Hi! I'm Stephanie! I'm passionate about building impactful partnerships, enabling businesses to grow, and making sure the social impact community thrives. With over a decade of consistently generating seven and eight figure annual revenue for companies, I understand what it takes to drive success.

Over the last 15 years working with non-profit, government and for profit businesses, I've developed a unique process for building community and generating revenue through a partnership growth mindset. I've been fortunate to develop programs and partnerships that have touched lives across the globe, from India to the United States and beyond. I've created thousands of ecosystems and opportunities that unite governments, educators, employers, and donors to make tangible change.

I believe that together we can achieve great things and am committed to paving the way for a more inclusive, impactful future.

Stephanie Wilson

This weekend I’m spending time at the ISET National Gathering, and I want to name how meaningful it is to be here.

Being in this space is a reminder that workforce development is not just about programs, funding, or outcomes on paper. It’s about people, place, and self-determination. Indigenous communities have been doing this work for generations, building pathways rooted in culture, community knowledge, and lived experience.

What stands out most is the care and intentionality behind the conversations. 

Listening comes first. 
Relationships come before solutions. 
Progress is measured not just by numbers, but by trust, relevance, and long-term impact.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn, to listen, and to be present in a space led by Indigenous voices and priorities. 

Moments like this quietly reshape how you think about the work and how you show up when you return home.

#ISETNationalGathering #ISETGathering2026 #Indigenous #WorkforceDevelopment #Community

Thanks to Jelly Academy for organizing such a collaborative space and to Digital Moment | Moment numérique for the opportunity.

Cross-Sector Growth Strategist | $100M+ in Government & Partner Funding Secured | Nonprofit • Tech • Education • SaaS | Founder – The Uplift Collective

The last five days have been full.

Full in the sense of listening carefully, asking questions, and sitting in rooms where people are genuinely trying to figure out how we do this work better.

Across different events, sectors, and conversations, the thread has been consistent.

How do we build systems that actually serve people, not just programs?

How do we prepare for the future of work without losing sight of the humans navigating it right now?

How do we move past performative solutions and into ones that are grounded, inclusive, and durable?

There’s also a reality I’m hearing more clearly now than ever.

Funding is tight. Budgets have been cut. Teams that once sent three or four people to conferences are now sending one. Many are attending virtually, not by choice, but by necessity.

I’m genuinely grateful to conferences and organizers who make that possible. Access matters. So does recognizing that for many organizations, showing up at all right now takes intention and sacrifice.

What that’s changed is the weight of being in the room.

More people are carrying insights back to their teams. 

More responsibility to listen well, synthesize, and translate what matters into action. Fewer spectators. More stewards.

The conversations I’ve been part of haven’t been about trends for the sake of trends. They’ve been about tradeoffs. Priorities. What we protect when resources are constrained.

Spending this time with practitioners, funders, educators, Indigenous leaders, and workforce builders has been a reminder of why this work matters to me.

Not because the answers are easy.

But because when conditions are tight, clarity matters even more.

It was so great to reconnect, meet new people and learn from so many amazing individuals! Until next time friends!
Wendy Baker Darian Kovacs ♾️ Allain Lauzon Mary Stack, BA, CPHR Jasmeen Sidhu, Ph.D. Allan Govender Virginia Gluska Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia Eleanor Hawkins Nausheen Ali Fatima Saadeddine, MBA,PMP,CHRP,ESPT  Jade (Jadelyn) Psutka Allison Bear BComm Barbara Wilson,🍁CCDP® Lisa Stephenson-MBA, CRSP Kelly Johnson

It was unfortunate that so many people had travel cancelled so they couldn't attend after all - I see you!

#Cannexus2026 #ISETGathering2026 #Community #NonProfit #EmploymentServices #Indigenous #Learning

We have a beautiful owl that lives in the trees near our driveway. Usually across the way. Easy to admire from a distance.

Last night, I went out to grab wood for the stove before bed and nearly jumped out of my skin. 

He was sitting right on the front porch railing. Completely still. Just watching. Probably hunting. Definitely unbothered by me.

