In my post the other day titled 10 things I learned from our first acquisitions
I listed number 8 was-Find a good graphic/web designer @AlexMedearis asked how important that was to scale the business.
Short answer-Very

Long Answer-
I like to say "there is a reason why companies spend so much time designing products that we buy, Can you imagine buying your laundry detergent, drinks, cereal, toothpaste etc. in a black bag with zero design?" As a business you are constantly selling to someone, investors, potential deal flow, customers, staff. All too often we are selling to them our product in a black bag with zero design. Part of professionalizing a business is professionalizing the image to the outside of the business.

Here are some (although a long list, this really is only a fraction of what has been made) of the ways our graphic designer has helped:

1. Website for our investor outreach redacted
2. Website targeted to deal flow redacted
3. Acquisition website redacted
4. Social media for our business and acquired businesses
5. In office print materials redacted
6. Targeted customer marketing materials redacted
7. Staff engagement redacted

The result is that we looked more established to potential investors when we were just a concept on paper. We had stronger interest from deal flow and brokers who may not have given us a chance had we come across as less professional. We grew our first two businesses in revenue by over 50% in less than 6 months (not only from design but it helped). And we have better staff buy in (also not entirely a design thing, but it helps.

Sure we could have hired an agency to make everything, but the costs would have been far higher so we wouldn't have.

We currently have 2 graphic designers full time in the Philippines, which is cost effective and a large talent pool. Our first designer was the first hire we made, way before we paid ourselves.