Many people think that design is all about “making things pretty.” It’s this misconception that puts creatives first on the chopping block when budgets get tight. Unbeknownst to some, experienced designers are valuable problem solvers. Design is not just a veneer. Good design is how something works and how something helps—functional solutions that are a product of Design Thinking.

With design technology so accessible, it’s easy to think that you can save money by creating your own logos and layouts with clip art and system fonts. But beware: People know amateur design when they see it and it makes them suspicious.

How many times have you walked into a wine shop and thought, how different could these 25 different $10 red blends really be? Then, how often do you default to choosing a bottle based on the label you liked?