I froze. Slowly backed into the house. Turned off the lights.

Then I stood in the dining room, in the dark, and watched him for a while.
No noise. 

Just this quiet, unexpected moment of sharing space with something wild and calm and entirely unconcerned with my plans for the evening.

It was incredible.

Sometimes the best moments are the ones that do not mean anything more than exactly what they are.

#Wildlife #NotAPhotographer #CountryLife 

Alyx Parks and Stephanie Martin - I thought of both of you immediately after it happened.

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The Uplift Collective

https://www.upliftcollective.ca/the-partnership-blueprint-five-proven-steps-for-forging-successful-partnerships

the-uplift-collective

I grew up in a small town in rural eastern Ontario.

When I finished high school, I had no idea what I wanted to be. I just knew one thing very clearly. I did not like school the way it was structured. Sitting still. Being talked at. Memorizing instead of doing.

So I took a year off after high school to try to find my way.

It felt uncomfortable. Most of my friends knew exactly what they wanted to do. Everyone was heading off to university. I felt behind. A little lost. Like I had missed some memo everyone else received.

After that year, I still did not know what I wanted to be “when I grew up.” But I did know I needed some form of post secondary education. I needed skills. I needed momentum.

I chose college and enrolled in executive administration.

It was hands on. Practical. I learned a lot. I worked three jobs to cover rent and school. I learned how to manage money because I had to. Those years shaped my work ethic and my sense of responsibility in ways I still carry with me.

After graduating, I got a job working for a municipal councillor. What started as a role turned into six formative years. It exposed me to government, policy, community, and how decisions actually get made. That path eventually led me into the nonprofit world, where I found my purpose. That part of the story is for another day.

For a long time, I was embarrassed to say I did not have a university degree.

I was screened out of jobs automatically because it was mandatory. I questioned myself more times than I can count.

Do I regret not going to university?

Yes and no.

No, because I do not think I would have thrived there at that point in my life.

Yes, because there were real opportunities I never got access to because I did not have that piece of paper.

Both things can be true.

I am sharing this because I see so many people feeling pressure to follow a single definition of success. A single path. A single timeline.

Education matters. Credentials matter. But lived experience matters too.

Learning by doing counts. Working your way through school counts. Taking a longer or different route counts.

There is no one right way to build a career.

Chart your own path. Pay attention to what energizes you, not just what looks good on paper. 

Choose the pathway that works for how you learn, how you move, and who you are becoming.

#CareerPath #Employment #FindYourOwnPath #NonProfit #Education

Photo is me from 2008, still trying to figure things out.

Some of the most valuable parts of my work live in the things I no longer consciously think about.

After years of building, reviewing, defending, and negotiating government budgets, so much of what I do has become instinctive. 

You stop noticing the hundreds of small decisions you make because you have internalized how funders think, where flexibility actually lives, and which details quietly matter most.

Recently, I had the chance to sit with that experience and write it all down. 

Not the big frameworks or the obvious rules, but the small things you only learn by doing the work. 

The wording choices that reduce scrutiny. 

The assumptions that do not need to be over engineered. 

The places where people think they are locked in, but are not.

There was something unexpectedly grounding about translating years of lived experience into something clear and usable for a client. 

Not to impress. 
Not to overcomplicate. 
Just to make the work easier and less stressful for the people doing it.

This kind of work reminds me why I enjoy what I do. 

Helping smart teams feel more confident, more capable, and less constrained by rules that often feel heavier than they actually are.

If you have ever felt weighed down by process or rules that seemed immovable, I promise there is often more room to breathe than it appears.

#BudgetDevelopment #ProposalDevelopment #NonProfit #GovernmentFunding

One thing I think everyone should try at least once is learning someone else’s job.

Not the polished version. The real, day to day work. The setup. The decisions no one talks about. The small things that keep everything moving quietly in the background.

When you work in teams, so much of that effort becomes invisible. Systems run. Tools connect. Processes exist. You rarely stop to think about how much experience and judgment it takes to make things feel that seamless.

Until those people are not there.

And you have to do one small piece yourself.

You realize how many choices live inside what once looked simple.

