PERSPECTIVE

Now based in San Diego

VeryCleverDesign is now based out of San Diego. Working hours are on Pacific Standard Time. My availability will be limited as I take on a renovation project through Summer 2022.

Why Redesign?

Why redesign your website? At some point you can't ignore that the website solution you designed yesterday isn't right for the problems you face today. New design trends might make you feel the need for a makeover. What’s more important is understanding changes in user behavior that drive new trends and coming up with a response that makes sense for your business context.

WordPress vs SaaS

A SaaS website builder like Squarespace is a good alternative to WordPress for many small business websites. I provide a short overview of the strengths and weaknesses of the SaaS approach compared to WordPress or other open-source based solutions.

The Right SaaS

Pick the right SaaS provider for your small business website. I walk through the process that I use to match services with the business needs of my clients and narrow the field to a manageable number of contenders. Examples of typical basic, upgrade and advanced features for different business cases are presented along with their benefits.

Shopify Ecommerce Websites

The Shopify Ecommerce platform offers a significant step up from Squarespace. Its features include: Strong support for different online channels - In-Person Point-of Sale - Wholesale - Customer Accounts with Recurring Payments

Carrd Microsites

A single page microsite from Carrd.co is a good approach for businesses who want a simple fully responsive online point of contact. The product is geared towards techies who understand how HTML and CSS work but don't want to hand code their websites.

Why Hire a Website Designer?

Many website builders promote themselves as DIY (do-it-yourself) solutions where no designer or developer is needed. Is it worth your time to DIY? When would hiring a designer help your website achieve your business goals faster and better results than DIY?

Los Angeles to Hong Kong

Our family relocated to Hong Kong from LA in August 2018. I will continue to maintain VeryCleverDesign as a California based company and build websites for clients remotely through email, WhatsApp, and Skype. Here are a few first impressions on my new location.

Which Email?

If you've been using email since the 90's (or earlier) choosing a new email for your small business isn't simple. Email accounts and associated passwords are now the keys to your online life. Compartmentalize them into separate personal and professional silos to balance your convenience, security, and privacy.