1:1 Mentorship – Cj Cawley Design

A 1:1 mentoring programme for logo, brand & graphic designers who are ready to become full-time creative professionals.

Build a Design Business That Actually Works FOR YOU

Limited spots available each month

DESIGN LIKE A strategist rebel creative director business owner leader storyteller brand builder expert disruptor professional underdog misfit

Real mentorship

Not another course

I want to help you finally build the design business you’re proud of, the kind that gets you paid what you’re worth, attracts clients who trust your ideas, and gives you freedom to do your best work. This isn’t about hustling harder. It’s about doing things smarter, with intention, structure, and support.

This isn’t a course. This is you and me, side by side, solving the real stuff that’s been holding you and your business back.

Three years ago, I was burnt out. Overworked. Underpaid. Stuck inside a system that didn’t value creativity, and I knew I had more to give. So I left the agency world, bet on myself, and built a design studio from the ground up. Since then, I’ve worked with bold brands and brillaint people all over the world, doing the work I love most: creating brave, disruptive identities, and helping other designers rise up and do the same.

This mentorship is my way of giving back to the design community that changed my life. I’m not here to sell you another passive course. I’m here to work with you, personally, to build the creative business you know you’re capable of, one brave decision at a time.

You’re working hard, but something still feels off.

Maybe you're struggling with:

A PROGRAMME THAT'S

BUILT AROUND YOU

This is a 3- or 6-month 1:1 mentorship program built around you. This isn’t some cookie-cutter course with generic exercises and recycled advice. This is a truly personalised 1:1 mentorship built around your goals, your challenges, and your design business.

Onboarding Call

We kick things off with a 90-minute deep-dive to uncover what’s really holding you back. You might think it’s “just pricing” or “a confidence thing,” but together we’ll uncover the root issues, define success on your terms, and get crystal clear on where we’re heading.

Custom Roadmap

This isn’t a course. It’s a tailored plan built around your goals, your business, and your creative strengths. You’ll walk away with a roadmap that’s flexible, focused, and designed to actually get you where you want to go.

Weekly Calls

Every week, we jump on a 90-minute 1:1 call to solve real problems in real time. Whether it's pricing, positioning, client issues, idea generation, you name it. This is where the magic happens. Progress, clarity, momentum.

Tools & Templates

You’ll get access to my full bank of resources, proposals, client processes, creative tools, and idea generation systems. Everything I use to run a smooth, profitable design studio is now yours to turn into your own toolkit.

Behind-the-Scenes Access

You’ll get a fly-on-the-wall look into my real studio life, how I generate ideas, build visual identities, run strategy sessions, and present concepts to clients. From internal workflows to client calls and pitch decks, you'll see how it actually works behind the curtain. Real clients. Real projects. Real process.

Full Support

You’ll have direct access to me throughout your mentorship. Someone to bounce ideas off, challenge you, and keep you accountable. No fluff. Just real support from someone who’s done it, and is still doing it. Hit a roadblock? I’ll be there in your corner with real advice, voice notes, support, and guidance.

We’ll work on whatever you need most

Whether it’s:

Raising your rates and creating value-based packages
Improving your creative process and idea generation
Attracting better-fit clients through marketing and positioning
Managing projects and communicating like a pro
Getting clarity on your niche, style, or direction
Building your confidence as a creative business owner

No cookie-cutter curriculum. No generic lectures.
This is deep, personal, and built around you.

WHY ME? NOW? MENTORING?

MEET YOUR MENTOR

Hey, I’m CJ Cawley, a logo designer, brand identity specialist, and creative studio owner from the southwest of the UK. I’ve been creating bold, disruptive brand identities for over 10 years, working with clients all over the world and building a business I’m truly proud of.

But I’m not just here to design cool shit for cool people.

I’m on a mission to be a force for good in the design community, because this career saved my life. And now it’s time I gave something back.

That’s why I’m launching this mentoring program. It’s personal. It’s intimate. It’s not a course, it’s not a group chat, and it’s not some cookie-cutter coaching system. It’s you and me, working together, solving real problems in real time, with real results.

