Web & Graphic Design

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Taking a few extra moments to read through tutorials on HTML, CSS, Photoshop, and InDesign would be paramount in the long process of creating anything for the public to see. Knowing what looks good and how to create it are very crucial steps.

I have trained many clients these things and now they do a lot of work on their own. You may be thinking, why wouldn't I just keep charging them for all of those basic services? Well the truth is simple; I enjoy seeing other people learn and it actually helps me make my client's project better while giving them a true understanding of why it is better.

Sometimes this is impossible; for instance, in a giant corporation or with companies that just have no time. Understandable. If you do get the chance to learn more about the endeavor you are about to embark on then it will only help yourself and everyone around you. Wikipedia is a great source for learning what some technical jargon means (CMS!). And websites like www.wc3schools.com are crucial for any level of learning about web design.

Good luck and don't be afraid to learn something new!

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. Over the years of painting, drawing, working on the computer, teaching myself programming, customer service jobs, teaching others, working with kids, hunting out new jobs, loving typography and grid systems, and overall just a passion for design I have realized quite a few things.

The more I enjoy a project the better it will come out; so I enjoy every project.

My client is my number one concern and all of my years in freelancing and the customer service industry assist with that.

Just because I can learn everything doesn't mean I need to do it right now (sub-contracting!).

Years of art experience help out a lot in the world of design!

Though it is quite cutthroat, I have managed to meet a great number of fantastic people in the industry.

The client is always right even when I know the solution is taking a turn for the worst. Then I advise to change the current path in a diplomatic manner. Which in turn usually shows them I have customer service skills and they are usually happy with the final result.

Sleep is overrated.

I can travel out of my backpack to anywhere and be at my office.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I have been an artist all of my life and working with computers since the age of 9. Combining my two passions was quite an easy choice. I've studied both in school and spend an uncanny amount of time reading about new trends, ideas, methods, success stories, programs, amongst many other subject related to my field.

The greatest thing about it all is that I enjoy it every day. I love the satisfaction of a client, the process of creating something new, learning a new subject to solve a problem, researching different fields and industries for my clients, seeing the end result and impressing others viewing what I created.

There is endless joy in starting from nothing back in the day and having a list of satisfied clients and projects to show in the present day. Customer satisfaction is as rewarding as winning a competition when all the odds were against you.

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. I recently had a great referral from my friends at www.nakturnal.net to create a fashion blog-styled website for one of their friends/clients. The initial meetings led me to believe it would be a small website with not too many bells and whistles but that was completely off.

After several meetings and multiple themes chosen we settled on one that fit the bill perfectly. I went above and beyond researching, installing and customizing plug-ins for the WordPress theme to meet or exceed the client's expectations. Though I feel that the original quote was a bit low for the time spent on it, I am very happy with how happy the client is and how many positive responses they are receiving.

After finishing Phase 1 of the site we had multiple meetings about the future of the site and integrating an entire community styled format so the site is not only informative but also interactive. This improves SEO, customer loyalty, and increases the amount of traffic because of all the buzz about the site. Phase 2 is underway and I'm excited to see how far we can take the site.

Check out the final product online: www.stylesegment.com