Design In The Shires - A Case Study

Design In The Shires

Are a design agency based in Malvern, Worcestershire, helping small businesses build trust and clarity through quality design, websites, and digital marketing. They are a team of 5.

The Challenge

Jess and Ben, co-founders of Design In The Shires, launched their agency while juggling the early days of parenthood. Initially freelancing, they grew quickly — but the pressure to deliver high-quality work without a team or systems was mounting. Burnout loomed, stress levels were rising, and they were at risk of sacrificing the family lifestyle they’d originally set out to build.

The Journey

We supported Jess and Ben through a structured programme of regular coaching sessions. Together, we worked on:

• Defining their vision, mission and values

• Strategic planning to control growth and avoid overwhelm

• Cashflow management and forecasting to reduce financial pressure

• Hiring and building a supportive team culture

• Creating a path to step out of the day-to-day operations

As the business evolved, these sessions gave them a safe space to think clearly, course-correct, and grow on their terms — not reactively.

💡 The Breakthrough

Armed with stronger strategy and a deeper understanding of their numbers, they confidently took big steps:

• Hiring team members to share the load

• Moving into premises to enhance capacity and credibility

• Implementing tools and routines to reclaim headspace and avoid burnout

• Delegating operational responsibilities, allowing more focus on leadership and creativity

Our work together ensured these weren’t just reactive decisions, but strategic moves rooted in clarity and confidence.

The Results

• A healthier, more sustainable work-life balance

• A thriving team aligned to clear values and direction

• Consistent delivery of high-quality, on-brand client work

• Long-term client relationships and strong referrals

• A trusted reputation in a crowded, often distrusted industry

Key Lessons

• You can’t grow on guesswork — structure, planning and financial visibility are essential

• Hire early, not late — the right team changes everything

• Stay true to your why — defining values helps you build a business that works for your life

• Step out to scale up — if you’re always in the weeds, you can’t steer the ship