Seasons, storytelling, and slow branding: Meet Sarah of These Are The Days

Behind the Brand is a celebration of the brilliant people behind the businesses I work with — exploring their creative inspiration, daily challenges, proudest moments, and the values that shape their work.

This time, I’m chatting with Sarah Robertson, the designer, writer, and creative mind behind These Are The Days. From launching her own studio and embracing a seasonal approach to building a brand, to creating a beautifully tactile playdeck (which I was lucky enough to help print), Sarah shares the heart behind her work.

Sarah, tell us a little about your creative journey — how did These Are the Days come to life?

After years building a business alongside my partner, I found myself craving a calmer, more grounded way of working. My decision to pivot from agency setup to freelance studio felt like a leap, but it was the right decision for me, and I sometimes have the flexibility to explore other creative projects too.

Supporting people as they shape their brand identity is such a central part of their journey. What’s it like to see those brands take shape, and to watch their stories unfold over time?

It’s a real privilege to bring a brand identity to life. This is someone putting their brand in your hands, and to see those early ideas grow into an expression of their vision and values is incredible really. Watching creatives, founders and writers step into clarity and confidence — and knowing that the visuals we created are playing a small part — makes me feel lucky to do the job I do.

I know nature and seasonality are a big influence in your work. What first drew you to that slower, more cyclical way of working, and how do the seasons shape your creative process today?

I think it started as a survival instinct. After extreme physical burnout and navigating chronic illness, I realised I couldn’t keep pushing through. Learning that we can draw on the characteristics of each season has made a real difference to how I plan my offerings and spend my energy. I don’t always get it right… but I enjoy noticing how the creative process moves in cycles and appreciate going inward after an outward season.

“I always remind my clients to follow their feelings during the branding process. This isn’t always easy because we can get up in our heads when making decisions. But that gut instinct is vital.”

What does a typical day look like for you? Do you have any rituals or routines that help you ease into your creative work?

With two young children, eight years apart, no two days are ever quite the same! But once they’re safely at school and nursery I try to reset with a cuppa as I catch up on emails, planning and socials. I used to love writing first thing — it’s a habit I’ve fallen out of — but I remind myself that this is just a season and that even the tiny rituals such as lighting candles and choosing music can still help me shift into a creative state of mind.

Last year you launched your beautiful Brand Seasons Playdeck and This Creative Life journal. What inspired those ideas, and how did they evolve over time?

The Brand Seasons Playdeck grew from the work I was already doing — helping people connect with their brand strategy, style and story, and the card deck was my attempt to put some aspects of the process into printed form. I enjoy tools that feel nourishing, playful and spacious, and that pulled me to create something of my own. I think branding can feel quite serious, and my hope was that people might engage with the process in a new way after encountering the cards.

This Creative Life was a separate project but it felt important to devote “launch” energy to it around the same time because it mightn’t have happened otherwise. I love writing, enjoy collaborating, and had always wanted to make a zine of some kind, and since I was already running an online series of guest blogs under This Creative Life, it made sense to build on that. I do wonder now if it was the right time for the zine because my individual energy could only take me so far, but it’s important to experiment and I still believe in trying new things.

This or that?

In the studio or out in nature?

Sunrise or sunset?

Biscuit or cake?

Adventure or slow weekend?

City streets or countryside paths?

Handmade or ready-made?

Cosy night in or evening out?

Coffee or tea? 

Podcast or playlist? 

Sketchbook or screen?

You ran an incredibly successful Kickstarter to bring those projects to life — what was that experience like? It must’ve been an intense few weeks!

It was a whirlwind — vulnerable, invigorating, connective! I documented the whole process in real time, which helped me stay grounded and honest over the month-long campaign, which I then extended by a week. I remember thinking ‘I must be mad’ because it was a lot, but in that stretch I was supported by Creative Scotland, so it was totally worthwhile! Seeing the support come in — from long-time followers and complete strangers — was incredibly moving. It reminded me that we’re not building in a vacuum. When we share openly, people do show up.

I was delighted to print some elements of the Brand Playdeck. What made letterpress feel like the right choice — was a tactile print method always a part of your vision?

It was! From the beginning, I knew I wanted the deck to feel like something you hold, or play with, not just “use” if that makes sense? Letterpress gave the cards a softness and texture that reflects the tone of the work itself… slow and sensory I think and while it was demanding for both of us at times I loved working through it together. For me, that shared sense of collaboration (and completion!) brought more warmth and depth to the final piece.

You also host a wonderful podcast and run a Substack community. Storytelling seems to run through everything you do — does it feel like a natural extension of your branding work?

Absolutely. I think stories are how we make sense of who we are and what we’re here to offer. Branding, at its core, is storytelling — visual and verbal! And I think starting a Substack publication then podcast gave me space to explore that more personally, to reflect on my own journey and share the behind-the-scenes of crafting a brand from the inside out. I hope it makes the idea of branding way more accessible to small businesses too.

What’s been one of your proudest moments so far?

Deciding to launch These Are The Days. On paper it felt like a terrible decision to step away from the day-to-day running of a business I’d focused on for so long, but creating and pivoting into something new gave me permission to follow and support my energy in ways I never had.

And one of your biggest challenges?

Navigating grief while keeping a business going. But in that time, my perspective and my identity shifted, so I was also able to rebuild from a place of understanding and imperfection and enoughness… it was tough but it was also a real wake up call for me.

What advice would you give to other creatives looking to build a more seasonal, sustainable business?

Start by listening. To your energy, your rhythms, your values. You don’t need to do everything at once.

What’s next for you? Are there any projects or ideas on the horizon that you’re excited about?

This summer I’m running Brand Camp, a six-week email retreat to help people reconnect with their brand vision, values and voice. I’m also excited to see some client projects out in the wild, such as Your Woven Year by Sarah Philp of Saorsa Psychology! It’s a hybrid journal, notebook and planner, and you did a lovely job of the wildflower bookmarks. I’m also dreaming into the next chapter of These Are The Days and looking forward to quietening down for a while.

And finally — for anyone who wants to explore more of your work, where can they find you?

You can find my website at thesearethedays.co, connect with me on Instagram @thesearethedays.co, or join me over on Substack at brandseasons.substack.com. That’s where I share regular articles, essays and reflections, stories, and seasonal invitations. And the podcast is always there for a listen on your next walk!

Photo credits: All images by Anna Considine, Studio Gently, except portrait image by Aiste Saulyte.