The Missing Piece
Bearded Creative Studio isn’t your average design shop. Founded by Simon, a full-time freelance designer with over a decade of experience, the UK-based studio specializes in dynamic branding, bespoke illustration, and impactful visual storytelling. From merchandise and apparel to packaging and full-scale brand identity systems, Simon’s work brings bold ideas to life with clarity and craft.
He works solo, but his process is far from isolated. Every project begins with an old-school touch: pen and paper. Ideas are scribbled, shapes explored, and concepts born before ever touching a screen. From there, he uses Milanote to build moodboards and collect visual references alongside his clients. Procreate comes next for raw illustration work, followed by Adobe Illustrator where assets are cleaned up, traced, and prepped for delivery.
It’s an intentional, layered process-but one with a weak final link.
When it came time to deliver polished work to clients, Simon was constantly frustrated. He had tried Notion, but links would break, and he found himself having to upgrade for basic features like better-looking links. Clients found it confusing.
"I used Notion before, but links constantly broke, and I had to pay more for nice links. Playbook is nice, controlled, and very user-friendly–which is what I want for clients."
WeTransfer was another fallback, but with no visual structure or long-term access, it felt transactional handing over a USB stick with no context or care.
Simon needed something better: a delivery system that respected the thoughtfulness of his work, made client experience intuitive, and could even evolve into a platform for his own studio portfolio down the line.
“I signed up for Playbook for the brand portals. I always planned on being a designer long-term, and I knew I needed that space."
He wasn’t alone in this need. According to 2025 data, 73.3 million people in the U.S. are now working as freelancers, and 75% of those in art and design are flying solo like Simon. In this new normal, finding the right tools to match their creative flow is critical.
In fact, 65% of freelancers already use some form of digital project management software to help them stay on track. For Simon, Playbook wasn’t just another tool, it became the missing link between his craft and delivery.
How Playbook Optimized Their Creative Workflow
With one clean, no-code solution, Simon transformed the final step in his process (client delivery) into a professional, intuitive, and even joyful experience.
Using Playbook’s Publish feature, Simon began building custom brand portals for each project. No more broken links or disorganized ZIP files. Instead, in a single click, Simon:
- Showcased his designs in beautifully organized pre-built templates
- Set permissions on who could download, comment, upload, and react
- Navigated branding packages with confidence, thanks to grouped files and labeled exports
Everything was layered, transparent, and ready to use. Instead of emailing PNGs in a mess of folders or needing to explain how to use each asset, Simon could group four versions of a logo into a single section-all downloadable, all neatly packaged.
He could also brand the experience itself. Simon started customizing banner sizes, switching background colors, and adjusting fonts so each portal matched his clients’ brands-or reflected his studio’s own playful tone.
"It just works. I don’t need to guide clients anymore. It’s controlled, clean, and intuitive. That’s the experience I want people to have when they open something from me."
You can see a real example of how he sets up a client handoff in his brand portal for Marco Restaurant. Each asset group lives in its own board: logos, badges, typography, and mockups. The header is custom-branded, the background matches the brand palette, and he even uses Playbook’s color tool to display hex values right inside the portal. It feels both functional and well-designed. Every detail reinforces the creative thought behind the work.
Even better? Playbook replaced third-party upload tools with built-in functionality. Using Dropzone, Simon could accept client uploads—like social videos or edits, directly into the same branded space. No more bouncing between apps or juggling email attachments.
The Impact of Playbook on Bearded Creative Studio’s Handoff
Playbook didn’t change Simon’s creative process. It simply elevated the final stage.
Today, he delivers every project through Playbook. That includes branding identity packages, merchandise artwork, café menus, social content - you name it.
He’s replaced:
- Notion, which was clunky and inconsistent
- WeTransfer, which lacked structure and polish
And in return, gained:
- A reliable, beautifully branded portal system
- Grouped assets with clean formatting and layered exports
- Flexible templates with quick customization for any client or project type
- A smoother handoff experience that saves support time and reduces client questions
"The clients get it immediately. They know where to click. They can download exactly what they need. It makes me look more professional, but more importantly, it respects their time."
It also streamlined his internal system. Instead of setting up new folders and trying to explain where each file lived, Simon now builds once and reuses templates again and again.
One example is his brand portal for Lil Bean Café. It’s a clean, fully branded, visual space where the client could access everything they needed, including colour palettes, badges, and mascots. It looks polished, feels intuitive, and reinforces the brand experience long after delivery.
Looking Ahead with Playbook
Playbook isn’t just a delivery tool for Simon anymore. It’s becoming something bigger.
He’s considering using it as a full replacement for his personal portfolio website, moving away from Squarespace entirely.
"The template gallery was inspiring. It made me think more about moving my portfolio over to Playbook."
What drew him in? The flexibility. The potential. The polish.
But he’s also vocal about what’s missing.
Simon would love to see:
- Cover tiles for each board, with more control over image and layout
- A Milanote-style brainstorming space directly inside Playbook, to support the earlier stages of the creative process (which 👀 miiiighhttt just be coming out in beta this month)
"Milanote feels like a big endless desk. You just start dropping things in and scrolling. If Playbook could recreate that feeling (that open, fluid space) I’d use it for everything."
Simon’s journey is about more than better design delivery. It’s a story of alignment. Finding a platform that respects how creative people think, plan, and present.
Playbook met Simon at the final stage of his process - and quietly elevated it into something that feels fully his. It removed friction. Replaced patchwork tools. And created space for Simon to focus more on what he does best: thoughtful, strategic design.
In a creative economy that continues to swell with independent talent (and competition), tools like Playbook don’t just save time - they become brand differentiators.
"It’s the kind of thing clients remember. Not just the design - but how it was delivered. How it made them feel. That’s what keeps them coming back."
Ready to build your own? Simon’s portal started with a template — just like this one. Whether you're sending off a brand package or presenting a polished portfolio, Playbook’s one-click templates give you a beautiful starting point that’s fast, flexible, and client-ready. Explore the full gallery here.