Really appreciate you taking the time to write this out — and honestly, I agree with a lot of what you said. It’s tricky, especially when many studios default to showcasing just the branding layer, even when their work goes much deeper.
That said, this is exactly the kind of feedback we built Find Design Agency to respond to.
I totally get it — having taste usually comes from people who’ve shipped a lot, across different kinds of work. Design-led founders often bring that naturally because they’re in a position to experiment freely and shape the product from the top.
But at the same time, designers also need to individually ship and build that muscle themselves.
Personally, I really admire what the founder of mymind.com does — it’s pure craft, refined through years of experimentation.
That said, I believe the best design studios are the ones that sit close to the founder and ship alongside them — not just for them.
That said, this is exactly the kind of feedback we built Find Design Agency to respond to.