Kate Hendry is the founder of Finbo Studio – a branding and design agency that helps pet businesses create a visual identity that feels just like them.
In this episode, we talk all about how your brand is so much more than just a logo – and how to put yourself out there in a way that feels good.
Kate is the brilliant brain behind the design of my Pet Business Content Planner, and she’s worked with loads of amazing pet brands to help them stand out, tell their stories, and grow businesses they’re proud of.
We talk about how she went from drawing wildlife prints for her son Finn’s nursery and selling them in an Asda car park, to creating brands that go on to win top industry awards.
We cover the mistakes she’s made, the moments that made her want to give up, underpants on the radiator, and what it takes to build a business that reflects who you are.
Kate explains what good branding is really about – not just colours and logos, but clarity, confidence, and creating something that supports you to show up.
She also shares how feeling invisible shaped the way she now helps others feel seen.
We chat about why we need to stop overthinking, how to be brave in our content, and why sometimes the hardest part of business is saying the thing you really want to say.
I really hope you love this episode, and that it leaves you feeling a little bit braver when it comes to being yourself.
Listen in on the player link below and you’ll find all the links to connect with Kate at the end of this post, along with a summary of our conversation.
Key topics and timings:
0.20 – Episode overview.
2.53 – Kate’s introduction and background.
4.02 – How Kate’s self employment business started with creating wildlife illustrations and prints for her little boy Finn and selling them in Asda car park.
7.07 – Understanding profits and margins and why Kate stepped away from her product business.
9.21 – How Kate uses the experience she made with her product business to support her clients in her new business.
13.35 – How Kate fell into the niche of working with pet brands.
18.05 – The process of helping a pet brand work out how to bring their brand to life and represent themselves in a way that feels right and reflects how they are.
23.51 – How her clients are the key for helping Kate bringing their brands to life with a case study with Kate Hart from The Sniffer Shop.
25.50 – The research process and how the passion of the business owner is brought into branding.
27.59 – How the branding and strategy and design is implemented across the business.
31.45 – How a visual identity project worked for Nina Fotara from The Confident Canine.
35.21 – How Kate would brand herself.
40.29 – The confidence you get from feeling the impression you’re putting out into the world reflects your business properly.
43.29 – Why Kate’s own experience of feeling invisible and wanting to be ‘small and quiet’ makes her so passionate about supporting her clients in feeling good about being seen.
48.55 – Originality and authenticity and how this makes running your business easier.
51.24 – Being brave with your content.
52.14 – How Kate is feeling more confident with sharing her thoughts and feelings and not being scared of being divisive and how posting your opinions will help you stand out.
54.45 – Kate’s advice for people who want to stand out and why you don’t need to be polished and professional.
57.08 – Our sharing things you’re a bit scared of saying challenge!
1.01.52 – Where to find out more about Kate.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Find out more about Kate on her website: https://finbostudio.co.uk/
Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finbostudio
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-hendry-3ab751135/
And on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/finbo_studio/
Learn more about The Sniffer Shop: https://thesniffershop.co.uk/
Learn more about Nina at The Confident Canine: https://confidentcanine.co.uk/
Further listening/reading:
Kate Hart on creating Nose Joy with The Sniffer Shop
Should you buy my Pet Business Content Planner?
What is The Planner Club and should you join?
Should you join my Online Pet Business Planning event?
10 creative ways to use awareness days in your pet business marketing
How to use awareness days effectively
Episode summary
Prefer reading to listening? Here’s a Q&A-style version of my conversation with Kate Hendry from Finbo Studio, taken directly from the podcast transcript.
Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you came to run a design business for pet brands?
“I was making illustrations for Finn’s nursery – little woodland animals – and people started asking for prints.
“So I printed a load off, stuck them in cellophane sleeves and drove around local craft fairs and car boots.
“The first one was in an Asda car park. I set the table up next to someone selling second-hand saucepans.”
“I remember going home and being like, ‘This is it – I’m going to be a printmaker!’
“But I quickly realised the numbers didn’t work – I couldn’t make a living from it.”
How did that experience shape what you do now?
“That product business gave me such a good grounding in what small businesses need.
“I learned how hard it is to price things properly, to find the right suppliers, to make decisions that feel good ethically and financially.”
“Now, when I work with clients, I understand what’s happening behind the scenes – the conversations they’re having in their head.
“That comes into every design decision.”
You’ve become known for working with pet brands – how did that happen?
“It was a complete accident. A few of my early clients were in the pet space, and I just fell in love with it.”
“Pet people are the best people – passionate, purpose-led, and often doing what they do because they’ve been through something with their own animal.
“That kind of story and depth is incredible to work with from a branding perspective.”
How do you start working with someone on their brand?
“The first thing I always say is, ‘You are your brand.’
“It’s not about creating a polished version of you – it’s about finding what’s already there and bringing it to life.”
“We go deep into values, tone of voice, customer experience – not just visuals.
“The design comes later. The real work is the clarity that comes from the inside out.”
Can you give us an example of how this looks in practice?
“Kate Hart from The Sniffer Shop is a great example.
“Her business is all about joy – Nose Joy! – and celebrating dogs being dogs.”
“I remember saying to her, ‘This is your brand – it’s joy. We need to lean into that.’
“And everything grew from there – the colours, the language, the way the brand feels.”
How can branding support your confidence?
“When your branding feels like you, it does some of the heavy lifting.
“You don’t second guess yourself so much, because the business looks and feels the way you want it to.”
“It’s like walking into a room in your favourite outfit – the one where you feel good and comfy and totally yourself.
“That’s what good branding does.”
You talked about once feeling invisible. How does that connect to the work you do now?
“I’ve always been the quiet one – the introvert, the observer.
“I used to want to shrink and not be seen.”
“I think that’s why I care so much about helping people be visible in a way that feels safe and true.
“I want them to be proud of what they’ve built – not hide from it.”
What would you say to someone who wants to stand out but doesn’t feel ready?
“You don’t need to be polished.
“You don’t need to have it all figured out.”
“Say the thing that feels a bit scary.
“That’s usually the thing your people need to hear.
“That’s your magic.”
Find out more about Kate’s work here: https://finbostudio.co.uk/
