on logos

“Can you make the logo bigger?”

• Every designer’s worst client

In the world of startups, there’s a concept called MVP.

It stands for Minimum Viable Product.

It means building the minimum you can to deliver a solution to the problem you’re solving.

The reason for it is your solution will inevitably change with market feedback, so don’t overcommit to building something that’s going to change soon anyway.

There’s a lot I don’t like about startups tech bros, toxic hustle mentality, and ideologies around technology being the salve to all the world’s ailments but the MVP concept is good here.

Apply it to your logo.

It’s a frequent focal point of obsession and picking something and running with it is going to ensure your time is spent on things that are valuable pitching, building partnerships, attracting customers with compelling lessons, and serving them to get feedback.

Here’s a quick recipe:

1. Take your product or business name
2. Attach a colour from your mini-brand book
3. Search Noun Project or Squarespace Logo Maker for an icon that fits

Done.

Further down the road spend more time on it or outsource it, your time is better spent elsewhere.

One objection to this advice I often receive is “but this is a representation of my brand it’s important.”

A brand is a reputation.

Reputation is built from being in a market for years. Sometimes, through a lot of hard work that reputation can be reflected in a brand essence which is reflected by iconography, palettes, feeling, and aesthetic.

If your starting out you need to build your reputation first.

Not your logo.