Built from the ground up
Design Pitch began in 2009 as a practical response to a simple need. Mike Santiago-Griggs required a vehicle to package his freelance work, deliver creative projects and build something with long-term intent. What started as design and digital support for small businesses gradually exposed a more consistent issue. Businesses were not short of effort or ideas, but the way they operated was rarely aligned. Systems, messaging and decision-making often evolved in isolation, creating friction just beneath the surface of growth.
A collective, not an agency
In 2025, Design Pitch was deliberately reshaped. Rather than follow the conventional agency model, it became a collective based in Devon, designed to offer a more sustainable and accessible proposition for micro businesses. The aim was to bring together the essential components of modern business growth, spanning strategy, technology, messaging and design, without the overhead or rigidity of a traditional structure.
Working closely with businesses in and around Okehampton provided a clear testing ground. The approach proved effective at a local level, helping business owners gain clarity, improve their digital presence and establish stronger foundations. More importantly, it revealed that the real challenges were rarely isolated to marketing or visibility alone.
The problem behind growth
As client work deepened, a consistent pattern emerged. The same structural issues present in micro businesses became more pronounced in larger, growing organisations. Increased revenue and activity did not necessarily translate into cohesion. Systems became layered, communication fragmented and internal processes strained under the weight of expansion.
It became increasingly clear that many businesses were attempting to scale without a defined underlying structure. Growth was being achieved, but not in a way that was stable, efficient or repeatable.
Moving up the scale
Design Pitch evolved in response. The focus shifted towards supporting owner-led small and medium-sized businesses navigating this exact stage of growth. The role was no longer to act as a marketing supplier, but to provide a more fundamental layer of support centred on how the business itself operates.
This marked a deliberate move away from activity-led delivery. The emphasis became understanding the business model, mapping systems, clarifying messaging and designing the infrastructure required to support sustained growth. Execution remained important, but only once the structure behind it was clear.
A different kind of partner
Today, Design Pitch operates as a growth infrastructure partner. The work centres on aligning business model, systems and communication so that growth is supported rather than strained. This involves designing clear frameworks for how businesses operate, how they communicate their value and how their digital environment supports both.
This approach challenges the conventional sequence followed by many service providers. Rather than beginning with campaigns or content, the focus is placed on structure first. It is a quieter process, but one that produces more durable outcomes.
Still grounded, now more precise
The original intent behind Design Pitch remains intact. There is still a commitment to supporting smaller businesses through simple, accessible tools and guidance. However, the primary focus is now firmly on businesses operating at a larger scale, where the consequences of misalignment are more significant and the opportunity for impact is greater.
This shift has not changed the ethos of the business, but it has refined where it creates the most value.
Leadership
Design Pitch is led by Mike Santiago-Griggs, whose background spans technology, marketing and business transformation. His experience includes early-stage creative work, technical delivery and leading marketing functions within scaling financial services firms. This combination provides a grounded understanding of both how businesses grow and where they encounter resistance.
He is joined by Prair Farrell, Analyst and Social Media Manager. Prair leads on research, audit and content execution, ensuring that strategic thinking is translated into clear and consistent output across digital channels. Her work plays a key role in maintaining alignment between messaging, visibility and the systems that support them.
Together, they provide a balance of structure and delivery, enabling Design Pitch to operate with both clarity and momentum.
Why it exists
Design Pitch exists to address a gap that sits between strategy and execution. Many businesses invest in one or the other, but rarely in the structure that connects them. Without that structure, growth tends to introduce complexity rather than resolve it.
The aim is not to add more activity, but to ensure that what already exists works together in a coherent and effective way.
Looking ahead
Design Pitch continues to evolve through practical application. Each engagement refines the approach, strengthening the methodology and deepening its relevance across different industries. The direction is clear, even as the detail continues to develop.
The long-term ambition is to establish a model that combines business understanding, systems thinking and execution into a single, cohesive offer.
