When I first started to brainstorm new digital product ideas, I knew I wanted to create something that served creators. I quickly narrowed the target audience to entrepreneurs that wear many hats and value the quality of their work, but don’t always have hours to focus on customization. I happen to know the audience quite well, so I created a persona, named Jessica, to represent the freelance designers, web developers, and small business owners I could design for. Jessica takes pride in her business, but time is her most valuable asset. The strategy for each product idea had to help her elevate her design, fast.

After the initial research, I narrowed the product exploration to three concepts I would pitch: an RFP response template, a UX/UI icon font set, and a display typeface. Importantly, I felt that each idea was a viable product to launch within 6 weeks. The RFP template was inspired by my own experience. For example, when I began customizing proposals, I started winning more pitches. The icon font set was a time-saving idea for web developers. It would offer a simple and scalable set of often-used icons through a modern web font. But the idea that struck me the most was the display typeface.

Why a typeface? Branding is my passion, and type plays an outsized role in it. But I also couldn’t help but think that Jessica is always on the lookout for fresh fonts that make her work stand out. Instead of hiring a typographer, Jessica can quickly download an affordable, well-crafted font to make an immediate impact with her design. This insight presented an opportunity to create something beautiful, useful, and scalable. A new display font marries my personal interests with good business sense.

I’m not exactly sure what style of font to create just yet. But I do have many sources of inspiration right in my hometown. Walking around, one can find hand-painted signs featuring bold, quirky, and original type that’s full of personality. I’ve already started collecting references from local storefronts. Of course, I’ll continue to scour internet sites like Fonts In Use and Typewolf, as well as independent type foundries like Velvetyne and OH no Type Co to understand what makes a display font resonate with designers. 

What I love about the typographic community is how accessible, insightful, and generous everyone is. I set up an interview with Brette Guilmette, and she provided invaluable feedback and food for thought. Rather than spending a large amount on a sophisticated font design program, she recommended Fontself, an Illustrator plugin that costs only $40. And, instead of building a standalone website to sell my first font, she suggested trying a digital venue, like Creative Market. I’m still debating that point. Most importantly, Brette agreed with my business thesis: independent designers are always hunting for unique fonts. “If you can make something that feels fresh but is still versatile, I’d buy it in a heartbeat,” she said. 

In the beginning, my goal was simple: empower creators with a tool that helped to elevate their craft quickly. For me, that makes a bespoke font just the right type of digital product. I’m excited to keep learning and listening, and hope to make something useful and beautiful. The only question that remains is, can I design one fast enough?