Jess van der Merwe
📍 Knysna, South Africe
A personal introduction on my why
Everything we do is by design.
Even when we think we’re just drifting, there’s intention hidden underneath every choice. The problem is, if you don’t set that intention yourself, life will happily set it for you. And I learned that the hard way.
That’s why my personal brand is called Jess By Design. For me, “by design” isn’t just about being a designer. It’s about living with purpose. It’s about asking, Why am I doing this? Where is this decision taking me? Does this align with the life I want to create?
Because everything needs a why.
How it started
A few years ago, I was studying Architecture. Two years in, life turned upside down. The pandemic hit. My family went through a season of deep loss and hardship. And suddenly, the carefully drawn plans I had for my life didn’t make sense anymore.
Walking away from that degree wasn’t just a choice, it was survival. But it was also the first time I realised: if I don’t design my own path, the chaos of life will design it for me.
So I rebuilt. Slowly. Brick by brick.
Building something of my own
I started freelancing. I built my own brand and business from scratch. I had clients, projects, and this sense of independence I’d never felt before. It was empowering… until it wasn’t.
After a few years, I hit a wall. I realised I had taken my solo venture as far as I could on my own. Growth requires community, and I didn’t have one. That was my next big “by design” moment: deciding to step out of my comfort zone and join a team.
A scary, intentional decision
That decision led me to Magnetic Creative, a global agency doing incredible work.
To take the job, I had to leave the big city and move far away from my family. At the same time, I had to carry certain burdens and responsibilities on my shoulders that, for a while, would feel heavier before they could eventually lighten. But I believed it was worth it for the bigger picture, for a future where those very weights would one day be solved.
I ended up in Knysna, South Africa, this little paradise on the coast. It was beautiful, but it was also lonely at first. Starting again, carving out a new life, was no small thing. But it was intentional. It was designed. It was me choosing growth over fear.
This year: a new chapter
Fast forward. This year, I married Willem, my best friend, my safe place. We brought home a cocker spaniel puppy who has already taken over our lives (and the couch). And suddenly, Knysna doesn’t just feel like a place I live. It feels like a time in my life I'll tell my kids about one day.
And those heavy weights I'm carrying on my shoulders that I was talking about. They have gotten lighter over time. And one day, they will be completely gone thanks to living 'by design'.
Looking back while moving forward
I’m not nearly close to the life and success I see for myself, but I am miles away from the person I was a few years ago to the person I am today. Yes, I still have a lot of steps to climb, but looking back I’ve already climbed a lot.
If it wasn’t for my why, I honestly don’t know where I would be today.
My why
See, when you’ve had your safety nets ripped away, when life has stripped away the illusion of control, the world can feel cold. Fear makes you blind to the good. Small moments slip by unnoticed.
That’s why my why is so clear to me: security, warmth, and the small things.
I want to build security for the people I love. I want to feel and create warmth in a world that can be harsh. And I want the freedom to slow down, notice, and cherish the small things that actually make life worth living.
That’s what drives every decision I’ve made. Every “yes.” Every “no.” Every leap into the unknown.
Why I’m sharing this
I’m being vulnerable here for one reason: to prove a point.
If you know your why, you will not give up.
If you know your why, no one will ever outwork you.
If you know your why, you’ll wake up every day one step closer to the life you’re meant to live and the person you’re becoming.
So my encouragement to you is simple: find your why.
Because once you have it, every decision, no matter how scary, becomes a little clearer. Every mountain becomes climbable. Every season of loss becomes survivable.
This is mine.
What’s yours?