Ford Field Guides

For pivots, fresh starts
and second acts.

The best time to start that thing you’ve always wanted to do is probably right now.

stylists
writers
fashion designers psychics
dancers
activists
non-profits
coaches
artists
chefs
musicians
educators

Guidance, accountability and no-fluff action for
creative people building things

What are the Field Guides?

They are a living library of branding and design resources for people with small businesses.

Who created them?

The Field Guides are written, designed and managed by me, a real person with 25 years experience working with people just like you.

Carrie Ford Hilliker
designer, strategist, artist, systems thinker, poetic brain
@FordVisuals

How will they help me as someone starting a small or solo business?

This will help you move past overwhelm and indecision to create the beautiful business you want.

What slows us down as creative people:

  • Identity & messaging uncertainty

  • Overwhelm and paralysis

  • Tech aversion and/or frustration

  • Fear of getting it wrong (so not starting at all)

  • Getting lost in the details

  • Budget isn’t big enough

  • Intimidated by taking on a huge project while living a life

  • No idea where to begin

Enter the antidote.


The Field Guides…

  • Prioritize a balance of freedom and structure

  • Focus on evolution and intuition over perfection

  • Integrated system thinking that values the supporting cast
    photography, textures, patterns, fonts are just as valuable as the logo and name

  • Build foundations that can shift without collapse.

  • A mindful but flexible, ongoing integration instead of a big reveal

  • Clear steps get you through the muck of overwhelm

  • Content can be accessed at any point. Use it all, use a tiny portion. Take what you need, leave the rest.

The Guides

Cross the threshold from great idea to real life.

No.1: Brand & Vision Mapping
Get crystal clear on what you want to communicate and bring it to life with intention, visuals and messaging. Moodboards, prompts and templates will help you create a style guide and digital vault for easy rollout. Define and refine your vision, from messaging to visuals. In addition to crafting your brand, you’ll get loads of info, tips, tricks, shortcuts, common blocks and best practices.

TASTE TEST

No. 2: Blueprint to Build
This is the workhorse. How to turn those visuals and messaging into a functional brand: website design, email communications, social media visuals. Build a cohesive digital system that feels polished and true to you.

TASTE TEST

No. 3: Check-in and Check-up
Implement systems to keep your project sharp and consistent. This is what helps to ensure what you’ve built stays fresh, and helps keep you ahead of the game. This guide also helps you strengthen, refine, or steady what already exists, without having to start from scratch. Brand diagnostics, reflections, tidying, polishing. You come out stronger, current, and confident.

TASTE TEST

Each Field Guide includes:

- Up to ten topic areas
- An assortment of easy to digest info, including video, exercises, and external resources
- Access to the Human Help Desk
- New content added every month

What’s in the guides? How does this work?

Think clear frameworks, creative guidance and actionable tools to help you bring your vision to life. Structure, clarity, and momentum are the pillars you’ll grow from. You’ll clarify your direction and voice, then build out your vision. Bite sized exercises, audio guides, resources, videos and prompts will keep you moving. These guides are designed to be digested in realistically small, high-impact doses to keep you moving.

Not another course, webinar, or masterclass with a hard upsell.

How do I use them?

The guides are designed to work both solo and as a group. So each one is complete on its own, but works well with others. They’re meant for bouncing around, dropping in, but can also be followed step by step. Together, they form a cohesive system for moving forward with clarity, momentum, and consistency. Often the biggest barriers to getting there are budget and time.

Why is payment set up as a subscription?

Each guide is updated regularly to keep up with the latest software changes, trends and tech. These aren’t courses, but resources. You could easily get through a Field Guide over the course of a month, or you may feel like you need to stretch out your timeline. Life happens and projects sometimes need to pause, the Field Guide will be there when you’re ready. The content will be regularly reviewed and updated as trends, tech and best practices change.

︵ ︵ ︵

Happy to answer any other questions, big and small.
Click here to email me directly.

The Field Guides are structured as a membership.
This allows the content to stay dynamic and evolve.
It means I can make tweaks and changes based on your needs.
Like a human algorithm.

Simple, straightforward pricing.

Introductory pricing is $35 per month.

Prices in USD. All currencies accepted.
Take what you need when you need it.
Cancel anytime.