New website, new brand, new version of me

Since the beginning of the year, I’ve started waking up with ideas for my own apps, wanting to take on more strategic and consulting roles, and working with founders who build with purpose. While our ScreenSaverz School is still running, it did feel like it couldn’t take all of my new ideas under its (brand) roof. Hence the idea of the website was born.

There are things one has to do once she decides she wants her website done. This post shares some of the activities and learnings from the process.

To solo or not to solo

First, one has to decide whether she will design and build the website on her own, or hire someone to help. Even though my background is in graphic design, I never was an exceptional visual designer. My brain thinks about strategies, and flows, and interactions. I talk to people, trying to understand what they need. I could never really get myself to hone the skills of creating a stunning brand and the visuals that come with it. As it’s a personality thing, we created an article at ScreenSaverz around this topic - read it here.

Along came Made for experts - a trio of amazing & highly capable women, who are helping experts and consultants present themselves in the best way possible. I've worked with Mina Arko (brand designer) and Tea Šfiligoj (developer) before, had a wonderful experience, but having a great copywriter on the team... Oh my. Epic. Urša Jerkič, everybody! <3

I started preparing as I would for any project - by creating a Miro board - of me 😅. My picture right in the centre, I collected what I know about myself and how other people describe me, what kind of work I want to do. Simple.

But it wasn't. Because I have (too) many ideas and interests and musings and wants...

Piecing it all together - part 1

Once the process started, I had to collect my work-life. Everything I had. And everything I hadn't - yet.

(Professional) pics, which were taken by the lovely Tamara Bizjak already a year ago, and I look great on them, so there we go. Check. Easy (only until realising not every space on the website should be populated with my headshots 😂). Next were the list of all the events I either hosted, presented or participated at. Turns out quite some entries, but very difficult to find everything for the past 8 years. Everything I needed to do in this process took at least three times as long as I had anticipated. It almost felt like I haven't yet worked on anything digital in my entire life.

What else? All the projects, clients, and - testimonials. Wow. Getting testimonials from people was the hardest. Some took almost 2 months, and countless asks. If you're not asking the clients for feedback - do it. If they are not putting it on paper - ask them. As many times as needed (unless they say no the first time). As soon as the project ends, so the memory is fresh, and they are (hopefully) happy with you. You should know either way.

POV of that specific moment in time: 'Great, I can sit back & relax, while Made for experts do their magic.'

Not. So. Fast.

Piecing it all together - part 2

What I haven't yet done - define my offering.

There's things I want to do - but haven't yet. The new directions I want to explore. There's things I currently do, bring (most of) the income, and would like to keep doing them. There's things I have references for, but maybe don't want to do anymore (unless...). Any expert in branding or positioning would tell you to focus on one—maybe two—things (and she tried 😅).

What you’re good at, what you can make money from, what drives you, and what the world needs. The holy grail of ikigai. God bless Japanese and their frameworks 🙏.

My website offering strongly relates to who I want to be in my next (professional) chapter. What kind of work do I want to do, who do I want to work with, what kind of products do I want to build. At this point in my life this correlates with = what kind of world do I want to participate in? Cheesy, but - what kind of world (and industry) do I want my kid to inherit?

In the past few years I've been looking at the tech industry and pretty much disliked where things are going. 'Tech bro's' establishing world dominance, building products that are divisive, dangerous, unkind, polarising, for-profit-only, and I could go on. Tech should be saving us, not creating some kind of f*-up dystopian future. The whole industry blindly follows their lead like some kind of a holy grail. I was thinking about leaving the industry. The problem? I actually enjoy what I do. I'm good at it. And I can make money there.

The only thing missing from the ikigai equation? What the world needs. How can I not be part of the problem of the increasingly icky industry, and rather be part of the solution? In what ways could I support founders who build with purpose and a vision of a better world? What can I say, I'm a romantic. 🤷‍♀️

I'm passionate about building digital products that revolve around feminine topics, public health, intimacy, care, democracy, community. I help founders get their first 10k users by shaping strategy around product validation and core features building. I do app audits, where I asynchronously review your app and set you up with fast wins, strategic ways forward and 80% of your usability / content issues. I help newly established teams set up their processes, be more efficient - and keep the team spirits up. For now. Maybe in 6 months I do one of those, and 3 new ones. I'm trusting the (design) process.

More than just a website

In a way, this process I went through was stepping into my power, into the next chapter. A culmination of year's worth of thinking, fighting doubts and fears, debating on pros and cons, and else.

In the past, I would play it safe. I would listen to the advice from all sides - so much, I would not hear my own voice. I would not have pics of my face on every page - to not be too visible. I would hide myself behind projects, founders, and partners. This time I decided to be unapologetically me.

• I decided to have more offerings on the website, and I will test how they do. Maybe I delete some at some point, or transfer them to another domain. For now, they are part of the same - my - story.
• I gave myself permission be very direct with who I want to work with and why, and if it resonates, it resonates. I'm not everyone's cup of tea.
• Focusing on my services in the first stage will give me more leeway and financial freedom, so I can think about products (educational, digital and physical) later. That is ok.
• I gave myself permission to go after the work I might not have relevant references for - yet. That doesn’t mean my experience isn’t transferable. (Hello, impostor syndrome!)

Without further ado - here it is: amedeaderenda.com

Feedback appreciated!

To be continued,

Amedea