So who exactly is Natalie Faith Web Designs?
I’m a web designer and SEO strategist form Melbourne, Australia. And essentially, I’m a creative nerd. I love all things code, design, data and how you can grow your beautiful webiste in search engines.
I love to learn, and coding always seemed to be that one subject that was intriguing but also a little intimidating to learn. You have to be super smart to write code and build websites, right?
Well, maybe when it comes to the super complex websites, but learning to code the basics is no harder than learning a language – you don’t even have to know it fluently, you just have to know a little HTML and CSS and build it from there.
This is how I started, I learned HTML first, then CSS, next was Javascript, and now I code in PHP too.
Over the years my Javascript & PHP skills have got a little rusty but I still use HTML and CSS all the time to cusotmise client website but I would love to refresh my coding skills again.
When did this all start?
I would have to admit it was MySpace. I remember being 16 and building my profile using lines of code I had learned or copied from a design site I liked.
I would customise my page to reflect my current mood or style that week, and I was 15 at the time that mood changed pretty regularly. I’d customise the background, my profile picture, adding my new favourite song, adding marquees and changing the cursor icon to a powder puff girl or a glittery fade behind it.
Six years later, after finishing high school and TAFE. I had the opportunity in my final year of University to join an online product team as part of an internship for business students at Victoria University, which I was lucky enough to get.
I was the go-to person for the tourism community, being the first to answer thr phone on the Helpdesk, I’d upload their business information onto visitvictoria.com, advise them on search engine optimisation tactics, content marketing advice and provide them with regular analytics reports.
I’m not going to lie, I loved this job. It piqued my interest in web design and development, but for some reason the thought of me being a coder seemed impossible, and laughed that idea right out of existance.
But then something unexpected happened… How travel made me start my business
A year later I became unemployed, and I decided the best thing to do was to go traveling.
I already had friends traveling the world who encouraged me to meet them in Argentina to start a tour of South America with them, so I did. We went from north to south of Argentina, across to colourful Chile, over the salt flats to Bolivia, ate our way through Peru (some of the best fruit I’ve ever tasted) and up to Ecuador and Colombia for Xmas and New year. It was incredible!
During my time backpacking I ran out of money, so I did what all broke backpackers do, worked in my hostel for a free accommodation.
My job was to clean the hostel. I’d sweep floors, clean the hostel, and turn over rooms for new guests.
As I was working, I realised another backpacker was experienced in web development, and earned his nights accommodation by updating the hostels website.
Here I was, breaking my back cleaning a hostel and he did a couple of hours ‘tinkering’ with a website?! This right here, set the wheel into motion and I turned my frustration into motivation. I needed to learn to code.
Making a change to start a business
I started researching and making lists on all the things I needed to learn so I could code and build websites. I looked up Universities and online courses, which offered the best value and flexibility so I could study full-time while I worked.
When arriving back in Australia it took me two years to complete my study of Front-end Web Development and WordPress Development. Once I finished this courses, I lined-up an internship and gave my notice at my full-time job.
The internship fell through, but once I told people I could code I started getting enquiries to build them all websites. So, I started my own business.
Now you’re probably thinking I am crazy. Who leaves a comfortable, well-paying full-time job to start their own business, shouldn’t it already be thriving before you take the leap?
Yes, is the answer to that question! But honestly, I had a now or never moment. Either I would leave my job a start my career in tech, or I would never start and the last two years studying would be for nothing.
Who I want to help with my website design business
Noticing a gap in the market to help female small business owners, I wanted to start there.
I lived in Richmond which is start-up city, and it’s pretty much the Silicone Valley of Melbourne, Australia.
I’d see so my tech companies moving into my area and all with the focus on the big brands that are already doing great things, and taking those big, successful brands further.
Now, don’t get me wrong, good on those agencies for working with these amazing brands. It’s what we all dream of! And, being the sze they are, they have the flexibility to pick and choose who they want to work with, and some of these brands are names you would be crazy to say no to!
While on the flip side, no one was paying any attention to the new, fresh little start ups. The small female-lead business owners and entrepreneurs, who had incredible ideas and dreams. They were being ignored, and I wanted to solve this problem.
By creating a great presence online, it creates that all important first impression between a brand and its customers. I wanted to help the growing community of women starting businesses to make an impact on their industry that is meaningful, unforgettable and ever-lasting.
On 7 November 2018 I took that leap to start my business, and I want to encourage others who are considering starting their own businesses, to do the same and have the confidence to help more people.
Share with me why you started your business? And what you’ll be doing this year to get your incredible brand noticed online?
If you liked this blog post and want to learn more great tips for starting a business, and all things websites and SEO. Check out my other blog posts or join me on Instagram for my value-packed posts on all things small business and getting noticed online.
