What's holding UK business owners and creators back from building their brand?

The design confidence gap.

When your visuals don't reflect the quality of your work, it's easy to second-guess yourself. For many UK business owners and creators, that hesitation is getting in the way of sharing their brand with the world.

Many business owners and creators surveyed (82%) said they've avoided promoting their work at some point because they didn't feel their branding looked professional enough. On top of that, 67% said they have delayed launching a product for the same reason.

Many also felt the pressure of trying to match the slick visuals of big brands. Sixty-nine percent of respondents said they've struggled with comparing their work to larger, more polished competitors, which can be both frustrating and discouraging.

However, the top obstacle they faced when designing for their business was a lack of time (48%). Close behind were perfectionism or fear of judgement (47%), a lack of design skills (38%), and the cost of hiring help or buying resources (38%).

Branding burnout is real.

Design is supposed to be fun and exciting, but for many UK creators, it's become a source of stress.

On average, business owners and creators spend six hours per week on design and branding tasks. That is nearly a full working day just trying to make things look good, and it's taking a toll. Over half of business owners and creators (55%) said they feel burnt out from managing the design side of their business.

A big part of the problem is overwhelm, with 67% of respondents saying they feel overloaded by the sheer number of design choices they have to make. Many also said branding and design were harder than providing customer service (38%), creating non-design content (31%), and managing finances (28%).

What builds confidence in branding?

Tools that help business owners and creators with branding and design are improving outcomes and boosting confidence. With the right support, many are seeing positive results from better branding.

Sixty percent of UK business owners and creators said they improved their branding in the past year, and it's making a difference. Among those who updated their branding, 68% felt more confident promoting themselves. The most helpful tools were easy-to-use interfaces (65%) and customisable templates (55%).

Many people also saw a direct impact on their business. Sixty-five percent said they noticed more engagement, while 50% reported an increase in sales or enquiries.

Tools to support confident branding.

Many design challenges come down to time, confidence, and ease of use. Adobe Express tools can help you quickly create the assets that matter most for your brand, including:

• Logos: Set up a consistent, professional brand identity.
• Business cards: Make it easier to share your brand in person or at events.
• Instagram posts: Build a polished online presence with branded content.
• Flyers: Promote new products, services, or events without starting from scratch.