So you can get a feel for who might be working with you to get your own business online, I lay out my stall here. If you’ve queries about how how I can help your website project, don’t hesitate to contact me.
My career in brief
I’ll try to be brief as I’ve a few years under my belt before launching Creatista. I come from a journalism, editorial, training and copywriting background originally, and moved into all things web in the early noughties. I’ve handled all manner of web project from architecture and content delivery for both large, complex sites as well as website development on WordPress for SMEs, solopreneurs and NGOs.
Earlier in my career I worked in London in the press office at the European Commission; in marketing with one of the ‘big eight’ accounting firms; and as a client account handler with an international advertising agency. All experiences I put to work for you in online brand and communications strategy.
I’ve taught myself WordPress tech and Photoshop and am a committed life-long learner after several stints in academia. I hold a BA (Hons) European Studies (Bath); a post-graduate Diploma in Journalism (City, London); and a Masters with distinction in Digital Media (Sussex). I speak German and Italian and have conversational French – which comes in handy to help with my son’s homework!
I am a serial blogger having started out in 2004 with a mommy blog! I still run destination blog Maltainsideout.com and a food blog The Red Bistro.
How did I get into WordPress?
Inevitably, running my many WordPress blogs, I ended up having to look at the code to get the blogs the way I wanted them. I realised that I loved the techie side of WordPress just as much as the content; and in the spirit of life-long learning, and wanting to add to my portfolio of skills, I did a masters in digital media and carried on with learning coding – CSS, html and lately php. I just love the purity of code – the way it’s either right or wrong; and I love searching for answers to how to get things right. The nerdy bit of me was born and I’ve not looked back!
Why I started Creatista Design
I started Creatista for two reasons: firstly, I had been dreaming of offering my WordPress know-how formally since doing several sites without my own branded business behind me. Friends and local firms I’ve done sites for urged me to get my own services online.
Secondly, through Creatista, I wish to encourage other women to fulfill their solopreneur dreams and build online businesses. I also want to see how I can use Creatista as a platform to rally girls to take up tech as a career, or to learn more tech to empower themselves, whichever route they take in life. I am already looking at ways to contribute a percentage of each sale I make here to sustainable NGOs or similar entities that are helping women get into technology.
What you can expect working with me
You’ll get my 100% and more! I never promise what I can’t deliver and I give you my full attention during our project together. I like to say that with my varied career, spanning advertising, communications, content, strategy consulting and web development, that you find in me someone who can really see the bigger picture of your website. It’s not just about the pretty font-end. I ensure we work as much on your strategy and goals to create an effective website as on focusing on the pretty theme, colours and code.
As I am a solopreneur, I obviously work on only so many projects at a time. I therefore let you know my schedule and quote a timeframe and price for your website right up front. See WordPress themes for my packages and custom offers.
My pet love and hate
I love coffee; I mean totally strong Italian-style espresso. I can’t function without two shots of the dark stuff before 0830 each day! I do get up at 6am to get my son to school so my system needs a wake-up call. My penchant for coffee comes from many weekends spent in the ‘Eternal City’ of Rome when my husband was based there years ago. Italy, oh boy, Italy is my second pet love!
My pet hate is difficult to pin down but probably relates to Mediterranean driving. I leave this one to your imagination. I love living in the Mediterranean, but…..!