Lately, I am spending an absurd amount of time learning tools.
Not the exciting kind. The tiny, fiddly ones. Payment systems. Tool connections. Settings I did not even know existed.

Learning to do something you have never done before, or something that was always someone else’s role, builds more than skills.

It builds appreciation.

It changes how you show up the next time.

#ProfessionalDevelopment #GrowthMindset #Entrepreneurship

I really hate getting a no.

Not because I expect everything to work out, but because I put a lot into the work. Time. Thought. Energy. And more than that, belief. I care deeply about what I do and about the teams and ideas behind every proposal. That makes the no’s land harder than people realize.

Early on, I took them personally. Every declined submission felt like a judgment, not just of the work, but of the care behind it. And honestly, I still feel that sometimes. Loving the work makes you more exposed, not less.

What changed over time was not the feeling. It was what I did with it.

I started sitting with the no’s longer. Looking for patterns. Paying attention to what funders questioned, what they ignored, and what clarity actually meant in practice. Every no taught me something I could not have learned any other way.

That learning adds up. Today, more than 40 percent of what I work on gets approved. Not because the no’s stopped hurting, but because I stayed curious instead of shutting down.

Lately, there have been a lot of yes’s for clients. And I feel genuinely excited for them every single time. 

I also know the no’s will come again. They always do.

When they do, I will feel them. And then I will learn from them.

Because caring about the work is not a weakness. It is the reason the yes’s mean so much when they arrive.

#GovernmentFunding #BusinessDevelopment #ProposalDevelopment

I’ve learned that authenticity isn’t about having a fixed identity. It’s about staying honest as things shift.

I have spent years being the reliable one. 

The person who could hold a lot, absorb uncertainty, and keep moving anyway.

That works. Until it does not.

Because eventually you realize how much energy it takes to live up to a version of yourself that was built for other people’s expectations.

Letting go of who you think you are supposed to be does not mean losing drive or ambition. It means releasing the pressure to look a certain way while you are building something real.

Authenticity is not a reveal or a brand decision.

It is a daily choice to show up aligned, even when that alignment keeps evolving.

And that choice changes everything.

#BeTrueToYourself #Authenticity #Leadership #NonProfit #StartUp

One of the best parts of a panel on AI and the next generation at the AI Policy Conference yesterday was that it did not try to wrap anything up neatly.
Instead, it named the complexity.

AI is already embedded in education, work, and daily life. Young people are forming relationships with systems that shape how they think, learn, and see themselves. Institutions are trying to respond in real time, often without data, shared frameworks, or room to pause.

At the same time, many of the loudest predictions about jobs and disruption have not fully materialized. Change is happening, but unevenly. Slowly in some places. Abruptly in others.

What emerged was a quieter but more useful set of questions.

How do we equip young people to be creators, not just users?

How do we protect without pretending we can stop what is already here?

How do we build literacy, judgment, and human skills that remain valuable no matter how tools evolve?

There was no single answer, and that felt right.

This is long-term work. It requires humility, collaboration across disciplines, and a willingness to sit with uncertainty without defaulting to fear or hype.

If there was a through-line, it was this: the future will be shaped less by the tools themselves and more by how thoughtfully we choose to integrate them.

Panel participants:
Justin Hendrix, Tech Policy Press
Shingai Manjengwa, Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute
Namir Anani, P.Eng., ICTC-CTIC
Laurent Charlin, Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute
André Côté, The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University 

Thankful to Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute for access to the AI Policy Conference and for putting together such a great event!

#AIPolicy #YouthAndAI #Talent #GovernmentofCanada

Creativity is my word for 2026.

Creativity in how I approach work, rest, and everything in between.

Creative problem solving.
Creative contracting.
Creative time off.
Creative experiences.

Creativity is what lets you ask better questions instead of accepting the default answer. It is how you find options where others see constraints. It is how you design work and life in ways that actually fit.

In 2026, the only box is that there is no box.

More room to experiment.

More permission to rethink how things are done.

More trust in the idea that there is almost always another way.

Here is to a year of curiosity, flexibility, and building something that feels as good as it works.

