Stop the incest! It’s wrong. It’s gross. And it produces logos that make people stare and point for all the wrong reasons. If you want a logo that can live without a helmet, hear me out.

For the sake of this argument, I’m going to make some assumptions. I will assume you, as the entrepreneur, have invested a large sum of time and money into your new operation. I will assume you’ve spent months developing your niche and years honing your craft. I will assume your financial investment comes with a heavy dose of risk. I will assume you are fairly intelligent and at the very least, a bit savvy. If you don’t meet any of the above, you can probably stop reading.

Here’s a conversation I’ve heard more than once.

“Who did your logo?”

“My cousin. He’s really good with computers.”

Good with computers how? Make sure you know what your cousin does on them.

Spending eight hours a day online as a level 70 druid in World of Warcraft is impressive and a little pathetic, but that doesn’t make you “good with computers.” It makes you an uber-nerd who uses the Internet as a way of socializing, not as a tool to improve marketability.

Writing software programs or building hardware would make someone adept with computers. It does not, however, mean you are a designer. As a designer, I would say I’m fairly skilled with “computers,” but that means I’m solid with the software programs I use. Throw me into coding and I probably have as good of programming skills as a programmer does design skills.

Now let’s say your cousin actually shoots out some decent work. Was it original, or did he or she pull something off the web? If a graphic element is used, is it vector? Is it licensed?

I realize you’re trying to save cash by paying for your corporate identity in beer, but should you stumble into a lawsuit, you’ll be stuck sipping on Schlitz for the next decade or more.

So your cousin is a designer. That could be true. Who knows, he or she may be a great designer. But, do they do logo work? Some brilliant designers are masters with layout, photo imaging or typography, but that still doesn’t make them a great logo designer. Can they describe your business in one element? Do they use color well? Even as a relative, you need to look at their portfolio. Compare their work to other logos. Put what they’ve done at eye level in a grocery aisle. If you walk past and notice any other product above or below, it’s a weak a logo and you may want to find someone who specializes in identity packaging.

Remember, this is your company. You will be married to this logo for at least a decade. You’ve already ponied up the time and treasure to be successful, so why shave the corners on the most important marketing decision you will make?

Bite the bullet. Hire an agency or a logo firm like urgentlogo.com. We provide 100% logos that are completely yours. You own them entirely. These logos are built in a way that they can be used at any size. We consider times when only one-color applications can be done and design accordingly. And when we’re done, you don’t ever have to see us again at Thanksgiving dinner if you don’t want to.

Keep it in the family when it comes to operation. When it comes to imagination, consult and