We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ayelet Werner a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Ayelet thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the best or worst investment you’ve made (either in terms of time or money)? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)

The best investments I’ve ever made as a business owner have been investments in myself.

Early on, I made a conscious decision that whenever I had the opportunity to learn a new skill, improve my knowledge, or invest in my professional development, I would do it. Whether that was courses, mentorship, software, or training, those investments have consistently paid the biggest dividends over time.

Another lesson I learned was to stop buying the cheapest option. In the beginning, I was always trying to save money by finding budget alternatives for everything. More often than not, those choices ended up costing me more in the long run because they broke, underperformed, or needed replacing.

One of my favourite sayings is, “Buy cheap, buy twice.” Looking back, that’s exactly what happened. I was constantly replacing equipment, software, and tools because I was focused on the upfront cost rather than the long-term value.

The turning point came when I decided to prioritise quality. Instead of asking, “What’s the cheapest option?” I started asking, “What’s the best tool for the job?” The result was less stress, better performance, greater efficiency, and ultimately better outcomes for both me and my clients.

If there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s that investing in your skills, your knowledge, and the tools you use every day is rarely money wasted. Those investments compound over time and often have a far greater impact on your business than trying to save a few dollars in the short term.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I’m Ayelet, and I’m a brand and packaging designer and strategist. I work with clients all over the world and across all kinds of industries, although my absolute favourite projects tend to be food and beverage brands.

Every project I work on starts with a deep dive into brand strategy. It’s actually become one of my favourite parts of the entire process. It’s where we put our thinking caps on and figure out the smartest way forward before we start designing anything.

For me, great branding isn’t random. It’s not, “I like pink, so let’s use pink.” It’s about understanding your customers, your goals, your competitors, and what makes your business different. Every decision should have a reason behind it. I love beautiful design, but I love design with a purpose even more. The goal is to create something that not only looks beautiful but also helps you connect with the right people and get the results you’re looking for.

I work with both brand-new businesses and established brands that are ready for a fresh start, a realignment, or a more strategic way of showing up in the world.

I often say that I create confident businesses for daring dreamers, and that’s exactly what I love doing. I’m especially passionate about working with founders who have a vision for making the world a brighter, bolder, more colourful, and more playful place.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I started building my audience at a really good time on Instagram. Reels had just been launched, and Instagram was heavily prioritising them. I recognised that opportunity early and decided to lean into it as much as possible.

At the time, I didn’t have many clients, a huge portfolio, or even much income coming from my business. But I treated creating content as my full-time job anyway. I think that’s an important lesson in itself. Sometimes you have to invest in yourself long before you see any return.

I was posting every day, often multiple times a day, and I was constantly experimenting. Most of my focus was on Reels, and because video content could easily be cross-posted, I was also sharing it on TikTok and other platforms. I was simply showing up consistently and putting in the reps. Most people dramatically underestimate how much content they need to create before seeing results.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to pay attention to where the platforms are heading. If a platform launches a new feature, whether that’s Reels, Lives, Stories, or something else, there’s usually an opportunity there because the platform wants people to use it. The people who embrace those features early often benefit the most.

For anyone building an audience today, my advice is to focus on both consistency and quality. Great content matters, but social media is also a numbers game. I often compare it to buying lottery tickets. The more quality content you put out into the world, the more chances you give yourself to be discovered.

You can’t control which post takes off, but you can control how often you show up and how much value you provide. The creators who succeed are usually the ones who stay consistent long enough for luck and opportunity to find them.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding part of being a creative is seeing ideas, designs, and businesses come to life and knowing that I’ve played a small part in helping someone achieve their dream.

I often say that I create confident businesses for daring dreamers, and that’s because I genuinely love working with people who have big visions for their lives and their businesses. Being able to help turn those ideas into something real is incredibly fulfilling.

One of my favourite brands I’ve worked on is Joie de Vivre Pink Gin. I’ve had the privilege of designing the packaging for the brand, and watching the founder, Tory, build such a beautiful and successful business has been amazing. Seeing someone truly living their dream, creating something they’re passionate about, and finding success because they had the courage to pursue it is incredibly rewarding.

I get to live my dream every day through my own business, so being able to help other people do the same is easily the most meaningful part of what I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.designbyayelet.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designbyayelet/

Image Credits

All designed by me, Ayelet Werner