I was lucky enough to have an advanced personal computer in my home ever since the first ones hit the market. While other kids played on cartridge consoles, I was downloading games and music from the early dial-up internet, observing and learning about the internet as it grew and evolved.

My first job followed a tour in Afghanistan with the Air Force and time in the Air Force reserves, and I switched gears back to my love of design. I branded a successful South Florida Cuban coffee company and then moved west to spend time in Cali surfing and working for various development and social media + marketing firms.

But, after a few years on the west coast, Florida was calling me back…that’s when I met Shayna and my focus returned again to web design and development and a desire to work with passionate business owners one-on-one.

I’ve seen so many creative entrepreneurs and passionate business owners struggle unnecessarily because they didn’t have a high quality, thoughtful + functional website along with the support they needed.

When Chris and I met and realized how much we had in common and how well our skills complement each other, I knew we could help!

Growing up I would watch (and sometimes help) my dad build custom PC’s and networking solutions for local businesses. I would listen in fascination as he patiently answered client questions and helped them troubleshoot issues. He expertly designed custom solutions for his clients, including CPA firms and doctors offices, to make technology work for their business.

He taught me how to think critically and ask the right questions to make sure the solution fit their needs, not just what they thought they needed.

The world of technology and web development is constantly and rapidly evolving. It’s no wonder it is often difficult and frustrating for clients to communicate what they need! I learned from my father and my experience, it is our job to gather all the information, ask the right questions and put the pieces together to create a solution. Often, it is something clients don’t even realize they need until they have it!

After initially pursuing a path in music I earned my degree in English and Creative Writing with a minor in Business.

A few years later I opened an organic boutique called Butterfly Effect and garnered a loyal following in Sarasota and found myself back in the throes of technology. On a bootstrapped budget I built my e-commerce site and blog for Butterfly Effect, learned about list building and email service providers, managed an active social media presence, and took a deep dive into content strategy and copywriting.

At the same time, I was also writing as the beauty editor for digital magazine startup, ModernHippieMag.com, and my experience provided a framework of understanding and experience in skills like creating editorial schedules and batch editing.

Fast forward a few more years, I met Chris while working with an organic produce buying club, managing 75 volunteer coordinators. Our skills (and love of organic veggies) seemed like a perfect match, and shortly thereafter we launched Cultivar Designs.

Since then, we’ve helped our clients build and migrate e-commerce stores to grow online, craft online courses that land big deals and establish solid local search ranking for saturated markets. I can’t wait to hear what we can help you build online!