About OUTGROWN: Branding for Small Businesses Ready to Be Taken Seriously
You've grown. Your work has deepened and your people have changed… but your brand is still standing right where you left it. Outgrown is for small businesses ready to be taken seriously, whose brand hasn't caught up with who they've become. Maybe your name doesn't fit anymore, clients have gone quiet, or your website is a maze.
I'm Dakota Hunt, brand identity designer and founder of Dakota Hunt Studio and each episode, I share real client stories and exactly what to do when your brand stops fitting your business. Because serious work deserves a serious brand.
I was raised to believe that a woman’s job was to stay home with her kids, and that was the only path. Now I’m a mom of three girls, recording this podcast from my closet, for a business I built mostly during nap times and after bedtime.
In this episode, I’m sharing a big piece of my own story: growing up on a dairy farm in Wyoming, what I was taught a good woman does, and how building my business alongside motherhood showed me who I really am. Then we’re turning it to you. Because your story isn’t just a nice paragraph for your About page. It’s your strategy, and it’s the one thing nobody, human or AI, can copy.
In this episode:
My story, and why I believe women don’t have to choose between motherhood and meaningful work
The 3 things your story does for your business that nothing else can
3 questions to find your story, plus a simple “I used to… Then… Now I…” formula
Where to share your story so it actually works for you (hint: not buried on your About page)
What to do if you think your story is “boring”
Write your three sentences and send them to me at hello@dakotahuntstudio.com. I want to read them!
Know you have a story, but not how to turn it into a brand?Book a complimentary 30-minute Brand Clarity Session. We’ll talk through where you are, what makes you different, and what your brand might be missing.Book your Brand Clarity Session: https://calendly.com/thedakotahunt/clarity (https://calendly.com/thedakotahunt/clarity)
Connect with Dakota:
Website: www.dakotahuntstudio.com (http://www.dakotahuntstudio.com)
Instagram: @dakotahuntstudio (https://www.instagram.com/dakotahuntstudio/)
3 Nov 2026
EP. 6 - What AI Gets Wrong About You (and What It Can Never Do)
People aren’t just Googling you anymore. They’re asking AI. And whatever it says back is their first impression of you.
So before I hit record, I opened ChatGPT and typed in “Tell me about Dakota Hunt Studio.” Some of what came back was spot on. Some of it was outdated. And one line was a total gold mine: it couldn’t find my website at all.
In this episode, I’m reading you exactly what AI said about me and walking through how to find out what it’s saying about you, why it gets small businesses wrong, and how to clean it up this week. Then we’re going deeper, into the one part of your brand AI can never copy, and why being human is about to become your biggest advantage.
In this episode:
What ChatGPT actually said about my business, including what it couldn’t find
The 3 ways AI gets you wrong: outdated, inconsistent, and generic
5 things to do this week so AI (and real humans) describe you accurately
Why AI can copy your words but can never copy YOU
How to use AI without letting it become your voice
This week’s question:If AI described your business to a stranger tomorrow… would it sound like you? Or would it sound like everyone else? Send me a DM on Instagram or email me at hello@dakotahuntstudio.com and tell me what AI said about you. I read every single one.
Searched yourself and thought, “That’s not me”?
Book a complimentary 30-minute Brand Clarity Session (https://calendly.com/thedakotahunt/clarity). We’ll do a quick live audit of what’s out there about you right now (your website, your Google listing, your Instagram) and I’ll tell you honestly what’s working, what isn’t, and where I’d start to make your brand sound like YOU again.
Connect with Dakota:Website: www.dakotahuntstudio.com (http://www.dakotahuntstudio.com)Instagram: @dakotahuntstudio (https://www.instagram.com/dakotahuntstudio/)
27 Oct 2026
EP. 5 - Do You Own Your Brand… or Are You Renting It?
Someone asks for your website, and you hear yourself say, “Oh… just follow me on Instagram.” Or, “It’s a little outdated, don’t judge it too hard.”
That tiny apology is what this episode is about.
