Marek Who? Makes What?
How I got here
My journey with web design began in the early 2000s, playing Photoshop tennis on international message boards and building websites in my spare time. Over the next two decades, I honed my skills in nationally renowned art schools and working as a freelance designer for small businesses coast to coast.
After years maintaining a career in the hospitality industry while continuing my freelance journey, I decided to shift industries permanently. By combining the management skills I learned working in the hospitality industry with the experience I gained as a freelance designer I was able to combine my diverse skillset working for a digital marketing agency based in Georgia called Stand and Stretch.
During my time at Stand and Stretch, I’ve been promoted from a web production assistant to the web manager, and eventually to the role of Web Director. And I’m just starting to realize my potential. As Web Director, I am responsible for overseeing a team of talented web designers producing industry leading web designs, managing 100+ active e-commerce driven websites, and innovating with every new project.
What do I do when I’m not helping create beautiful, responsive websites for clients?
I love to cook, eat foods fine and poor, make hot sauce, jump into deep water, hike in the mountains, play guitar, sing, make cocktails, spin records, watch concerts, travel to beautiful places, play dungeons and dragons with my sister, tickle my nephews, and spend time with my friends.
Design Process
My approach to a Web project
Information Gathering
I start by gathering information on the business I’m working for including any past work/brand materials, competitors, target market, and project goals.
UX Design/Planning
Using the latest UX design tools, projects are sketched out, sitemaps created, project timelines planned, content gathered, and labor distributed efficiently.
Production
During production, a visual proof is developed for approval, content is optimized, then added to the framework built out, and finally projects are tested internally.
Launch
The final phase isn’t just hitting a button. Projects undergo a final round of testing for server-side issues and making any final adjustments based on feedback.
I specialize in helping people communicate and getting projects done
One of the the issues that frequently arises in project management is helping clients understand the web design process. People hire professional web designers to take the guesswork out of the process, leaving them to focus on running a successful business. Otherwise, everyone would simply build their own websites. But not everyone has time to do this, which is why they come to a professional they can trust to both understand the vision of their business, and translate that into a digital platform that helps grow that business.
One of the most important aspects of facilitating successful client communication with a team of designers is the ability to translate the jargon of web design into a form that those who haven’t spent a career in IT can understand. That means breaking down the parts of a website into real-world terms clients can understand clearly, explaining not just why but how those tools are effective, and helping clients know what to provide to my team for the ultimate success of a project.
My diverse work experience and background in writing informs my ability to communicate effectively both with my team and with clients. I don’t just manage projects, I translate the wants of clients to my team, and my team’s process/workflow to clients.
managing the minutiae so you don't have to
Lots of folks talk about attention to detail, but what does that mean?
As a web director, my role involves managing multiple active production projects, scores of web management accounts for active websites and organizing a team of professional designers to maximize productivity.
I structure task lists, manage production milestones, facilitate communication between clients and team members, and fill in all the gaps in between. Ultimately, the success of a project comes down to my ability to keep my team on task, meet production goals, handle client concerns with grace, and troubleshoot any hiccups in the journey that may come up during the process.
It’s not just getting stuck on minor details, it’s seeing the forest for the trees, integrating each well-turned piece into a cogent whole that exceeds a client’s expectations, and delivering on time and on budget.