If I could sit down with every small business owner over a coffee and share just one thing, it would be this:
Your website isn’t just a website. It’s a living, breathing extension of your business – and it needs clarity, intention, and a little bit of prep before the design magic begins.
After almost a decade of building websites for small, one-person businesses (introverts, mums, multi-taskers, dreamers, and everyday jugglers), these are the things I wish every owner knew before starting their site.
Clarity makes everything easier, and cheaper
So many people come to me saying, “I just need a website.”
But what they really need is clarity.
Before you even think about colours and layouts, ask yourself:
What do I want people to do when they land on my website?
Who is my dream client?
What problems do they come to me to solve?
What do I actually want to sell?
This doesn’t need to be perfect, but having even a rough idea saves you time, money, and overwhelm. A website becomes expensive and stressful when we’re trying to design and figure out the business at the same time.
Clarity is your biggest money saver.
Your website isn’t for you – it’s for your customer
You might love a certain colour, a certain font, or a certain layout…
But your dream client may need something very different to feel safe, informed, and ready to buy.
A great website is built around:
What your audience feels
What they worry about
What they need to see
How they make decisions
A beautiful design is lovely, but a strategic design converts.
Words matter just as much as design
Your website copy is 50% of your website’s success.
Strong messaging can:
make a small business feel instantly trustworthy
turn a casual browser into a paying customer
help people understand the value you bring
ease fears, answer questions, and guide them to take action
If writing isn’t your thing, that’s okay! Many small businesses struggle here. But clear, warm, human-sounding copy completely transforms your website. Hiring a professional website copywriter could be your saving grace.
Good photos are worth their weight in gold
You don’t need a full professional photoshoot, but you do need:
3–5 clear photos of you
A few images of your space, product, or tools
Clean, high-resolution images with good lighting
Your face builds trust.
Your space shows professionalism.
Your images tell a story that words can’t.
Photos can make a $3,000 website look like a $10,000 one. Hiring a professional photographer will make this easy for you.
Websites don’t end when they go live
This is the bit no one tells small business owners.
A website is not a one-time project – it’s a tool.
Once your site goes live, you’ll want to:
update it regularly
tweak wording
add testimonials
update your pricing
remove outdated services
add new photos
keep your SEO fresh
The internet changes. Your business changes. Your website should too.
Simple always wins
You don’t need ten pages, a blog, and five service tiers.
You need a website that:
is easy to use
feels calm
tells people what you do
shows how you can help
makes contacting you effortless
A clear, simple website can easily outperform a complicated one.
You don’t have to know everything, that’s the point of hiring a designer
Some business owners feel embarrassed when they come to me unprepared.
But the truth is – you’re not supposed to know how websites work.
That’s why I exist.
My job is to:
guide you
ask the right questions
help you find clarity
create a site that reflects your values
build something beautiful that works for your dream clients
make the process calm, supportive, and stress-free
You bring the passion.
I bring the structure.
Together, we build something you feel genuinely proud of.
If you're about to start your website…
Know this:
You’re not behind. You’re not unprepared. And you’re not expected to do this alone. Every business owner starts exactly where you are.
If you want a designer who works quietly, thoughtfully, and intuitively – and who understands introverts, mums, small business owners, and gentle souls – I’d love to help you bring your vision to life.
Ready to begin? Reach out here, I’d love to meet you.
