Let’s take some pressure off:
You don’t need a personal brand to share your work online.

You don’t need a color palette, a tagline, or a perfectly curated aesthetic.

But you do need to be findable.

That means:

• A place where people can learn what you do

• A quick way to see your work

• A link you can drop when someone says “Do you have a site?”

A clean, simple page goes a long way.
It doesn’t have to feel like a whole identity — it just needs to be you, on purpose.

And the best part?
You can do all of that with one page. No branding overhaul required.

I made a free Carrd template called Elevate Design for exactly this reason — a quiet, flexible layout to help you put your work out there, fast.

→ Free for all members (even the free tier).
→ Built with intention, not fluff.
→ Easy to customize, launch, and share.

You don’t need to overthink it. You just need a place to point people.

Start there.

If you're a creative, freelancer, or builder of any kind, you probably already know you need some sort of portfolio. But what you might not know is that a few small missteps — often the kind that sneak in quietly — could be turning people off before they even get to your work.

Here are some of the most common portfolio red flags I see (and have made myself, to be honest). Nothing here is meant to call you out — just offering a few nudges to help you get your digital house in order.

1. Too Many Tabs, Not Enough Clarity

When your site has 6+ pages labeled things like “Work,” “Studio,” “Process,” “Archive,” and “Play,” most people don’t know where to go. They click around, get lost, and bounce.

A one-page site with a clear flow can often do a better job than something sprawling. It’s faster to make, easier to manage, and more likely to get read.

2. Vague Introductions

“Hi, I’m Jamie. I design stuff.” ← okay, but what kind of stuff? For who? Why does it matter?

A single line like:
“I help indie businesses tell their story through visual design.”
…tells us way more and opens the door to real connection.

3. No Clear Next Step

A portfolio without a call to action is like a conversation with no ending. Visitors need a nudge:

• Want them to view more work?

• Book a call?

• Grab a free resource?

Tell them what’s next.

4. Neglecting Mobile

Lots of folks still design for desktop first — but the reality is, many (if not most) visitors will find you on their phone. Take five minutes to scroll your site on mobile: Are buttons tappable? Is the text readable? Does it feel smooth?

5. Outdated or Broken Links

Old email addresses, dead social links, or abandoned projects don’t just clutter — they quietly signal you’re not paying attention. A quick cleanup can make a big difference.

6. Zero Personality

Even the cleanest layout can feel cold if there’s no trace of you.
You don’t need to write your life story, but a short note on why you care, a favorite tool, a color palette that feels like you — these things make a portfolio feel human and memorable.

Not Sure Where to Start?

If this all feels overwhelming, I made a free Carrd template called Elevate Design. It’s a simple, one-page personal site that gives your work a clean home — no design rabbit holes, no decision fatigue.

It’s free for all members (even the free tier), and built to help you move forward fast without sacrificing quality.

🔗 Check it out here

Getting your portfolio right doesn’t mean cramming everything in — it’s about showing up clearly, with intention.

Start small. Clean it up. Make it feel like you.

(When You Have Too Much — or Too Little)

One of the biggest blockers to publishing a portfolio isn’t the platform or the layout — it’s the content.
More specifically: what the heck should you include?

I’ve seen both sides of this:

• You’ve done a ton of different work and don’t know what to cut

• You’ve done some solid stuff, but worry it’s “not enough”

Here’s how I think about it when helping people move from draft to done:

1. Show the kind of work you want more of

This is the golden rule. Your portfolio isn’t just a record — it’s a filter. If you want to attract a certain kind of client, job, or opportunity, lead with work that points in that direction, even if it’s not your flashiest piece.

2. You don’t need a full archive

More projects doesn't mean more credibility. Most people viewing your site will remember one, maybe two examples at most. Choose a few that are:

• Visually clear at a glance

• Easy to explain in one or two lines

• Representative of what you’re good at now (not five years ago)

Quality > range. Always.

3. You can include personal or concept work

If you're early in your career or between roles, it’s completely valid to show:

• A self-initiated redesign of an app you like

• A passion project or fictional brand

• A design system you created for your own workflow

• A campaign you dreamed up but never launched

If it’s thoughtful and shows your process or taste, it counts.

4. Don’t wait for perfect case studies

You don’t need a novel-length write-up to share a project. You can add context with:

• A sentence or two about the goal

• A bullet list of your role and tools

• A line about what made it interesting or challenging

You can always write deeper breakdowns later — just get something out there now.

TL;DR:

You need just enough to spark trust and curiosity. That’s it.

You don’t need to show everything. You don’t need to prove everything. You just need to help someone understand what you’re about, and give them a reason to reach out.

If you want a clean, free template to build on, check out Elevate Design. It’s built on Carrd and gives you a structure that won’t overwhelm you — or your visitors.

If you’ve ever stared at your screen wondering how to structure your portfolio, you're not alone. A lot of us think we need multiple pages, complex navigation, and a separate section for every single project or skill. But here's the truth:

Most people don’t click around.
They skim. They scroll. They glance. And if your site feels even slightly overwhelming, they bounce.

That’s where the one-page portfolio comes in.

1. It respects attention spans

We all want more time and fewer tabs open in our brains. A one-page site meets people where they are. It says:
Here’s who I am. Here’s what I do. Here’s some of my work. That’s it.

It's efficient — and that earns trust.

2. You’re forced to focus

When you only have one page, you can’t hide behind endless sub-pages or vague categories. You have to lead with clarity:

• What kind of work are you proud of?