Today we’re asking a question that sounds really simple: who actually owns your website? Lost logins, old hosting accounts, websites still under a former designer’s account, and businesses that live entirely on someone else’s platform. I’m sharing a story from an organization I’m working with right now that can only get into its website from ONE computer, and walking through exactly how to take your brand back. Plus what ownership really means: power, wealth, and being able to say “here’s my website” and feel proud saying it.
In this episode:
How businesses lose access to their own websites, and why it happens with the best intentions
Why living only on Instagram means you’re renting your business, not owning it
What ownership really gives you: power, financial and relational wealth, and a brand that can grow as fast as you do
A step-by-step checklist to take back every account your brand lives on this week
How to tell if your website needs a patch, or if the real issue is a brand that doesn’t feel like yours anymore
This week’s Real Question:If someone asked for your website today… would you hand it over proudly? Or would you apologize first? Email me your answer at hello@dakotahuntstudio.com. I read every single one.
Does your brand not feel like it’s really YOURS yet?
Book a free 20-minute brand consultation (https://calendly.com/thedakotahunt/brandconsult). On the call, we’ll do a quick live audit together. You show me your website, your Instagram, whatever you’ve got, and I’ll tell you honestly what’s working, what isn’t, and what I’d look at first.
Connect with Dakota:
Website: www.dakotahuntstudio.com (http://www.dakotahuntstudio.com)
Instagram: @dakotahuntstudio (https://www.instagram.com/dakotahuntstudio/)
20 Oct 2026
EP. 4 - When Your Website Feels Like A Maze
Someone heard about you. They pull up your website… and they have no idea where to go. So they click around for a few seconds, get confused, and leave. And you never even knew they were there.
In this episode, I’m talking about how websites slowly turn into mazes, and how to turn yours back into something that actually helps people find you, understand you, and take the next step. I’m also sharing a story from my life as a parent: the time I almost passed on an incredible preschool for my daughter because I couldn’t figure out their website.
In this episode:
How good websites turn into mazes, one page at a time
3 signs your website is losing people: failing the 5-second test, organizing around your org chart, and talking to everyone at once
Why websites are communication, and what a confusing one tells people about you
Simple steps to clear the maze, including a test you can run this week
Not sure where people are getting lost?
It’s really hard to see your own website with fresh eyes. My $400 Brand Audit gives you an outside perspective. Send me your website and social handles, tell me how you see your brand, and within three business days you’ll get a recorded video walkthrough of what’s working, what isn’t, and where people are getting lost. Plus at least one thing you can fix yourself right away.
Update: The $400 Brand Audit mentioned in this episode is no longer available. Instead, book a free 20-minute brand consultation, (https://calendly.com/thedakotahunt/brandconsult) and we’ll do a quick live audit of your brand together on the call.
Connect with Dakota:
Website: www.dakotahuntstudio.com (https://www.dakotahuntstudio.com/)
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dakotahuntstudio (https://www.instagram.com/dakotahuntstudio/)
13 Oct 2026
EP. 3 - When Clients Used to Come… and Now They Don't
There was a time when the phone rang. People found you, they got it, they signed up, they referred their friends. And then somewhere along the way… it just got quiet.
In this episode, I'm talking about one of the most frustrating places a business can be: stagnant. Not failing, not falling apart. Just stuck. I'm walking through the three reasons I see this happen over and over, and sharing a story from a client I'm working with right now: an established business, led by someone with decades of experience, that went quiet when a newer, shinier option opened across town. And why that's a much more fixable problem than it seems.
In this episode:
The 3 reasons businesses go stagnant: message drift, a changed audience, and a shift in how people see you
How a newer competitor can make an experienced business look like "the old option," and how to fix it
3 things you can do this week to figure out what's really going on
Why the fix usually isn't doing more, it's getting clear
Not sure which one is happening to you?
It's really hard to see your own brand from the inside. My $400 Brand Audit gives you an outside perspective. Send me your website and social handles, tell me how you see your brand, and within three business days you'll get a recorded video walkthrough of what's working, what isn't, and where things have drifted. Plus at least one thing you can fix yourself right away.
