IN THE WORKS 05/25
A monthly update from inside PREST WORKS.
Hello,
We’ve had lots of new subscribers recently (almost 200!) after going a bit viral on Instagram. Shout out to every single person who’s joined us – you’ll get early access and 10% off when PREST launches. In the meantime, I hope the newsletter proves to be useful/interesting for you. If you’re not into it though, feel free to hit the unsubscribe button; I promise I won’t be offended.
The email’s a little longer than usual this month, but there’s a ton of value in it if you’re trying to build a brand. So, here’s what’s been happening at PREST in May.
TLDR: Going viral. Finding purpose. A deep dive on branding. The pub. 🫶 Going viral + TikTok
I’ve been actively trying to post on PREST’s Instagram at least 3 times a week. I never planned to be a content creator… I just want to get people making again. But if I want to fulfil that mission then I know I need to be active on socials. I do feel a bit of added pressure now there’s over 5,000 of you watching, but it really has helped to give me the motivation to keep going, so thank you to everyone that’s followed along. I’m still getting the hang of it all so sit tight, some stuff might not work. I’m also planning to launch the brand on TikTok soon. Watch this space.
🔎 Finding purpose
Having a clear purpose is one of the most important things when building a successful brand. In Japan, they have a concept called ikigai which means "a reason for being". Your purpose, according to ikigai, lies at the intersection of 4 circles: what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. It’s a powerful idea. There’s a simplified version of the ikigai framework that I’ve taken from David Hieatt’s DO book:
A branding deep dive (part 1)
I know I said last month that I’d be showing off some of the brand identity I’ve been designing, but it’ll be next month instead now. I want this newsletter to be useful for anyone who might be starting their own thing, and there’s a step that comes before the actual identity design… The brand strategy. Below are a couple of things to think about if you’re trying to start your own thing:
🌍 What change do you want to make?
Brands should aim to change the world for the better. Just look at Hiut Denim getting their town making jeans again. Patagonia fighting climate change. Irish rap group Kneecap championing the Irish language. When you stand for something, people stand with you. With PREST, I want to get people making again.
😈 Who’s your enemy?
Your enemy becomes your drive. The reason you keep going when things get hard. It might be pollution. Or ultra-processed foods. Or depression. Whatever it is, make it big. For PREST, it’s the mobile phone. A powerful tool, and a powerful distraction. Spend 4 hours a day on it (not uncommon), and over your lifetime you’ll lose 10 STRAIGHT YEARS to scrolling. What a waste.
❓ I’ve also tried to answer the 6 key questions below that really help to pin everything down into a format that makes sense.
What do you do? We make notebooks inspired by school exercise books. Simple, tactile and designed to be used for learning new things.
Who are you here for? For creatives who’ve lost their spark. For perfectionists who need permission to begin. For anyone who wants less screen and more soul.
What do you value? Craft. Curiosity. Thoughtful design. Education. Connection. Creativity.
What’s your personality? Warm, intelligent and gently encouraging. We’re here to help you get started, and keep going.
What’s your ambition? To get people making again. PREST exists to help you switch off, slow down, and start something new. We want to reignite the habit of creating instead of consuming.
Why are you here? Because making changes everything. It improves mental health, deepens focus, builds confidence and reconnects us to ourselves.
This will all likely shift and change as PREST develops but for now, it’s a good start. If you want to learn more about brand strategy and purpose, I highly recommend Branding in Five and a Half Steps and DO: Purpose (pictured above). The next step is the actual brand identity design, but you’ll have to wait until next month for that.
✍️ Drawing a pub
A common inclusion to ‘In the Works’ is my personal side projects. I’m working full-time, and building PREST, but I always find time to do other bits; smaller projects that let me explore different creative avenues. This month, I’ve been drawing the Castle Hotel pub in Manchester for my friend’s wedding. It’s not quite finished yet but here’s a sneak peak.
