Learn how to make a logo for your small business.
If you have ever typed “how to make a logo for my small business” into Google at midnight, this post is for you.
A friend of mine recently started a candle business and asked me the same question. She was in the very early stages, still testing her concept, and was not ready to invest in a designer just yet. As a graphic designer myself, my honest answer surprised her.
In this post, I am sharing exactly what I recommend to small business owners who need a logo now but are not yet at the stage of working with a professional. And yes, I will also tell you when the time is right to make that investment.
The Graphic Designer’s Honest Advice: Use DIY Fonts
Here is the truth: a well-chosen font can do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to business logo design at the early stage. You do not need to hire a designer the moment you have a business idea. What you need is a clean, intentional-looking font that carries your brand name with confidence.
There are two main methods I recommend, and both are completely free to try.
01 Fonts That Look Like Logos
First, source fonts that already look polished enough to stand in as a logo. You can find these on both Canva and Kittl. Both platforms have very different font libraries, so you will have a wide variety to choose from across styles.
The key is to look for fonts that have a distinctive personality: a unique letterform, a built-in texture, or a clean modern weight that does not look like a default pick.
Below are some font examples you can consider on both Canva and Kittl:
02 Fonts with Ligature
Next, look for fonts that come with built-in ligatures. Not all fonts have them, which makes the ones that do feel extra special.
In typography, a ligature means two or more letters are joined together, forming a natural visual flow between characters. It gives a simple word mark a designed-looking quality without any extra effort on your part.
To check if a font has ligatures in Canva, go to Advanced Settings in the top bar, click More Settings, find the Ligature toggle, and turn it on. If the letters respond and connect, you have a ligature font on your hands.
Here are a few examples to help you get started:
What to Keep in Mind When DIYing Your Logo
Before you finalize your DIY logo, here are a few quick tips to make it look more intentional:
- Stick to one font. A single well-chosen font looks far cleaner than mixing two. If you want contrast, try a bold weight of the same font paired with a lighter one.
- Leave enough space around the text. Crowded logos lose their impact when scaled down to a small size on packaging, social media profiles, or labels.
- Test it in black and white first. If your logo holds up without color, it will work everywhere. Color is the bonus, not the foundation.
- Save it as a PNG with a transparent background. This makes your logo versatile across any background color you use in your branding.
When to Start Investing in Professional Logo Design
Now, for the question every small business owner eventually asks: when should you invest in a professional logo?
Here is my take as a graphic designer. You can start investing when you have grown out of your DIY logo. That moment usually looks like one of these:
- Your business is growing, but your customer touchpoints still look like you are “just starting” and they are not converting the way they should
- You look like everyone else using the same font combinations and Canva templates, and nothing about your brand leaves a strong impression
- You know your product is good, but your visuals are not communicating that value, so customers compare you on price instead of quality
- You hesitate to raise your prices because your brand does not look like it can support a higher number
When any of these feel familiar, it is usually a sign that your visual identity needs to grow with your business.
A Real Example: Georgia’s Story
To make this more concrete, let me share the story of Georgia, the founder of a literary brand, and why she decided to invest in a professional logo brandmark.
With a custom brandmark created, Georgia was able to elevate her customer touchpoints across her live events through details like embossed cards, stamps, and stickers. Beyond aesthetics, the brandmark also opened up new business opportunities, including workshops like stained glass, which fit naturally with the visual world her brand now had.
That is what a well-designed logo does. It does not just look good. It gives your business room to grow into.
Ready to Invest in Your Logo?
If you are in a similar place as Georgia and need either a simple brandmark or a full logo suite, I have packages designed to fit where you are right now in your business.
Head over to my logo design services page to browse case study examples, explore the different packages, and see what working together can look like.
This post is all about how to make a logo for small business.
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- 8 Types of Brand Visuals for a Product Launch
- 7 Powerful Features I Use to Design with Kittl as a Graphic Designer
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