#Focus #GrowthMindset #HeresTo2026

I never thought I would be an entrepreneur.

In fact, quite the opposite. I was convinced I did not have the “it” that founders and leaders are supposed to have. 

I wanted stability. The person who imagined working for others my whole life and being perfectly content doing that.

And for a long time, that made sense.

What I did not realize then is that entrepreneurship does not always look like taking big risks. Sometimes it looks like taking responsibility. For your values. For your time. For the kind of work you want to put into the world.

I did not wake up one day wanting to start something of my own. I arrived here slowly, through experience, through necessity, and through a growing understanding of what I needed in order to feel grounded and aligned.

Entrepreneurship was not a goal. It was a response.

And maybe that is the part we do not talk about enough. Not everyone sets out to build something. 

Some of us end up here because staying the same stopped being an option.

Did you ever picture yourself doing what you are doing now?

#Entrepreneuship #CareerFocus

Woke up to a weirdly satisfying thing this morning.

I’ve had a watch since July that tracks something called body battery. 

I’ve seen it end the day at five more times than I’d like to admit.

Today I woke up at one hundred. First time ever.

That’s it. That’s the post.

#WeekendVibes #QuietWins #SlowDown

READ THE QUOTE IN THE IMAGE!

Now read it again!

Who. You. TRULY. Are

NOT the version that feels easiest to explain.

NOT the version that keeps everyone comfortable.

NOT the version that fits neatly into a role you learned to play well.

Being yourself is not about being loud or visible all the time.
It is about being honest. With your values. With your limits. With what actually matters to you now, not who you were five years ago.

I have learned that the more energy you spend trying to meet expectations that are not yours, the dimmer everything feels. The work. The relationships. Even the wins.

The moments where things start to open up again usually come from a small shift. 

Saying no when you would normally say yes. Choosing alignment over approval. 

Letting yourself evolve without needing to justify it.

Your light is not something you manufacture.
It is something that shows up naturally when you stop hiding parts of yourself to fit the room.

And the right rooms do not require you to dim it in the first place.

#BeYourself #BeAuthentic #ISeeYou #Leadership #Teamwork #BetterTogether

One thing I keep coming back to in conversations lately is timing.

A lot of organizations are doing the right work. Strong ideas. Capable teams. Real demand. And still, things are not moving the way they expected.

Not because they are doing something wrong.

Because the system itself is in motion.

Calls are delayed or quietly reworked.
Programs get folded into other initiatives.
Priorities shift before anything ever reaches a public intake.

From the outside, it can feel confusing. Like you misread the landscape or missed a signal. In reality, the rules are still being rewritten.

This is where patience becomes strategic.

Not passive patience. Active patience. The kind where you keep preparing, strengthening, and paying attention while resisting the urge to force momentum.

A lot of the work right now is helping teams sit with that uncertainty without spiraling. Adjusting plans without abandoning them. Staying ready without trying to rush a system that is not ready yet.

Sometimes the smartest move is not to push harder, but to hold steady until the timing catches up to the work.

#FundingStrategy #GovernmentFunding #NonprofitLeadership
 #StrategicPlanning #SystemsThinking

Join an upcoming FREE workshops to better prepare for what's coming!  https://lnkd.in/e_KQt4jg

Stop beating yourself up!!!

Don’t think you do that?
Here’s what it actually looks like in real life:
- Replaying a conversation on the drive home.
- Second-guessing a decision you already made with the information you had.
 - Assuming a mistake says something about who you are, not just what happened.
 - Feeling like you should have known better, been faster, clearer, stronger.

Sound familiar?

We’ve been taught that self-criticism equals accountability.
That if we’re hard on ourselves, we’ll improve faster.
That pressure produces excellence.

But more often, it just produces exhaustion.

Beating yourself up usually shows up when expectations are high, outcomes are uncertain, and you’re carrying more responsibility than anyone sees.

It’s a signal.
The problem is that self-criticism rarely makes us better.
It just makes us smaller.

So how do you stop when you catch yourself doing it?

1️⃣  Name what’s actually happening.
 Instead of “I screwed this up,” try “This didn’t go the way I hoped.”
 Facts calm the nervous system. Stories inflame it.

