Website Design
Creating a good website is more than just something that looks good. Both form and functionality are key to giving your customers a positive experience on your website.
Wordpress Theming
WordPress theming that actually works is difficult, especially if you are looking for a custom solution that isn’t just a theme that others are using on their website.
CMS Development
CMS development is an art in itself. Thinking like a programmer and understanding how to use and manipulate data are key to the most functional websites.
Midwest Roots
Some people think living in the Midwest is a little bit mundane. I’m a little bit different—I take pride in my Midwest roots. If you do a Google search for “Midwest roots,” you will see tons of results on all kinds of people who are embracing or returning to their Midwest roots. Politicians do battle over the Midwestern states because these states represent a cross-section of the entire country. Midwesterners are solid and authentic. I don’t shy away from what I’ve always known, and I embody this grounded mentality.
My Elevator Pitch
I’m just a normal dude who loves creating websites. I love the challenge of having a design and being able to create a fully functional website from it. I love to look at a website and figure out how to make it more efficient using content management systems. Though I’m sort of a one-man operation, I have large skill set and I pride myself on delivering quality products. Sometimes people shy away from a single-man company because it seems a little amateurish, but I can promise you that I will deliver something that we can both be proud of.
I’ve done hundreds of websites since my first in 2001. I’ve also worked alongside some great companies and individuals including Vangel, Content All Stars, Bobby Adamson, and Johnny Lightning Strikes Again. I’ve got experience, skills, design aesthetic and a certain moxie that sets me apart from other designers. I strive to collaborate with you and create an awesome website that meets all of your needs. Throughout the whole process I’ll listen to you and meet your expectations.
Marriage of Design and Code
This is something that I’m deeply passionate about. Speaking the language of the coder and the designer is something that is incredibly difficult. You often don’t find the those two skill sets in a web designer. Often when creating a website there is a need to hire both a designer and a developer to deliver a high quality product. If you hire one or the other, you will usually get a minimally functional, beautifully designed website or a website that functions well but lacks aesthetic appeal.
When design and code come together it is a beautiful thing. We are infatuated with visually appealing designs, but functionality is just as important. I’ve improved my design aesthetic and coding ability over a decade of experience by creating hundreds of websites, and I pride myself on being able to bridge the gap between design and code. Having a coder who understands the value of design will create websites that stick to the integrity of the original designs and are built with functionality in mind.
What I've Been Learning
The sign of anyone skilled in their craft is a recognition that there are always ways to improve and always things to learn. This is especially true in web design as trends come and go and the industry itself changes rapidly as technology improves. There’s nothing worse than being forced into a box of ‘tried-and-true’ website methods. Good design is good design, but technically speaking, the websites I code today are much different and more sophisticated than what I started doing in 2001 (so happy web design isn’t done in tables anymore).
Recently I’ve been doing a lot of web design using the bootstrap framework, which is ridiculously awesome. I’ve integrated bootstrap into a WordPress framework called thematic. Bootstrap coupled with thematic is incredibly powerful and creates a workflow that simplifies the design process and makes me much more efficient. Responsive design (creating the best viewing experience for users no matter what device they are using) is another powerful tool that can take your site to the next level. Bootstrap is a mobile-first, responsive framework that helps with this concept. However, responsive design is a shift in traditional web design thinking where you are actually delivering multiple versions of the same site. The final thing that I’ve been doing lately is using Code School, which is a gamification-based tool for learning how to code. This is a great tool that I use personally and use in my Web Design class.
My Skill Set
As a teacher in the digital media industry, I wear many different hats. I teach web design, computer programming, graphic design, and filmmaking. I talk creativity, color theory, typography, and design concepts on a daily basis. I’ve designed and programmed extensively on both platforms (Mac and PC). I’ve been an independent learner for years, teaching myself complex concepts and continually looking for the next and newest trend in web design. “Besides developing my skills in programming languages like PHP and Java, I’ve learned to think like a programmer—an exercise in creative problem-solving at its finest.
As a teacher and a coach, I have the natural ability to captivate an audience (you wouldn’t believe the immense pressure of dozens of high school student’s eyes looking at you in front of the class). I can communicate a clear and concise message effectively. I’m a master of writing lesson plans and boiling down important concepts into manageable terms and tasks. I’m a lifelong learner, always seeking to learn new skills and concepts and to better myself.
Experience
22
Years
5
Months
6
Days
Since I Coded My First Website
Web Design in Columbia MO
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