How two founder bootstrapped an Indonesia-based branding studio to profitability

In one line, what do you do and what is your most significant achievement?

How we bootstrapped our branding studio to profitability with a single phone and a laptop

Who are you and what business did you start?

Daybrand Studio is a branding agency founded by a brand designer (Louis) and a brand copywriter (Tracy). We saw the market demand to combine both our expertise, so we created an agency where our clients can find all the resources they need for their branding needs.

What's your backstory?

Back when we were still working as freelance designers and freelance copywriters, Louis' clients often asked Louis if he knew a copywriter to support his design, Tracy's clients came to her because their branding agencies told them to find a copywriter who could write a professional brand story because these agencies did not provide copywriting service.

It would be easier for the clients to find an all-inclusive branding package in one agency! This is why we combine impactful visuals and compelling storytelling in one package. We believe this combination is essential in creating premium branding content that drives high conversion rates for businesses, and we should not compromise one for the other.

What should be the first steps to take to enter your industry?

Conducting professional market research has helped our studio to progress in a more efficient and effective way. Many established agencies have told us that we were progressing faster than when they first started, all thanks to properly conducting professional market research to avoid newbie's mistakes and mitigate business risks.

How did you spend your First 100 Days of launching your business?

We dedicated our efforts to researching our competitors, analysing the market landscape, and understanding the needs of our potential clients. The goal is to identify and address their pain points effectively, enabling us to tailor our services to better suit their specific requirements.Our studio has been profitable in the first 100 days of launching our business without running any ads, thanks to word-of-mouth and referrals from Singapore and Indonesia. We have continued tweaking and optimising our internal and external workflows, and our services to niche and position our studio as an expert in the field, especially branding for new businesses.

Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain partnerships/customers?

It was our quality of work that initially attracted many leads and clients to our studio, coupled with hands-on service & personalised approach to be able to retain partnerships and client relationships.

We prioritise quality over quantity when taking on projects, which allows us to take a hands-on approach to each project and ensure that we meet each client's unique needs.

What has taken you from 0 to 100?

It's the partnership with the right people, both client and agency. 90% of our retainers and new clients come from referrals and word-of-mouth from our network.

What is one underrated thing in your industry that business owners should start doing/using?

It's market research, properly conducted by a professional! It's very important for new businesses to understand their competitors, identify their target audience, carve a niche in a crowded market, and shape how their brand wants to be perceived. Thanks to these valuable insights, we are able to successfully navigate business risks, steering clear of rookie mistakes, utilising our resources efficiently and effectively, and strategically seizing opportunities that are well-grounded and realistically certain to yield positive results. As a result, our studio hasn't incurred any losses and our profits have steadily increased as we've taken on more projects - without relying on external funds or investments. We really recommend conducting thorough research to new business owners!

What was one failure you had to go through that others in your industry should look out for?

Failure to filter the right people to work for our team. Hiring the right people who share our passion and vision is crucial for a successful team.

What platform/tools do you use for your business?

Figma, Adobe, Webflow, Meta Ads, Google Analytics, Sem Rush, Tech Behemoth, Sortlist, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Website, ChatGPT, Trello, Telegram, Whatsapp Business, Google Drive

How are you doing today and what does the future look like?

Things are looking bright for us! As we worked with more clients, we learned to tailor our services to various industries with unique needs of their own. We become more knowledgeable on what’s possible for our line of work and manage to widen our business network as well. Within our first quarter, we have managed to expand our network to Singapore and worked on several Singapore-based projects. We are also looking to scale up to better reach Singaporean market by incorporating our company in Singapore in Q2 next year.

As we worked with more clients, we learned to tailor our services to various industries with unique needs of their own. We become more knowledgeable on what's possible for our line of work and manage to widen our business network as well.