Why it took me 10 years to launch this website

After nearly a decade of putting client projects first (and mine last), I’ve finally launched this new site for Starboard. That’s not to say this is the first Starboard site, just that it’s never been something I’ve been excited to share. It was always designed and built with the intention of getting something online quickly and then worrying about doing it properly later. However this time I wanted to design and build something that truly represents what I do, and what I believe in.

A good question! I actually had Starboard re-branded in 2021 by my very talented friend and fellow freelancer Charlotte Simonsen, and before I knew it nearly 4 years had passed!

Since the re-brand, it was just a case of time slipping me by. 2025 was showing quite a clear schedule for me for once, so I made a new years resolution to myself to get it done.

However, on a more personal level, the reason it took this long was because I now truly understand what Starboard is.

When I first started my company in 2007 it was doing everything – web design, web development, video production, photography… I wanted to be an full service agency. However I found that really difficult to sell as a one-woman company, and I just came across as a jack of all trades. I have my own personal freelance website, which gets lots of enquiries (because it has a clear offering!) – Starboard just got left collecting cobwebs.

When I realised Starboard 1.0 wasn’t living its best life, I ended up finding my own personal focus (web development), and then working with clients that truly inspire me to do my best work and make it excited to start work each day. By talking to clients and other freelancers over the years, I discovered what Starboard’s biggest strength was – myself. So I stopped trying to become a ‘we’, and instead focused on the company being an ‘I’.

This really helped me write honest content, based on what my clients have said about why they like working with Starboard. Writing this was the part that took the longest, but once I had my Google Doc’s honed, I could then start on the design.

So I already had my new brand, and now I had my content, the next part was articulating it in an accessible and easy to digest way. I already new the design style was going to combine two of my favourite subjects: space, and synthwave music, so once I’d put together my moodboard and wireframes, the design part came quite easily.

I had also decided that I wasn’t going to rely on stock images for this website*, and so I did a couple days of photoshoots (thank you for your assistance Charlotte, and my husband Dave!). They really set the scene for how I like to work. It’s personable, and unique.

*Obviously I have used stock images for the majority of case study images, but that’s so I could showcase the client work as best I could.

Clean, accessible code is a real passion of mine. As with all client projects, I approached my own site with scalability, maintainability, and performance in mind.

The site is built with a custom WordPress theme using the block editor (Gutenberg) alongside Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) to give me flexible, visual control over content without unnecessary bloat. I’ve kept things lean under the hood. No page builders, no bloated frameworks, just clean HTML, SCSS (compiled with Gulp), and vanilla JavaScript.

I used my go-to CSS architecture (ITCSS + BEM) to keep things modular and future-friendly, and baked in accessibility from the start. From heading structure and colour contrast, to keyboard navigation and reduced motion support.

Everything is version-controlled with Git and deployed via a staging environment for safe testing. I’ve also included personal touches like contextual documentation and editor instructions, so I can practice what I preach when it comes to good handovers (even if I’m the one maintaining it!).

Like a lot of freelancers, I’ve always prioritised client projects over my own. There’s a tension between wanting to put your best self out there and simply not having the time or headspace after a full day of writing code, managing timelines, and answering emails. But I’ve learned that carving out time for your own work isn’t self-indulgent, it’s necessary.

My business has matured a lot since I first started Starboard. I’ve become much clearer on what I offer and who I want to work with. This new site is a true reflection of where myself, and Starboard, stands today.

More than anything I’m proud that the site finally sounds like me. The tone of voice is honest and friendly, and the messaging reflects what my clients often say they value; clarity, communication, and care. It’s not pretending to be a big agency. It’s just me, doing work I care about, with collaborators I trust.

I’m also really proud of the case studies. They’ve taken years to build (and even longer to write up!), but they tell the story of the work, not just the visuals or how the projects evolved.

And while the site is fairly minimal in style, there are a few personal touches I love: the custom photos and the fact that everything is built with accessibility and maintainability in mind.

Now that the foundations are in place, I’m excited to use the new blog! I will be sharing more insights, behind-the-scenes processes, and hopefully helping other freelancers and businesses along the way. I’ve already got a document with about 40 headline ideas ready to go (thank you Charlotte for the inspirational workshop) I just need to write them 😅

Huge thanks to my clients for contributing to the case studies for the site, and trusting me over the years! And special thanks to Charlotte and Dave for helping bring this latest version to life. Your feedback and encouragement have meant more than you know ❤️