I'm the designer who asks about your coffee order, remembers your dog's name, and somehow ends up feeling like a mate by the time we're done.
That part's not in the package.
It just happens. š¤
I spent my twenties working in hospitality ā bars, pubs, venue management ā while that little voice in the back of my head got louder every year. I'd dropped out of my first uni degree, moved to Melbourne to try again, graduated in 2015, and then promptly went back to pub work to fund a euro trip and move home to Wagga. š
My path here wasn't exactly linear.
It wasn't until 2020, when the pub closed during lockdown and I suddenly had time to think, that I finally listened to that voice. I had a little design business running on the side ā bits and pieces here and there ā and I thought:
āhang on. I could actually make a real go of thisā.
And the timing couldn't have been more right.
Small businesses everywhere were scrambling to get online with thrown-together logos and patched-up websites. Especially regionally, there was a real gap ā business owners who needed proper brand support but weren't about to hire a big city agency that didn't understand their world.
That's the gap I built Storytold Studio to fill.
Five years and 100+ clients later, I went full-time in 2025 ā and I haven't looked back. š¤
A few things you should probably know about me:
A few things you should probably know about me:
Almond latte, one sugar, non negotiable
My playlist goes rock, indie, country, jazz, and classical depending on the deadline
Eldest daughter through and through, I'll show up before you even know you need me
Marley the cat is my unofficial studio mascot and she takes her job very seriously
Why working with me feels different
A lot of designers will ask for your target audience and a Pinterest board, and yes I do that too, but I also:
I'll ask about your beginnings, the hard parts, the pivots, the goals that sound a little bit insane. Because that's where your brand voice and values actually live and I've spent enough time in the real world to know the difference.
Sixteen years in hospitality taught me things no design degree could.
I know what it's like to have a thousand things happening at once and still needing to show up. That experience shaped how I work with every single client, not just the hospitality ones.
And Iāve lived and seen first hand being a small town business trying to feel as credible as the big city brands and I know exactly how to help you show up like you belong in any room ā whether you're based in regional NSW or not.
āWorking with Jess felt like working with a friend - she is super approachable, tailors the project to you and works collaboratively the whole way.ā
The process was organised and each step was communicated really clearly. I am stoked with the result and very happy I decided to outsource my website to Storytold Studio instead of trying to DIY it myself!
You're not just getting a designer. You're getting someone who's all in, wherever you need them. š¤
