Rewind. It was the winter of 2014: the year of the incredibly moving art installation of ceramic poppies at the Tower of London; the year the cult sitcom Friends turned 20; and the year that many of us poured buckets of ice over our heads in aid of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

As for me, I was in a full time job working for an international non-profit. It was stable, paid the bills and I learnt a lot, but I just couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more out there for me. The creative part of my brain was not being utilised. I needed an outlet! That’s when…

…along came Squarespace! It was such a different way of approaching the build of a website with zero code involved.

To give some context to the technological status quo of the time, Canva had only been out for 1 year and design tools such as Adobe XD and Figma didn't even exist.

Certainly, the drag and drop tools we are all familiar with today were just not really a thing. Until this point, Wordpress was the ‘go to’ or ‘purist’ option for website development.

Squarespace in its very nature was marketed as a website solution that anyone could try their hand at, including the complete novice. I suppose you could say it was looked down upon by website professionals. But I saw its potential!

I wanted to tap into my creative instincts and Squarespace would allow me to do exactly that.

With my technological know-how, I could create and design and really monopolise on all the offerings of this amazing tool, getting websites up and running quicker. All this whilst still working a full time job and navigating all of life’s other responsibilities and pleasures. I really enjoyed doing it! It soon became apparent that there was quite an appetite for this service.

People were more than happy to pay for my skills. Squarespace proved a really favourable option. For a fraction of the price, it had (and still has) all the ingredients for a stellar website, many of which I will elaborate on in future blogs.

Thus on the 3rd November, I took that initial bold step. Made By Dave was born.

How did the name Made by Dave come about? Well it is common practice for a web designer to write their business name in the footer of a site. I thought "Website: Made by Dave" was a playful take on that. It was informal, yet professional and to quote Ronseal, 'Does exactly what it says on the tin.’

Fast forward 9 years, what started out as a side hustle has ended up turning into a fully fledged business. Reflecting back on this journey, I am honestly blown away; I never thought in a million years it would ever amount to this! Being able to quit a ‘stable’ job and pursue an 9 year long dream in the making is truly incredible and unbelievably satisfying. I am so thankful to all those along the way that played a part (you know who you are) in making this possible! 

In the spirit of gratitude, I thought I would share a few thoughts on the most valuable lessons I learnt along the way.

Maybe you are in a place not too dissimilar to my younger self back in 2014?

Maybe you are looking to become a full-time Squarespace Designer too?

Or are you contemplating starting your own business and setting off on your own adventure? Whatever your course, I hope this helps and most of all good luck! 

1. Help Others

I did the work for my first 8 clients completely pro-bono. Why? To get a portfolio that truly demonstrated what I could do. I specifically sought out and offered my service to clients that would never be able to afford to pay for a website, be it a non profit charity, an author looking to exhibit their work or a local church. In return, I was able to curate a portfolio of work that showcased my design and technical skills. It also led to my first paying client.

2. Seek Help

When I didn't have the bandwidth to deliver a client project solo, asking other designers to work and assist me was the best thing I have ever done! It showed what was possible. A collaborative process is always insightful; you pick up tips and tricks from others and gain new perspectives and approaches. Plus - it’s fun!

3. Prioritise Time

However busy or pressured work gets, your family must come first. It does take a lot of hard graft to set up a business and it can be so tempting to keep driving hard and forgo other commitments. But when the going gets tough, it will be your family who is there to support you no matter what. Thank you for the wise words Boyzone!!

4. Have Fun

Don't take things too seriously. When you are having fun, it brings a freedom that allows the creative juices to flow which in turn leads to more innovative designs. If things do get a bit intense, find ways to reconnect with your vision and passion.

5. Dream Big

Dream big and go for it - you never know what is around the corner! I honestly thought the day would never happen whereby Squarespace would approach me to become an expert on their marketplace. But it did. I could not believe that little old me would be able to play on the international stage.....wow!