I am Jelle Hoksbergen, a visual brand specialist and strategist based in Rotterdam dedicated to helping tech founders build clear, consistent, and distinctive personal brands.
Let’s skip the superficial stuff; my approach is about uncovering the truth of your brand and translating it into a powerful, authentic visual and verbal identity. My mission is to get to the core of who you are as a founder and what drives your vision.
Your personal brand should be a strategic asset that feels authentic and connected to you. It should build trust, attract the right opportunities, and be something you’re proud to share. In today’s world, where authenticity is key, I specialize in helping tech founders create a brand that aligns with their true selves and passions.
Through a collaborative and enjoyable process, we develop a brand that is genuine and consistent, whether you’re engaging with investors or your community.
My expertise lies in helping startups and solo creators develop powerful brands that effectively attract their desired audience. My process is designed to transform you from being overlooked to becoming in-demand by integrating strategic insights with impactful design. Together, we will craft a clear brand story and a bold visual identity that truly connects with people . My services are structured as a clear and progressive growth path for your brand, offering specialized support at different stages:
Social Visibility Boost (2 Weeks):
Focused on quickly making founders visible and credible in the right online spaces, ensuring their social presence mirrors their product vision.
Positioning & Audience Activation Sprint (4 Weeks): Designed to transform your profile into an engine for audience growth, refining your niche, and clarifying your message to stand out in competitive markets.
Launch-Ready Brand Kit (4 Weeks): Equipping your company with a complete brand system, built on a clear strategic foundation, ready to attract the right clients from day one.
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I started this studio because I consistently saw brilliant ideas and passionate founders getting lost in generic, “safe” branding. It frustrated me to witness founders, whose work is often their life’s mission, inadvertently bury their unique brilliance under design that simply blends in.
My drive goes beyond merely fixing what’s broken; it’s about a deep commitment to ensuring your core beliefs and authentic vision shine through. I am dedicated to helping you communicate your true essence effectively, allowing your brand to resonate deeply with your audience. I utilize tools like Pip Decks: Brand Tactics in this process, which help uncover the true essence of your brand (refer to the image on the left).
My greatest satisfaction comes from crafting a visual identity and narrative that truly reflects a founder’s essence, inspiring pride in what we’ve built.
Ready to uncover the truth of your brand and build something truly authentic? Let's connect and discuss how my approach can help you attract your ideal audience and stand out in the tech landscape
An "About" page should feel like the person behind it. This is where my personality, tone, and visuals come together.My journey to branding started with a childhood love for drawing characters, which brought a sense of focus and calm. While I initially studied marketing, I felt disconnected from the KPIs and growth hacks, yearning to create.
Messing around in Photoshop and designing posters for my football team reawakened that creative spark, making me realize design was about making people feel proud. My time as a content marketer further cemented the importance of getting stories out of people and helping them feel proud of who they are.
These are, no doubt, my favorite tools I love to work with. Every tool has a different space in my heart. Find out why.
Beyond the professional, I believe truly getting to know a person is key. It's about uncovering what genuinely excites them, and that's exactly what I aim to do for your brand. Here's a glimpse into my own "favorites" that fuel my approach:
To make things more fun, I’ve gamified the process of building my branding studio. Inspired by the actionable gamification principles I read about, I treat every new skill or milestone as a "quest" that earns me tangible patches. This method helps me stay motivated and celebrate progress along the way.
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My academic journey took a crucial turn with a minor in Experience Design, which profoundly shaped my understanding of branding. It taught me that design goes far beyond aesthetics; it's fundamentally about how things make people feel. This deep dive showed me how to add weight to any experience and make it truly memorable. One of my professors gave us an experience that best illustrates this.
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I thrive on deep conversations and diving into ideas. Whether through reading or writing, my goal is to crystallize thoughts and gain a better understanding of the world. I’m passionate about learning, particularly through a multidisciplinary approach
Despite my love for stationery, I’m fascinated by how AI can enhance workflows and spark creativity. I’ve used tools like Midjourney for over 20,000 prompts to help create my brand mascot, Griddy Gilbert.
You can find my mascots exclusively on Instagram, check them out now.
I'm a big fan of stationery and the analog process. You'll see doodles all over my website because I find that putting pen to paper and writing/sketching helps me get the most clarity.
This year I got my first Japanese Hobonichi planner and I'm not going back ever.
My curiosity extends beyond learning, to exploring the world and its diverse cultures. My latest trip was to Singapore, where I discovered its food culture. These experiences shape my personal journey and the work I deliver.