But before you decide if I’m the right mentor for you, I want to take you back to where it all started, so you know exactly who you’re learning from, what I’ve been through, and why I care so much about helping you do the thing you love most.

Limited spots available each month

PRE-2020

Before all this, I couldn’t even afford to eat

I wasn’t always “CJ the designer with a studio and clients around the world.” Before all this, I was a young guy with no financial support, no family safety net, and nowhere to go.

I was constantly trying to find new ways to support myself, from running tiny side hustles and failed clothing brands, to taking on the odd freelance gig while juggling studies and late shifts in a hotel. I tried everything. Most of it flopped.

In my early 20s, I worked as a chef in a hotel and lived on site whilst I studied design in university. I vividly remember numerous nights I would sneak into the hotel’s kitchen to steal food from the walk-in fridge just so I could eat.

After 4 years living like this, the hotel was put into liquidation, and I lost my job and my home in the same week. I was homeless.

Not Instagram-worthy. Not inspiring. Just survival.

2022

I couldn’t keep living someone else’s version of success

After the hotel, I spent years working in creative agencies and in-house roles, doing branding work for huge names like Costa Coffee, Yamaha, Glastonbury Festival, F1, and Heineken. But one day, I realised something painful:

I was exhausted.
I was burnt out.
I was living someone else’s version of “success.”

So I quit. I walked away from my full-time job with no backup plan and no financial cushion, just a deep craving for creative freedom.

At the time, I was living in my partner’s mum and dad’s house. I set up shop in the corner of a shared room with a desk and a dream. My bank balance was minus £1,500. No clients. No clue.

Those early freelance days were brutal. I took on any client I could find. Local businesses, mates of mates, random leads from cold emails. I was scraping by on scraps.

Then came my “big break”, a £3,000 branding project. I was buzzing… for about 48 hours.

Within two days, I realised the client was a walking red flag. Rude, unaligned, completely chaotic. But I needed the money so badly, I ignored all the signs.

Eventually, I snapped. I refunded the full amount and walked away.

No backup plan. Just my gut saying: you can’t build a business like this.

I’d burned a bridge, burned through money, and had no idea what to do next. But that moment taught me a valuable lesson: it’s not just about being a great designer or making money. Freelancing was 40% of the process. It’s about building strong relationships with the right people, a watertight process to keep me safe, and learning how to trust my gut.

2023

My first big payday turned into my first big lesson

2023

FROM BROKE TO FULLY BOOKED

With no more leads coming in and the bank account back to zero, I was close to giving up. But I kept thinking: why am I only looking locally?

The internet is massive. I just needed to figure out how to use it.

So I turned to social media, despite absolutely hating the idea. I didn’t want to put my face out there for the world to see. I didn’t want to be on video. I didn’t want to “market” myself. I felt like an idiot in the beginning. I worried about what my friends would think of me.

But when you’ve got nothing to lose, cringe is a small price to pay.

I started posting my creative process, my design thinking, my work, even if it wasn’t perfect. And bit by bit, it started to work. I landed a project. Then another. Then a wave of leads.

In a few short years, I went from 2, 3 leads to hundreds. Since then, I’ve had over 20,000 people inquire to work with me. And it all came from showing up online, building a personal brand, being honest, and creating a space in the community that actually felt like me.

2024

I learned the hard way so you don’t have to

Every new client I landed, every failed logo idea, every ghosted invoice, every late night session, and every pricing mistake… taught me something bigger then any book or course ever could.

I learned how to communicate my creative ideas clearly to the people that matter.
I learned how to manage difficult clients and turn a negative experience into a positive.
I learned how to generate endless creative ideas regardless of the deadline.
I learned how to charge what I’m genuinely worth.
I learned how to stop being just a “designer” and become a successful business owner.

I owe it all to failing. Trying again. Falling, missing the mark. And finally, figuring it out.

Now I want to share everything I know. So you can avoid the pain, speed up the process and do the thing you love to do.

