Welcome to Brand Seasons
A playground of curiosity, creativity and connection
This is your space to nurture playfulness and possibility — an invitation to follow your curiosity, spark your creativity and connect with people who value seasonal ways of living and working.
When I first launched this publication, I hoped it would grow into a place where people gather to explore their dreams and plans.
I created the Brand Seasons Method — a seasonal approach to branding and business, charting the phases of:
🌱 Sowing (Spring): clarifying your strategy
🌸 Blossoming (Summer): shaping a style
🍂 Harvesting (Autumn): telling your story
❄️ Grounding (Winter): building with substance
This evolved into the Brand Seasons Playdeck — a pocket-sized source of creative encouragement funded on Kickstarter — and later the Brand Seasons Playgroup, where 25 creatives explored how to build a brand rooted in strategy, style and story.
Who I am
Hi, I’m Sarah, a writer, mentor and designer.
Through my studio, These Are The Days, I help small businesses blend strategy, styling and storytelling to craft a brand that feels like home.
Originally from Edinburgh, with roots in the Outer Hebrides, I now live in the Scottish Borders, inspired by everyday life with my folklore-loving girl and nature-seeking boy.
My memoir-in-progress explores inherited stories and reclaiming creativity. I’m also developing the Brand Seasons® Playbook, a companion to the Brand Seasons® Playdeck.
This publication is a space for playfulness, possibility, curiosity and connection. I share my learnings through articles and collaborations, essays and podcasts, and ongoing series like Notelets on Nurture, This Creative Life and Paper Trails.
Off Substack, you can find me on Instagram and Pinterest or via my seasonal Inside Story email letters.
New here? Start with my welcome post, say hello and let me know what brought you here.
Why join me?
I created this community to share insights with the turning of the seasons — each offering its own theme and focus:
Spring: A time for Sowing, when we delve into strategy and planning our paths forward.
Summer: The season of Blossoming, where we focus on styling and shaping our look and feel.
Autumn: A time for Harvesting, when we embrace storytelling, sharing our lessons and learnings.
Winter: The season of Grounding, laying the foundational stones for what's to come.
Together, these cycles offer a soft, sustainable way to build a brand and navigate this creative life.
“Thanks so much for the co-working session today! It was a great opportunity to have some accountability. I was impressed by how much I got done, and it was lovely to see some friendly faces on screen too. I'll certainly join again!”
What you’ll find
Whether you're in the nascent stages of business or reshaping an established practice, this is your space to reconnect with what matters — and create from a place that feels true to you.
All readers
I share regular articles and essays, and love a playlist! You can also enjoy:
Diaries: behind the scenes of my creative practice and process
Features: guests on Notelets on Nurture and This Creative Life
Podcast: regular solo reflections and guest conversations
Clubhouse members
In addition to the diaries, features and podcast, you can benefit from access to:
Story Time: a seasonal audio note with lessons and learnings
Press Play: quarterly co-creating sessions for focus and flow
Brand Thread: monthly AMA + access to my resource library
I recommend a year-long membership; there’s real value in travelling the seasons together. It’s intentionally light-touch, not another to-do, but a place to dip in when you’re ready and leave with something meaningful.
Founding members
As well as enjoying free and paid benefits, you can book a Playdate: a 90-minute call to tackle a branding challenge, with a follow-up email of insights and actions.
Want to go deeper?
I enjoy writing about my experience of using Substack and have curated two articles you might find helpful:
Shaping my brand on Substack, about my first six months writing on the platform
Setting up home on Substack, with encouragement for those who are new to this community
And for those seeking to infuse their lives and work with more curiosity and creativity, some popular posts include:
Collaboration fuels me, so I occasionally contribute to other publications. Some highlights include:
a branding series about strategy, styling and storytelling for The Author Stack
an interview about shaping space for curiosity, creativity and collaboration for Story & Thread.
a conversation with Dulcify Journal about business, inspiration and playfulness
a podcast about quiet ambition and the importance of balance with Moments of Moxie
a guest article about creative rest for
“I love Sarah's gentle nudges and thoughtful writing. She really helps me to think more deeply about my brand and that's something I value very much.”
How to stay connected
I’d love to welcome you into the fold and make this a season of curiosity, creativity and connection.
If this resonates, you can:
Upgrade to join the Clubhouse and deepen our work together
Thanks for being here. Let’s make something meaningful — and maybe even a little magical — together.
