Blackfish Graphic Design

What Blackfish Graphic Design does

Blackfish Graphic Design is a privately held creative studio founded in 2013 by Michael Hearne and headquartered in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The studio provides branding, web and mobile design, print design, signage, photography, and Shopify eCommerce implementation services to small and medium-sized businesses in the Hunter region. According to company-stated milestones, Blackfish has completed 418 projects for 72 clients over its operating history, including long-tenured relationships of nearly a decade with clients such as Drift Bikes and Rethink Financial Group.

The studio's technical capabilities center on the Shopify eCommerce platform, with Blackfish operating as a certified Shopify Partner since July 2015. Shopify-related offerings include online store design and build, point-of-sale system setup, payment gateway integration, mobile commerce, and analytics — positioning the studio as an onboarding path for SMBs moving from brick-and-mortar to omnichannel retail. Web and mobile design is delivered through responsive frameworks, while branding work spans logos, business stationery, print collateral, and signage. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; services are quoted on a project basis.

Commercially, Blackfish operates a project-based, one-time fee or retainer model with no disclosed subscription tiers. Its go-to-market is consultative and direct: initial client meetings are conducted in person over tea or coffee, followed by concept development, design execution, and delivery. Distribution is regional rather than national, with marketing driven by the company website, blog, and portfolio work showcased across social platforms. There is no external funding, no disclosed ownership beyond the founder, and no M&A activity in the company's history.

Name

Blackfish Graphic Design

Legal name

Blackfish Graphic Design

Website

https://kfish.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Blackfish Graphic Design is a privately held creative studio in Newcastle, NSW, founded in 2013, offering branding, web design, print, signage, and Shopify eCommerce implementation to small and medium-sized businesses in the Hunter region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Graphic Design Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (54143)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Graphic Design & Visual Communications (Collateral, Illustration) (MPAAAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Visual Identity & Brand Design Systems (BPAFAEAC), Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD), Environmental & Experiential Brand Design (Retail/Exhibit/Signage) (MPAAAEAG)

Keywords

• Graphic design services
• Brand identity design
• Web design services
• Shopify eCommerce setup
• Print design services

Headquarters

HQ city

Newcastle

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Design & Creative Services: Project-based design services including branding, logo design, print materials, signage, and creative concept development. Revenue generated through one-time project fees.
2. Web Design & Development: Website design, development, and maintenance services including responsive web design, mobile design, and email marketing. One-time project or ongoing retainer arrangements.
3. eCommerce Setup & Management: Shopify store setup, configuration, branding, and ongoing management. May include setup fees and potential ongoing management retainers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Blackfish Graphic Design is a creative studio that delivers graphic design, branding, web design, print design, signage, and Shopify eCommerce implementation services to small and medium businesses. As a certified Shopify Partner, the studio sets up and manages online stores integrated with Shopify POS for retail clients. Engagements follow a consult-develop-design-deliver process, sold as one-off projects or ongoing retainers.

Product overview

Blackfish Graphic Design operates as a creative studio offering an integrated suite of design and development services. The core offerings include Shopify eCommerce Websites (their primary technical product for online retail), Mobile & Web Design, Identity & Branding, User Experience Design, Creative Services (logos, print, illustration), Photography, Point Of Sale Retail Systems, and Creative Thinking/Concept Development. These services work together as a full-service creative agency offering end-to-end solutions from brand identity through digital implementation and retail systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shopify eCommerce Websites Design, setup, branding and management of Shopify-based online stores for SMBs, including point-of-sale integration, mobile commerce and payment gateway configuration. Targeted at retail businesses wanting to sell online, offline and on-the-go.
• Mobile & Web Design

Named customers15 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ShopifycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2015Blackfish are certified Shopify partners with expertise in designing, building, branding, advising, and managing Shopify eCommerce stores. They help businesses set up online stores, process payments, manage inventory, and integrate point-of-sale systems. The partnership allows Blackfish to offer comprehensive eCommerce solutions to their SMB clients.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Anchour: Boutique branding and digital design studio serving SMBs with similar scale and service breadth (branding, web, marketing creative). Closely mirrors Blackfish's boutique, founder-led positioning.
• Lemon Design: Australian design studio offering branding, graphic design, and digital services to commercial clients. Comparable boutique design studio model serving a similar SMB customer profile.
• Luminary: Australian digital agency offering web design, eCommerce, and digital marketing to SMB and mid-market clients. Overlapping service mix and Shopify eCommerce capability make it a comparable services peer in the same geography.
• Angry Camel: Shopify Plus Partner agency in Australia that designs, builds, and scales eCommerce stores for brands. Closely comparable to Blackfish on the Shopify partner axis with overlapping design and development offerings.
• Studio Roundhouse: Australian creative studio providing branding, design, web, and signage services. Similar horizontal service model targeting business clients with a comparable project-based engagement style.
• Reload Media: Australia-based digital agency with a strong eCommerce and Shopify practice, serving SMB clients nationally. Directly competes with Blackfish for Shopify implementation and design engagements.
• Digital Ethos: Australian digital agency combining web design, eCommerce, and digital marketing. Competes in the same Shopify-and-SMB segment with comparable scope of services.

Broad incumbents

• Thinkerbell: Larger Australian creative, PR, and brand agency. Overlaps with Blackfish on branding and creative concept development but operates at significantly greater scale and broader scope, including earned media.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BlackfishDesign
• Facebookfacebook.com/BlackfishDesign
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blackfish-graphic-design
• Instagraminstagram.com/micfu
• Pinterestpinterest.com/blackfishdesign

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Blackfish Graphic Design