• What kind of work do you want more of?

• What do people need to see to get the point?

That constraint helps you tell a sharper story.

3. You can build and ship faster

A lot of people never launch a portfolio because they overbuild. Multiple pages, filters, case study layouts… and suddenly it's been six months and the site’s still in drafts.

A one-pager lets you launch fast — and improve it later. That momentum matters more than polish.

4. It still scales (if you do it right)

A clean one-pager doesn’t mean you can’t go deeper later. You can still link to external project pages, Behance, PDFs, or Notion docs. But your home base stays simple, scannable, and useful.

If you’re overthinking your portfolio layout, consider going smaller on purpose. Not because you’re settling — but because you’re ready to be clear.

I built a free template for this exact reason. It’s called Elevate Design and it runs on Carrd — one of the fastest ways to build a site that actually gets finished.

No tabs. No bloat. Just your work, presented clean.

If you’ve been meaning to launch (or clean up) your design portfolio but haven’t found the time, tech, or template to make it happen — this might help.

Elevate Design is a free Carrd template I designed to give creative folks a clean, professional one-page site that’s easy to set up and easy to share. It’s minimalist by default, but flexible enough to make it your own.

No plugin dance. No learning curve. Just a well-considered base for getting your work out there.

I design tools like this because I’ve spent years helping people untangle the digital mess behind their work. Whether it’s job seekers, freelancers, or folks with ten great projects but no home for them — the pattern is always the same: too many platforms, too little clarity.

This template is my way of saying: start simple, start now.

Grab the template here: Elevate Design by Benio.

The Elevate template is free, but only for members of the site. Good news: there’s a free tier, and it takes like 10 seconds to join. No paywall — just a simple way for me to share drops like this with people who want them.

If you want a clean, free template to build on, check out Elevate Design.
Just note: it does require a Carrd Pro plan — but at ~$19/year, it’s one of the lowest-overhead ways to actually get your portfolio out there.

Why Carrd?

Carrd is one of the best tools out there if you just need a solid one-pager. It’s fast, mobile-friendly, and doesn’t bury you in dashboards or features you’ll never use. Perfect for portfolio pages, link hubs, and one-off ideas.

If you’ve never used it before, Elevate Design is a great way to dip your toe in.

If this gets you unstuck, or gives you a new spark — even better. I’ll be sharing more templates soon that speak to the same idea: thoughtful tools, designed for clarity and momentum.

New Notion Template: Certificate of Deposit Tracker

If you've ever opened a certificate of deposit (CD), you probably know the basics: lock in your money for a set amount of time, earn a fixed interest rate, and wait.

But once you’ve got more than one CD — maybe at different banks, with different maturity dates — things can get messy fast.

Sticky notes. Calendar reminders. Or worse… just hoping you remember when one comes due.

That’s exactly why I made this Certificate of Deposit Tracker in Notion.

What It Does

• Keep track of CD terms, interest rates, maturity dates, and renewal policies

• Know at a glance when your next CD is coming due

• Avoid accidentally rolling over into low rates

• Spot opportunities to ladder or reinvest intentionally

It’s built to be simple, clean, and flexible — no bloated dashboards or confusing formulas. Just the info you actually want in one calm place.

Who It’s For

• Anyone with multiple CDs at different banks

• Folks experimenting with laddering strategies

• People helping a parent or loved one manage their accounts

• Anyone who wants to feel a little more in control of their finances

Whether you’re new to CDs or just tired of scattered notes, this template helps bring it all into one easy view — and you can tweak it to fit your style.

Get the Template

The CD Tracker is available now here.
→ Free for all members (including the free tier).
→ Works in Notion (free account is fine).
→ Simple to set up and start using today.

Notion might not be a bank — but it is a great home base for stuff like this.

If you’ve been meaning to get more organized, this is your nudge.

 A simple, steady journaling template to help you slow down and check in.

When life moves fast, it’s easy to go days—or weeks—without really checking in with yourself.

I’ve found that when I journal regularly, even just a little, it shifts something. There’s more clarity. More calm. More space to notice what actually matters.

But to be honest, I’ve also found that a lot of journaling tools either overcomplicate things or feel too open-ended to keep using. So I made something I actually stick with:

A flexible Notion journal that’s structured just enough to support you, without getting in your way.

What’s inside:

• 4 daily core prompts + free write to help you check in and reflect—simple, repeatable, and grounding.

• 11 rotating themed prompt sets that gently invite you to explore what’s underneath. Themes like clarity, connection, letting go, imagination, and more.

You can follow a theme for a while or pick a new one each day.
Some days you’ll write a lot. Other days, one short answer might be enough.

This isn’t about doing it “right.” It’s about showing up.

Why this matters

This kind of journaling isn’t about productivity or self-improvement for its own sake. It’s about paying attention. Creating a little pause. Letting the noise settle so you can hear what’s true for you right now.

Even a few quiet minutes of reflection can shift your mood, your choices, your whole day. That’s what Everyday Inner Work is here to help with.

You don’t need to be a “journaler.” You just need to be willing to show up—with curiosity, honesty, and maybe a little kindness toward yourself.

Coming soon

I’m also putting together a short YouTube walkthrough where I’ll explain how I use the template, how you can customize it, and why I think it’s worth the effort. I’ll add the video to this post once it’s live.

In the meantime, you can check out and duplicate Everyday Inner Work right here completely free for members (you can join for free!): Everyday Inner Work template

Give it a try—see what comes up when you slow down.

Thanks for being here. Be well.