2️⃣ Separate intent from outcome.
You can have good intentions and imperfect results at the same time.
Both can be true. Only one needs fixing.

3️⃣  Ask one forward-looking question.
Not “What’s wrong with me?”
But “What’s the next small adjustment I’d make if this came up again?”
That’s it. No spiral required.

If you’re trying to be a good person and you try to do the right thing, that's all that matters.

Growth doesn’t require punishment.

It requires honesty, rest, and the willingness to keep going.

And if you’re reading this thinking, “This sounds like me” then it probably is.
You’re not alone, and you’re not doing it wrong.
Be a little kinder to yourself today.

#BeKind #PersonalGrowth #FallingNotFailing #SelfImprovement #Leadership #Teamwork

You may not control the events that happen to you
 but you can decide not to be reduced by them.

That choice is one I see leaders, founders, and builders struggle with more than almost anything else.

Because a setback can quietly turn into a story about who you are.
A hard moment can shrink your confidence if you let it.
One decision, one missed opportunity, one tough season can start to feel permanent.

But it isn’t.

You’re allowed to be impacted without being defined.

You can acknowledge what hurt without letting it harden you.

You can learn from something without carrying it as proof that you’re not enough.

Resilience isn’t pretending things didn’t affect you.

It’s choosing not to let them take more than they already have.

If you’re in the middle of something heavy right now, this is your reminder

You’re still standing.
You’re still growing.

And YOU get to decide what this chapter means next.

#NonProfit #Leadership #StartUp #GrowthMindset #Resilience #NonProfitLeadership

I watched a video and could not stop thinking about how early we learn to edit ourselves.

Kids start out loud, curious, unapologetic. They ask strange questions. They take up space. They are fully themselves without checking the room first. And then, slowly, they learn when to quiet down. When to blend in. When to stop standing out.

What stayed with me is how familiar that feels in the professional world.

At some point, many of us learn the same lesson.

Tone it down.

Stick to the playbook.

Do not be the odd one out.

Over time, that sparkle does not disappear. It just gets managed. Contained. Brought out only when it feels safe or appropriate.

And yet, the work that actually moves things forward is almost always shaped by people who think differently. 

The ones who question defaults. 

The ones who see patterns others miss. 

The ones willing to sound a little strange before they sound right.

If you have ever felt yourself shrinking to fit a role, a title, or an industry norm, consider this a reminder. 

That part of you is still there. It has just been waiting for space.

BRING BACK THE SPARKLE!!

Step off the well worn path.

Nothing meaningful has ever been built by people who only followed the herd.

https://lnkd.in/emWvkws2 
His Youtube Channel to give him a follow: https://lnkd.in/ehb-AESd [I couldn't find the above video on the channel]

#BringBackTheSparkle #BeYourself #BeAuthentic

If you have ever hit a word limit halfway through answering a funder’s question, this is for you.

One of the hardest parts of writing proposals is answering every part of a funder’s question while staying inside a tight word or character limit.

Especially when appendices or extra attachments are not allowed.

You cannot skip components. You also cannot explain everything.

So when space is tight, here is a rule that helps.

Every sentence must do more than one job. Ideally three.

A strong sentence should:

 1 describe what you are actually going to do

 2 signal eligibility and alignment to the funder’s priorities

 3 imply milestones, outcomes, or credibility

If a sentence only does one of those things, it is a candidate for removal or compression.

This is how you stay compliant and persuasive without running out of room.

It is not about writing less.

It is about making every sentence work harder.

If you have ever hit a word limit and wondered what to cut, start here.

#ProposalDevelopment #GovernmentFunding #NonProfit #Charity

Growth is what you do with what happens.

That is how better decisions get made over time.

#WednesdayWisdom #GrowthMindset

One thing I wish more people understood about funded projects is how messy they usually are behind the scenes.

From the outside, a successful contribution agreement looks clean.

A defined plan. 
A neat timeline. 

It gives the impression that everything is stable and predictable.

That is almost NEVER the case.

