How I Became a Website Designer
I believe in the power of storytelling to connect, unite, and inspire. I love hearing stories of the heart and enjoy learning how people’s visions came to life. It helps me understand why people do what they do, inspires me, and brings authenticity to the experience of connecting. It is equally important to me to share my journey with others as well. My journey has taken many different paths and shapes along the way, but at the center of it all was my desire for authentic connection, the need to help others, and lots of heart.
I have been consulting with business owners and operations teams for nearly two decades; working with national mega-brands, small boutique start-ups, and everything in between. I always say I wore all that hats because my professional roles & responsibilities varied greatly based on who I was supporting. My diverse background includes leadership, strategic planning, brand building, integrated marketing, training, consulting, internal website design, program development, and project management. Doing a little bit of everything allowed me to provide a multitude of services that best fit my business partner’s needs.
I spent the majority of my career in hustle mode; a professional people-pleasing multitasker working around the clock. I worked remotely before it was the norm and traveled often for meetings and events. My life was very corporate career-focused with an aim to smash the glass ceiling and in truth, it was exhausting. My family life was suffering, my priorities were jumbled, and I was taking on far too much stress.
I knew I needed to make changes and jumped at the opportunity to accept a layoff package after a corporate buyout had occurred. I had been with that company for a little over 9 years and was pretty spent by the demands of the job. That layoff was a real gift for my family and me. It allowed me to walk away from my job with grace and gave me time to sort out my next steps. I left the corporate world filled with gratitude for the skills built and great people I met along the way. Also, for the life lessons and awareness, those experiences brought me.
I was ready for a fresh start; it became very clear that I needed to turn toward creative, heart-forward work & intentional living. I wanted to put my family first and create an inspired life that best suited us. I set out to encourage and support others in their efforts to do the same and decided it was time to go out on my own full-time. Which were equal parts scary, vulnerable, and exciting!
I had already started my entrepreneurial journey with my abstract art side gig, so I was familiar with the basics that I would need to become a full-time independent marketing consultant. I designed my Squarespace website, created an online course on Teachable, put together a marketing plan that included social media and advertising, and began executing. I landed some incredible clients and helped them with a little bit of everything: website design, strategy, coaching, brand design, social media management, media buying, etc. Those first years were fun, fast, and furious!
Then the pandemic hit and like most small businesses, my work came to a standstill. I was in a frozen state for a good chunk of that time and my capacity to work was not great. There were a lot of other priorities that needed my energy and time. My focus was mainly on my kids and suddenly I became a stay-at-home mom. Navigating through the pandemic and all that goes with it while raising kids is a real emotional ride. It was important to be with them as much as I could be, but I also missed work and felt the pull to get back to contributing and helping others.
Once I was able to unthaw and reengage with my creativity and entrepreneurship desires, I got clear about the direction I wanted to take as a website designer and a brand guide. After an inspirational trip to Bend, Oregon, where I found my clarity on a waterfall chasing adventure, I knew that I needed to a) incorporate nature in my brand and b) get back to my roots by supporting businesses in hospitality, leisure & tourism industries.
I spent the past 20+ years working on marketing within the hospitality industry and have seen time and time again how much of a difference these businesses make. I love how vibrant, resilient, and capable the people are. It’s so cool to see how innovative and flexible they are too!
I am obsessed when it comes to travel and experiences, always on the lookout for what is unique & special. When my friends and family reach out to me for recommendations for their upcoming trip or date night out, I am quick to give them an extensive list and detailed notes! It’s all about helping people have the best experience possible and it’s one of my favorite things to do.
I love working with brands that are focused on nature, travel, joy, and well-being. Businesses that make it a priority to provide an amazing experience and are driven by connection. These are the things that I am passionate about and want to help these industries that have been hit so hard over the past few years.
When I returned with that clarity, I hunkered down to understand my WHY and built out my new business.
My top 5 reasons why I became a Website Designer:
I want to make an immediate impact on my client’s business.
My strategic and creative sides get to come together.
The work provides clarity, freedom & growth for my clients and for me.
It’s a wonderful way to help make my clients’ lives easier.
It’s fun, creative & heart-forward work that aligns with my intentions & values.
I truly love designing sites. I didn’t intentionally set out on the website design trail when I started my small consulting business but quickly realized that I not only enjoyed it, but I also had a knack for it. I saw that website design and management was an area many of my clients struggled with and knew I could help ease that burden.
I love seeing my client’s story come to life and enjoy the process of starting from a blank slate. It’s so fun to apply my marketing knowledge, strategy experience, & creativity to the design process as well. Giving my clients a beautiful and high-functioning online home base that they can easily manage is so rewarding.
This website design work allows for me to work in a way that keeps the focus on my family and helps me stay in my creative energy flow. It brings me freedom, fulfillment, connection, and joy. I look forward to following this path until it is time to shift again.
