FROM THE DESK | ISSUE 014

FIELD NOTES | Build Trust Before They Buy

If you’ve been following us for a while, you might’ve noticed we’re showing up a little differently lately, quite literally.

More of our faces. More of our voices. More behind-the-scenes from inside the Shoffice Studio (and sometimes the kitchen table).

It’s been a bit of a shift for us. We’re used to building stories behind the work, letting the brands we build take the spotlight. But the more we leaned into sharing who we are, why we do what we do, and how we actually think through things, the more connection we felt with the people on the other side of the screen.

And that’s the whole point. We realised that building trust starts way before we book a project.

Before someone buys a product, books a call, or signs a contract, they’re sizing you up, subconsciously or not. Your brand is doing the talking long before you do. And when people feel like they know you, or understand what you stand for, it makes a difference.

If you’re a small business owner, especially in the early days, that trust isn’t built on fancy design or big-budget ads. It’s built in the little things:

• The way you talk on your website

• The tone in your captions

• The honesty in your newsletter

• The delivery of your message in your videos

• The vibe of your photos

So here’s the nudge: You don’t need a professional photoshoot or a 3-month content strategy. You just need to show up. In a way that’s you. Honest, real, and human.

And hey, by no means do we have this dialled. We’re absolutely still figuring it out as we go, but we can say this with confidence: the more you show up as yourself, the more the right people will show up too.

FRESH OFF THE DESK | The Fathers Guild

A few years back, I shot a DM to a gent by the name of Pat Barber after he launched a new account called The Fathers Guild. I’d followed Pat’s content for a while from the CrossFit world. Both his personal posts and coaching stuff, but this felt different and it hit at a time when we had just gone from one littlie in our house, to two. A time of big transition, and really exploring my identity as a dad.

That message turned into a great connection and over the years we worked on a couple of small design projects, some merch, and visuals together. As that conversation and relationship grew, so did the community. Fast forward to today, and The Fathers Guild has 190,000+ people tuning in for the kind of dad content that really makes you think, feel, and evaluate your own journey of fatherhood, manhood, and showing up for your family.

Now I get to officially join the team and help shape this awesome movement as it continues to grow, bringing in more storytelling, design, and creative direction to help amplify the message.

If you’re a dad, know a dad, or just want to follow along as we keep building this thing out, you can check out the TFG IG, and keep an eye out for upcoming podcasts, new projects, and some fun collabs we’ve got in the works.

Rory

ON OUR RADAR | Ford X Huckberry

If you haven’t seen it yet, the Ford x Huckberry collection is everything we love about brand collaborations done right.

It’s got the legacy, grit, and Americana edge of Ford mixed with the utility-meets-style vibe Huckberry absolutely nails. Every. Damn. Time. The pieces feel worn-in but elevated, nostalgic but clean. Like the kind of gear your dad had in the garage that somehow still looks cool today. No wonder we love it so much.

And it makes sense, this collab isn’t just a “slap-your-logo-on-it and hope for the best” type deal. It’s cohesive, considered, carries a real point of view, and builds a whole story around the pieces. The branding, styling, and creative direction are top shelf. Big props to the designers behind the magic: @fugginhuggin and @sample_co.

This is what happens when two brands bring their A-game and trust great design to carry the weight.

You can check out the collection on Huckberry, or just scroll for inspiration the next time you’re building a brand that wants to feel classic, but not dusty.

That’s it for this week’s desk doodles. From building trust before anyone buys, and designing for dads, to collabs that have us wanting to buy an even older truck than we already have, and a dusty chore coat, we’ve covered some ground.

Appreciate you being here, as always. We’ll be back next Monday with more scribbles, stories, and branding goodness.

Rory & Suz