Most funded projects are delivered while markets are shifting. 
Project timelines wobble. 
Plans get pulled forward or pushed back. 
Teams make trade offs in real time, often without the luxury of perfect information.

What funders are really assessing in those moments is not whether risk exists. It is how it is understood and managed.

Strong applications and delivery organizations are not the ones pretending everything is fine. 

They are the ones that show judgment.
An ability to adapt without overreacting. 
A plan that can flex while still holding together.

There is a skill in knowing what to surface and what to hold steady. 
In demonstrating resilience without amplifying uncertainty. 
In showing that the work will continue even when conditions are not ideal.

Funding success is rarely about having a flawless story.
It is about proving you can keep moving when the story changes.

#Resilience #NonProfit #GrowthMindset #StartUp #GovernmentFunding

CEO of Huemor, a Web Design Agency that builds memorable digital experiences

Huemor builds memorable websites that sell for brands like HITT, Boston Dynamics, Spear Center Physical Therapy, Retrofete, and United Steelworkers.

Book a call with me to:
✅ Generate more qualified leads
✅ Make your website a breeze to update
✅ Become the industry leader in your niche

Don't believe me? Here's what our clients have to say 👇

“Something I found most unique about Huemor is how much they care [about] the success of the project. The site is a lot cleaner and shows a very in-depth narrative of our story.”

Jenny Lee, Creative Director at BetterCloud

---

“Our project manager was always readily available to address feedback with his team, and made sure that all parties understood their deliverables and deadlines. From a technical standpoint, we have already seen our search rankings increase and overall improvements to the website's usability.”

Lisa Turnbull, Head of Global Marketing at Encompaas

---

Getting the nuances of messaging, design, and technology right is no easy task.

To produce the right outcomes, you need a partner you can trust.

An expert who can guide you to the right strategy, take charge of the process, and deliver a website that your customers will love.

After a website redesign, our clients typically experience:
+ 83% monthly website visits
+ 94% increased conversions
+ 91% leads generated

---

ARE YOU READY TO BE BETTER THAN "GOOD ENOUGH"?

You've built an amazing business—don't settle for a below-average website. It's time to build something better.

APPLY FOR A FREE WEBSITE ANALYSIS

With a free analysis, you'll receive 100+ personalized, actionable tips that cover:
– UI/UX Improvements
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– And dozens more helpful tips

Apply here:
👉 https://bit.ly/4bFhdrF
(or click the link in my featured section)

Michael Cleary 🏳️‍🌈

Storytelling and conversion can coexist. 
Here’s how.

Your B2B website shouldn't choose between storytelling and lead generation.

It needs to do both. 
Seamlessly. Strategically. Intentionally.

Most websites lean too far in one direction.

Too brand-heavy and you get a compelling narrative but no urgency or clear path to convert.

Too conversion-focused and you get CTAs everywhere but no real reason for visitors to trust you or care.

So how do you build a site that connects and converts?

Here are eight ways to strike the right balance:

→ Lead with a clear value proposition
→ Tell your story with purpose
→ Strategically place CTAs
→ Use proof to build trust
→ Keep your content customer-first
→ Design with clarity, not just beauty
→ Make forms and offers worth it
→ Match content to the buyer journey

Modern B2B websites should not feel like a tradeoff between story and performance.

They should do both well.

If your site looks great but falls flat when it comes to results, there is a better way forward.

Where do you see B2B websites fall short more often? Too much brand story, or too much focus 
on conversion?

---

Follow Michael Cleary 🏳️‍🌈 for more tips like this.

♻️ Share with a team redesigning their B2B website.

Mike Cleary 🏳️‍🌈

I'm an Entrepreneur, Creative, Connector, Volunteer, Avid Learner, and advocate for doing what you can to help others.

I Co-found and run a Web Design Agency that helps B2B and DTC brands communicate more clearly, connect with their target audiences, generate revenue, and turn customers into brand advocates. I'm personally responsible for strategizing with brands and organizations in the business development process to ensure that we're identifying their needs/problems and are able to help solve them.

