I answer the calls and emails, lead the conversations and stay close to the work. My job is to understand what you are trying to do, interpret what is needed and bring in the right tools or specialist input when useful. Responsibility for the work stays with me.
I tend to begin with the outcome, consider different ways of reaching it and arrange what is available into something workable. Then I start, learn and adjust.
Co-originated Youth 2000 and helped pioneer its development. It meant beginning with an idea, bringing people together and finding practical ways to make something new real.
Built an ecommerce business that grew into a bricks-and-mortar shop. Running it meant dealing directly with customers, stock, premises, costs and setbacks.
When web designers could not translate what I was trying to achieve, I began making rough designs in Photoshop to show them. What began as a way to explain the idea became the beginning of learning to design and build it myself.
The business eventually closed, but the web and design skills I had developed through necessity continued. They became a web-design practice built through client work, recommendations and collaboration.
I begin by asking how the business works, what customers need to understand and which questions come up in real conversations.
Technical detail can be useful, but only when it is translated into language that helps someone understand, compare or decide.
Sometimes people are choosing a product. Sometimes they are choosing a service. Sometimes they are choosing the knowledge, judgement and personality of the person behind the business.
“I not only ended up with an amazing website but also a clearer idea of who I was targeting and what my business was, and where it was going.”
You bring the knowledge of your business. I ask questions, listen and draw out the information needed to understand what you are trying to achieve.
If something feels uncertain or changes during the work, I want to understand why rather than simply treating it as another instruction.
If I think a decision may work against what you are trying to achieve, I will say so and explain my reasoning.
I will offer a clear professional view and listen to yours. The final decision belongs to you.
I take the work seriously without making every conversation serious. There should be room for humour.
My wife grew up here, and after many years together in the UK, we moved our family to be closer to hers and to give our children the experience of living in both countries. I am building local relationships here while continuing to work with clients across Australia, the UK and elsewhere.
My previous web-design practice was called Beardfish. It turned out there was already a Swedish band with the same name, which caused more confusion than I had anticipated. BeardMonkey keeps the beard and loses the band.
“I used Beardfish for my camper van rental website. The design and build were carried out within the time scales quoted while ongoing amendments and updates are sorted quickly and without fuss. Jonathan has great communication skills and a good understanding of business concepts and how to implement them within a virtual environment. Highly recommended.”
A brief first conversation helps establish where you are, what you already know and what a useful next step might be.