For as long as she can remember, Casie had imagined working for herself. Back at university, while most conversations with friends circled around jobs and internships, she was already picturing something different.
She saw a studio of her own, a place where she could design logos and websites for businesses that were as creative and passionate as she was.
After years of working in Wellington and Sydney as a designer, she returned to New Plymouth with that vision still intact. What she didn’t expect was that her dream would take shape inside a converted garage in Fitzroy. The space, with its soaring ceilings and natural light, became the heart of Design Garage. It feels as much like an artist’s retreat as it does a business hub. On summer mornings, she can bike along the foreshore to work, and on weekends the space is full of family life.
Building a business has been far from effortless. Over the past decade, Casie has worked late into the night, taken on challenges she never studied for, and stretched her skills far beyond graphic design. What started with logos and websites has grown into strategy, photography, product packaging design, marketing and business advice. Her clients often see her not just as a designer but as a partner who helps them clarify their vision and push their businesses forward. That is part of what she loves most. She gets to meet people who have put everything into creating something of their own. Taranaki is full of these kinds of people, business owners who are driven by passion. Casie understands the sacrifices they make, the long hours, and the uncertainty. She has lived it herself. Because of that, she knows how valuable it is when someone can take a piece of the load off, whether that is building a website, shaping a brand identity, or finding the right way to tell their story.
In her ten years of running Design Garage, Casie has seen her clients win awards, launch products that travel far beyond New Zealand, and turn small ideas into thriving ventures. The work has impact that goes well beyond design files and marketing campaigns. It helps people reclaim their time, share their passion with the world, and build a business they are proud of.
Earlier this year, Casie stepped away from her studio to join a retreat in Bali with businesswomen from around the globe. The conversations there reminded her why she does what she does. It was not about techniques or tools. It was about vision. It was about creating space to think big, recharge, and connect with people who understand the journey of building something from scratch. For Casie, that retreat reinforced something she has always believed. Design is about intuition as much as it is about skill. It is about listening, noticing, and bringing ideas to life in ways no algorithm ever could. Today, Design Garage is more than a business. It is a reflection of Casie’s philosophy that if you love what you do, the hard work feels worthwhile. Every project is an opportunity to help someone else step closer to the life they imagined, just as she once did.
