Finally, a lot of web designers start out in graphic arts and migrate to the technical side. My experience in the IT world meant Woland was established, first and foremost, on a solid technological foundation. To be sure, there is no “right” or “best” way to get started in web design. But having a strong techie background enabled me to do more complex projects such as e-commerce sites, photo galleries, and database- intensive services like Chai Expectations, an online matchmaking site. One project involved creating from scratch a web- based payroll application for a local company with nearly 900 employees. Building a software application like that is not really web design – but you’d be surprised at how much they have in common.
So, what’s unusual or unique about Woland? It’s a young company helping other young companies build their business and seize the remarkable opportunities that the Web offers. We build websites for entrepreneurs. We know the challenges they face and understand a basic fact: what they often need is not so much a service provider but a partner.
What are some of the greatest challenges in your business?
I think web design is one industry that has not become commoditized yet. Maybe it’s
gradually approaching commoditization, but it’s not there yet. 21
Still, many companies select a web design firm with the commodity paradigm in mind. A startup company on a budget may balk at an estimate because their friend offered to write them a site “just as good” for a quarter of the price – in their spare time. An established company with a seven figure turnover may need to rationalize their large marketing budget by massively overpaying for their website, when they could have gotten a better, more professional result from a smaller, more engaged and nimble shop. Granted, it’s hard to tell if a company is
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