Today we’d like to introduce you to Janice Schwarz.
Hi Janice, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I began as a secretary for a multimedia department at a book publisher in Austin during the dot com boom in the 90s. I sat in on meetings and learned a lot about web design theory. A few years later, I was in tech support and tired of it, so I decided to try my hand at HTML and making a web page. I was immediately hooked. My first page was so awful! But I loved the experience and kept at it working to improve my craft. Eventually, I got my first paying gig in November of 1999.
Since then, I’ve gone on to stay on top of design and development trends, learning CSS (because it wasn’t really used when I started making websites), working with other languages like JQuery and PHP, and eventually finding WordPress and making most sites with it since 2007. I love what I do, sharing that knowledge with others, and could talk about it all day!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been challenges along the way. Becoming a mother of twins in 2009, while working a full-time job, and running a web design and development business while taking care of a home, has meant less time (and brainpower) for learning more web languages.
At one point, after doing all of those things and going through a divorce, I became severely burnt out and cut back on working on websites for a few years, and closed my old business.
Since this is a part-time project, I haven’t had the time to spend on more social media promoting the business, nor have I hard a sizeable budget for advertising.
That said, it’s best that my business not boom too much as I don’t have the schedule that allows for constant website work.
I’ve also had the people that purchased my old domain pretending to be me and using my old content and client reviews, and I’ve been unsuccessful at getting that content taken down from their website (their host refuses to comply and I haven’t had funds for a lawyer…I’m not sure how much of a case I have as they don’t use my name specifically, just use a lot of my old content, including customer names on reviews and an interview with my ex-husband).
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I just recently finally formed an LLC. I never meant for this to be a full-time business as I work a day job. The benefits and regular paycheck are necessary for me, so I can only run my business part-time, outside of my day-job hours.
In spite of having a limited schedule, I’ve still been able to keep my clients happy and much of my business is word-of-mouth.
I specialize in making fast, SEO-friendly websites, with a quality user experience. A website isn’t an art project and should do more than look nice; it should convert visitors into customers. I don’t make cheap websites that are turned around in a day. That involves skipping too many steps and making a product that technically, won’t perform as well as a website that has time and care put into its craft.
My long-experience, and broad and deep knowledge means I can create a quality product for business owners, non-profits, and individuals. I also spend a lot of time educating my clients about their websites and doing business online (I also share that knowledge via my blog and social media).
I treat everyone with kindness and caring, as many people are intimidated by getting a website and often feel uncomfortable starting that project on their own. People will say “I’m stupid about technology/computers” and that’s just not true! They just don’t have time to learn a new career, which is what happens when someone tries to make a website on their own.
In addition to client education, I also focus on client communication. My clients know what’s going on with their website-in-progress every step of the way. They get full administrative access to their website so that they always have control over their business investment. Once the site is complete, I’m available for ongoing website maintenance and advice. I’m not going to make a website and drop off the planet; everyone gets consistent communication with me. I’m also responsive to client’s reaching out to me and generally make same-day replies to text, email, and phone calls.
What were you like growing up?
As a kid, I was very shy and quiet, and quite the oddball. I was a bookworm for sure and was such an animal lover that I was obsessed with them and learned everything I could. I used to read the encyclopedia for fun. Star Trek and Star Wars were my early introduction to sci-fi, and I loved them as a kid, and have grown to devour sci-fi and fantasy books, television, and film as an adult.
What we didn’t know when I was a kid was that I was an undiagnosed autistic kid. After my son was diagnosed as autistic at age 2, I saw a doctor and received the same diagnosis. My mother said it explained a lot about me as a kid and helped her feel better about me not interacting with her the way a neurotypical kid would.
I didn’t learn to interact well with people until far into my adulthood, and it took years of conscious learning and concentration to be able to interact with people like a “normal” person. Small talk took many years of practice. It wasn’t until I learned about autism that I understood that most people didn’t have to consciously learn how to interact with other people!
Pricing:
- A new website can generally run $2500, depending on the website size. Larger, more complex websites will cost more.
- I offer an hour of website maintenance a month at $65/hour, I have been known to run specials and offer lower prices sometimes.
- A lot of pricing is going to depend on what is involved in the project. These are general estimates, so it’s best I talk with a potential client and learn about their needs before giving a price on a website.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://odd-duck.net/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oddduckweb
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/odd-duck-web-design-development
Image Credits
All images are screenshots of websites that I have personally created – I need to take an updated headshot and can send that to you later if you need it
