Before I open Webflow, before I sketch a single layout, before I even think about colours — I ask questions. A lot of them.
Because the thing that shapes a website isn’t the design. It’s the understanding that comes before it.
About your brand
Who are you? Not the elevator pitch version — the real version. What do you care about? What makes you different? And maybe more importantly: what don’t you want to be?
I ask these questions because a website needs to feel like an extension of who you are. And I can’t design that unless I understand it. Not the surface — the substance.
About your people
Who are you trying to reach? And what do they need from you?
This isn’t about demographics or target audiences. It’s about real people with real problems. What are they looking for when they land on your site? What should they feel? What should they do next?
The best websites aren’t designed for everyone. They’re designed for someone.
About your past
If you’ve had a website before, I want to know what worked and what didn’t. What frustrated you about the last process? What would you do differently?
I’m not asking to criticise anyone’s previous work. I’m asking because your past experience shapes your expectations, and I’d rather know about those expectations upfront than discover them at the review stage.
About success
What does success look like for this project? Not metrics — feelings. Do you want people to feel inspired? Reassured? Curious? Calm?
When we can articulate the feeling we’re aiming for, every design decision gets clearer. It becomes a filter: does this choice move us towards that feeling, or away from it?
The conversation before the project is the project. Everything that comes after is shaped by what we uncover together in those first honest exchanges.