2025 - PRESENT DAY

THIS ISN'T A COURSE. IT'S A MISSION

Helping other designers build creative businesses they’re proud of is the thing that genuinely lights me up. It’s why I made templates, tools, and videos for thousands of designers. It’s why I host my podcast. It’s why I talk openly about the hard shit no one else does.

But now I want to do more. I want to go deeper.

That’s why this mentorship exists.

Not everyone has the support they need.
Not everyone has someone in their corner who gets it.
And not everyone has the time or clarity to figure this all out on their own.

I want to be that support for you. I want to help you build something real.
And if I can go to bed each night knowing I’ve helped even one designer do that, then I know I’m doing the right thing with everything I’ve built.

SO, WHO IS THIS PROGRAMME FOR?

This mentorship is for designers who are ready to go all in. To level up. To make bold moves. To finally build the creative business they’re proud of. But I want to be honest, this isn’t for everyone.

this is for YOU IF...

You’ve worked with clients, but now you want to level up
You’re tired of winging it and want a real structure that works for you and gives you freedom
You want to raise your prices without getting ghosted by clients time and time again
You’re ready to take your design business seriously and take action
You’re building a business, not just looking for your next gig
You know you’re capable of more, and you’re ready to prove it to yourself

this is NOT for YOU IF...

You’ve never worked with a client before
You just want to binge-watch some course videos or never finish it
You’re not ready to commit time to grow
your business
You want fast results without doing the work
You don’t want help from someone who’s actually built what you’re trying to build
You’re not in a place to invest in yourself just yet, and that’s okay

SOUNDS AWESOME, BUT I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS...

WHAT’S THE TIME COMMITMENT LIKE?

This is a 3- or 6-month mentorship; you decide what’s best for you.

Each week, we’ll jump on a 90-minute one-to-one call. Outside of that, you’ll just need time to take action on what we discussed.

Expect to spend around 3–5 hours per week building the creative business you’ve always wanted.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I MISS A CALL?

Life happens, I get it. If you can’t make a session, we’ll try our best to reschedule it for the same week. But consistency is key. I’ll hold you to showing up with the same energy I bring to the table. That’s the only way this thing works.

HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM AN ONLINE COURSE?

Courses give you modules. This gives you momentum.

You won’t be watching another pre-recorded video, hoping it applies to you.

This is tailored, real-time support, strategy and creative direction built around your work, your challenges, and your goals. And I’m right there in your corner. You won’t fall through the cracks. I’ll be checking in, pushing you forward, and helping you actually make progress. No fluff. No one-size-fits-all content. Just you and me, solving real problems together.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

I will always be real with you, this isn’t cheap. And that’s because it’s genuinely transformative.

We’ll talk pricing on your application call, depending on whether you join the 3- or 6-month program. Payment plans are available, and you can choose to pay monthly or upfront.

But I’ll say this: this is an investment, not a cost.

The goal here is to grow your income, confidence, and creative impact, so you walk away with a business that pays you properly, attracts the right clients, and works on your terms.

WHAT IF I DON’T LIKE IT HALFWAY THROUGH?

Let’s avoid that completely.

That’s why we kick things off with a free onboarding call before you commit to anything. It gives us both a chance to make sure this feels like a hell yes. I’m not here to sell you something you don’t need. I only take on mentees I know I can help, and who are ready to make the most of this.

WILL THIS HELP WITH BOTH CREATIVE AND BUSINESS STRUGGLES?

Yes. Whether you’re stuck on pricing, positioning, finding your voice, or unlocking better creative ideas, I’ve built this to support the whole designer. You’ll get help on both the mindset and the skillset, so you can grow as a creative and as a business owner.

CAN I MESSAGE YOU OUTSIDE THE CALLS?

Absolutely. You’ll have direct access to message me throughout the week (Monday–Friday). Whether you’ve hit a roadblock or want feedback on something in the moment, I’ve got you.

ARE YOU finally READY TO DO THIS?

I don’t take on many mentees at once. This isn’t some churn-and-burn program. I keep it small and personal so I can give you everything I’ve got. That means spots are limited and reserved for designers who are genuinely ready to grow.

Limited spots available each month