Today we’d like to introduce you to Alison Gardner.
Hi Alison, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My path into this work wasn’t linear, which I think is part of what makes Perspektiiv what it is. Before founding the studio, I spent years as an in-house designer in-house and at agencies, and while I loved the craft, I struggled with the ego that so often came with the industry. I wanted to build something different. Something for myself to express, for my community, and for the designers I’d eventually work alongside.
A studio where the work could speak for itself, where opportunities felt aligned, and where creatives had a genuinely safe space to do their best work. So I started Perspektiiv. The name is Estonian, a homage to my heritage and to the perspective we bring to every project.
Today, Perspektiiv is an intentional team partnering with entrepreneurs, visionaries, and established businesses on brand identity systems, website design, packaging, creative retainers, and copywriting. Our clients range from hospitality and food and beverage brands to nonprofits and larger companies that value creative expertise, and the thread between all of them is that they’re building something with real purpose behind it.
How I got here, honestly, was by listening. I’m a deeply intuitive listener by nature, and I’ve learned that the best brand work happens when you can see the highest potential in a business and reflect it back clearly. That’s the work I’m most proud of, and the reason I’m still doing this years in. I have a young child at home and a real commitment to building a studio that runs with intention so the creative work can lead.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Looking back at twelve years, I’d say it’s been overall smooth, but as any business owner knows, there have been peaks and valleys along the way. Some of the most meaningful lessons have come from internal partnerships, specifically the work of finding team members whose values genuinely align with mine and with how we serve our clients. Early on, I learned that talent alone isn’t enough. The way someone shows up, communicates, and treats people matters just as much as the work they produce.
So I’ve evolved our process. We now have a more formal interview structure for anyone joining the studio, whether that’s a project manager, designer, or collaborator, and we run test projects before bringing someone fully into our creative collective. It’s a slower onboarding, but every person who works under the Perspektiiv name is vetted, trusted, and operating with real integrity. That matters deeply to me. Our clients are visionaries who are trusting us with something they’ve poured their heart into, and they deserve a team that meets them with that same level of care.
At the end of the day, my team is everything. We’re here to serve our community well, and that starts with doing things right and treating people right, internally first. When the foundation of the studio is strong, the work we put into the world reflects that.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Perspektiiv is a boutique branding and design studio. Our specialty is brand identity: the logos, visual systems, and creative foundations that allow a business to show up with intention and consistency. Around that core, we offer full-service brand strategy, brand voice development, web design, packaging, graphic design, and copywriting. Everything a purpose-driven business needs to build a strong, cohesive brand from the ground up.
We work with a wide range of clients: solo practitioners like nutritionists, therapists, and yoga studios, food and beverage brands and restaurants, health and wellness companies, nonprofits, hospitality experiences like hotels, motels, and Airbnbs, and established businesses ready to invest in elevated creative work. The thread that connects them all is vision. We’re drawn to people with big visions who are impacting their communities in meaningful, positive ways, and we serve them with the kind of hospitality and care that work like this deserves.
What sets us apart is our approach. Perspektiiv was built intentionally as an antidote to the typical agency model. There’s no ego here, no posturing, no hierarchy that gets in the way of the work. We’re creative partners with our clients, and every member of our team holds an art degree and is a true artist in their own right. That changes what we’re able to make. The brands that come out of our studio aren’t just brands. They’re masterpieces, built with the same intention, craft, and depth that any meaningful piece of art is built with.
What I’m most proud of, brand-wise, is the consistency of the work and the trust we’ve built. Twelve years in, the studio has its own signature: elevated, intentional, soulful. You can feel it in the brands we build, and you can feel it in how we partner with our clients. We’re known for creating identities that don’t just look beautiful, but actually move the needle. Brands our clients are proud to grow into.
If there’s one thing I want readers to know, it’s this: we’re in it for the long term. Beyond brand identity, packaging, and website design, we’re here for our clients’ growth, ready to roll that foundation out into whatever they need as they expand. Print collateral, brand suites, digital experiences, every touchpoint thoughtfully designed for a cohesive and impactful look and feel. Working with Perspektiiv is a true partnership, and we’re here to build something that lasts.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
So many people, honestly. A business like this doesn’t get built in isolation, and twelve years in, I can look back and see how many hands have shaped what Perspektiiv has become.
First and foremost, my team. Every designer, project manager, and collaborator who has been part of the studio over the years has poured their artistry and care into the work, and the studio simply wouldn’t be what it is without them. I’m endlessly grateful for the people who choose to create alongside me, who hold the standard, and who treat every client and project with the integrity I hope we’re known for.
Our clients deserve enormous credit too. The visionaries who have trusted us with their brands, often at really meaningful inflection points in their businesses, are the reason we get to do this work. So many of them have become long-term partners, referred us to their communities, and championed the studio in ways I’ll never take for granted. That kind of trust is sacred, and it’s a big part of why we’ve been able to grow sustainably for over a decade.
I’d also be remiss not to mention my family. Building a business while being present as a mother is its own kind of practice, and having a partner and a home life that supports the work makes all of this possible. My four-year-old, in particular, has a way of grounding me in what actually matters, which has shaped how I lead, how I make decisions, and how I show up for our team and our clients.
And then there are the quieter influences. The mentors, peers, and creatives who have been generous with their wisdom, the friends who have cheered me on through every season of the business, and the broader design community that continues to inspire me. Running a studio can feel solitary at times, but the truth is, none of us are doing this alone. I’m deeply grateful for everyone who has been part of the journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://perspektiiv.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perspektiivdesignco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/perspektiivdesignco
