Author Archives: Kandace

A week of rejection

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Rejection Therapy at New Seasons

For the past week, I embarked on a quest to move past my fear of rejection through an exercise in Rejection Therapy. The premise is fairly simple: you commit to putting yourself in a situation where you are purposefully rejected each and every day in order to get over the natural fear of rejection. (Thanks to our buddy Graeme for the inspiration.)

When I started this exercise, I was pretty sure that it would be a piece of cake. The prompts seemed fairly effortless and, I figured, I’m pretty used to rejection anyways. (I am the one, after all, who sends out all of our estimates and proposals.) A week in and I can only think that this was incredibly, undeniably naive thinking.

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Minneapolis, Minnesota for Designers (and their Families)

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Decisions

Here at Needmore, we relish the opportunity to get out of the city (whether by heading to the coast, road-tripping to Yosemite, or making our way across the pond). This week, travel takes us to the bustling city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and we’re ready to put on our snow caps and get inspired. We’re on the road with the kiddos this year, folks. And so, our selections are designer/child approved.
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How to Ask the Right Questions to Solicit Meaningful Testimonials

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We all know that hearing a recommendation from a friend goes a long way in getting us to try a new service or restaurant or just about anything else. And, testimonials are the online equivalent of this more personal recommendation. Yet, we often fail to get them right. Do you ever go to a website and read testimonials that feel fake or contrived? The secret is to solicit the right kind of testimonial.

Needmore Client Testimonials

Before you invite the accolades to start rolling in, the most critical step in getting a good testimonial is to do good work. If you want folks to say truly believable and positive things about you, you need to focus on good relationships with your collaborators and clients. Without that, nobody is going to have anything believably good to say about you.

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9 Tips for Getting Started in Web Design

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In the midst of chatting with students, giving advice to emerging website designers, and spouting philosophy on our podcast, The Job, I’ve been reminiscing quite a bit about the early days at Needmore.

We were a scrappy duo, pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps and making it work. Nine years later, being part of the team at Needmore is something I love. I get to spend my days talking to clients and potential clients, learning their stories, and crafting sites that tell these stories beautifully and elegantly.

I think this is just about the best job and am grateful to be here today. But it wasn’t always easy. If I could go back to those early days, there are a few core truths I’d love to have known straight away. These are lessons that took years to learn and many were learned the hard way. In no particular order, here’s some advice from the front on starting a web design business.

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Löyly Website Redesign

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We’re thrilled to share with you our latest website redesign. Löyly is a breathtaking Scandinavian-inspired sauna in Southeast Portland. When proprietor Jessica Kelso approached us to redesign the website for her boutique, we couldn’t have been more excited. (We’ve known Jessica for years and have always admired her style.) Löyly is a beautiful space  and it’s clear from the care that went into its design that she is very passionate about what she’s doing there. We wanted to bring that relaxing vibe and passion to her website. Continue reading →

Hello, Greta

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Join us in welcoming the newest addition to the Needmore family, Greta Lynn Brigleb (born September 29, 2012).

Back to School: A Responsive Website for Progressive Educators

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Just as our own little one heads off to her first day of preschool, we put up a new website for Children’s Community School, a progressive elementary school in Van Nuys, California.

Progressive, indeed! This school year, the teachers at CCS will be blogging. And, parents can now easily follow school events via the new integrated calendar and completely responsive website, which looks great even on mobile devices.