Update: The $400 Brand Audit mentioned in this episode is no longer available. Instead, book a free 20-minute brand consultation, (https://calendly.com/thedakotahunt/brandconsult) and we’ll do a quick live audit of your brand together on the call.
Connect with Dakota:
Website: www.dakotahuntstudio.com (https://www.dakotahuntstudio.com/)
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dakotahuntstudio (https://www.instagram.com/dakotahuntstudio/)
13 Oct 2026
EP. 2 - 5 Signs You've Outgrown Your Name
Your name is the first thing anyone knows about you. Before your website, before your mission statement, before they ever meet you. And if that name is saying something that isn't true anymore? It's working against you every single day.
In this episode, I'm walking you through the five signs your organization has outgrown its name. I'm also sharing the story of the Wyoming Women's Business Center: why their name stopped fitting when they started serving everyone, how I guided them through renaming to WyoMicro, and how they kept their history alive without holding back their growth.
In this episode:
5 signs your organization has outgrown its name
Why a name that excludes people can't be fixed with a tagline
How WyoMicro renamed without losing the legacy of the Women's Business Center
Your options when your name stops fitting: a tagline, an acronym, or a new name
Mentioned in this episode:WyoMicro: www.wyomicro.org (https://www.wyomicro.org/)
Wondering if your name is part of the problem?My $400 Brand Audit gives you an outside perspective on your brand. Send me your website and social handles, tell me how you see your brand, and within three business days you'll get a recorded video walkthrough of what's working, what isn't, and whether your name is holding you back. Plus at least one thing you can fix yourself right away.
Update: The $400 Brand Audit mentioned in this episode is no longer available. Instead, book a free 20-minute brand consultation, (https://calendly.com/thedakotahunt/brandconsult) and we’ll do a quick live audit of your brand together on the call.
Connect with Dakota:
Website: www.dakotahuntstudio.com (https://www.dakotahuntstudio.com/)
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dakotahuntstudio (https://www.instagram.com/dakotahuntstudio/)
13 Oct 2026
EP. 1 - My Failed Brand Project (and What I'd Do Differently)
I've been designing brands for ten years. And I'm starting this podcast by telling you about the time my OWN brand failed.
In 2020, I hired a brand designer for Dakota Hunt Studio. I spent $2,000, filled out the intake form in depth, and waited excitedly to see the first sketches. Instead, I got an email that said "Your Brand Is Here!"… and a brand that didn't fit my business at all. It sat in a folder on my computer for six years.
In this first episode of Outgrown, I'm sharing the whole story, plus the four things I look at when a brand isn't working: concept, craft, reaction, and reality. And how to tell whether yours is worth saving or it's time to start fresh.
In this episode:
The story of my failed brand project, and what I'd do differently now
Why a broken concept can't be fixed with better design
3 questions to ask any designer before you hire them
How to know if your brand is worth saving or scrapping
Grab the free Save It or Scrap It checklist: LINKED HERE (https://dakotahuntstudio.myflodesk.com/failedbrandproject)12 questions to help you figure out whether your brand is worth saving or it's time to start fresh.
Connect with Dakota:
Website: www.dakotahuntstudio.com (https://www.dakotahuntstudio.com/)
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dakotahuntstudio (https://www.instagram.com/dakotahuntstudio/)
2 Oct 2026
TRAILER: Welcome to Outgrown: What to Do When Your Business Outgrows Your Brand
You've grown. Your work has deepened, your programs have expanded, your clients have changed… but your brand is still standing right where you left it.
Outgrown is a podcast for small businesses ready to be taken seriously, hosted by brand identity designer Dakota Hunt, founder of Dakota Hunt Studio. Every episode shares real client stories, real examples, and exactly what to do when your brand stops fitting your business.
The first three episodes launch Tuesday, October 13:
My Failed Brand Project (and What I'd Do Differently)
5 Signs You've Outgrown Your Name
When Clients Used to Come… and Now They Don't
Hit follow so they land right in your feed.
Because serious work deserves a serious brand.
Connect with Dakota:
Website: www.dakotahuntstudio.com (https://www.dakotahuntstudio.com/)
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dakotahuntstudio (https://www.instagram.com/dakotahuntstudio/)
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