Some of the brands/organizations that we've been able to help are Revlon, Live Nation, GEICO, United Nations, Centivo, Briogeo Hair, NBC Sports, Square One Justice, HITT Contracting. 

Some of my biggest accomplishments are:
Hiring our first employee
Providing 100% Paid Healthcare to our team
Being accepted to and working on the Associate Board for BUILD NYC
Being Nominated for the Forbes 30 under 30 list

Current Goals for 2022:
Improve focus and energy

Non-profits / Causes I Support:
HeForShe
BUILD NYC
Spectrum Designs Foundation
4ocean

Most recent book reads:
Atomic Habits by James Clear
The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
The Power of Moments by Chip and Dan Heath
Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
What You Do is Who You Are by Ben Horowitz
Virtual Selling by Jeb Blount

Ask me about (email: mike@huemor.me): 
E-commerce, Shopify Plus, Web Design, UX, Web Development, Digital Strategy, Conversion Optimization Entrepreneurship, Volunteer Opportunities, My Dog Amber =)

CEO @ Huemor ⟡ We build memorable websites for construction, engineering, manufacturing, and technology companies ⟡ [DM “Review” For A Free Website Review]

These 6 myths aren’t just wrong...
They’re killing your marketing results.

Marketing is full of advice that sounds good but often misses the mark.

From outdated tips to oversimplified “hacks,” these myths can waste your time, drain your budget, and stall your growth.

Let’s cut through the noise and debunk some of the most common misconceptions holding 
businesses back.

𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 #𝟭: “𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝘀 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗟𝗼𝗴𝗼”

Your brand isn’t just a pretty mark; it’s your message, reputation, and experience.

A logo may catch attention, but a consistent brand story is what earns trust and loyalty.

𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 #𝟮: “𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗜𝘁, 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲”

Simply creating a website, launching a product, or posting on social media doesn’t guarantee an audience.

Effective marketing means meeting your audience where they are and giving them a compelling reason 
to care.

𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 #𝟯: “𝗘𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱”

Nope, not even close.

Email marketing delivers one of the highest ROI across digital channels.

The key is to send value-driven content your audience wants to open, not spam that gets sent to the trash.

𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 #𝟰: “𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 = 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀”

A million followers mean nothing if they’re
not engaged.

A smaller, loyal audience that actually interacts with your content is far more valuable than vanity metrics.

𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 #𝟱: “𝗦𝗘𝗢 𝗜𝘀 𝗮 𝗢𝗻𝗲-𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸”

SEO is not a “set it and forget it” game.

It’s an evolving strategy that requires regular updates, fresh content, and staying in tune with 
changing algorithms.

𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 #𝟲: “𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁”

Good marketing is like planting seeds: it takes time, nurturing, and consistency.

Sure, a viral campaign can bring quick results, but long-term growth comes from building relationships 
over time.

Marketing isn’t about shortcuts or following one-size-fits-all advice. It’s about strategy, consistency, and truly understanding your audience.

By letting go of these myths, you can focus on what really works: building meaningful connections, delivering value, and creating lasting impact.

---

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♻️ Share with someone stuck chasing marketing “shortcuts.”

People don’t just click. 
They decide.

Your job is to make that decision easier.

→  “Just add a CTA.”

It’s the go-to advice when a page isn’t converting.

But here’s the real issue:

A CTA doesn’t work in a vacuum. You can’t shortcut trust, clarity, or motivation.
And you definitely can’t paste over a strategy gap with a button.

The story leading up to it has to make them care.

So what 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 work?

A conversion-first flow that builds:

→ 𝘙𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦: “This is for me.”
→ 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵: “These people get it.”
→ 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦: “I want this outcome.”
→ 𝘜𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺: “I shouldn’t wait.”

Only after you’ve built that foundation does your CTA carry real weight.

Every element before the button should be doing the heavy lifting: Educating. Earning belief. 
Reducing friction.

A great CTA doesn’t rescue a weak page.

It rewards a strong one.

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What is a Conversion-First Flow?

Your website might not be broken,
But it might be holding you back.

It happens slowly.

You launch something you’re proud of… and then life moves on.

New strategy. New team. New customers.

Same website.

Fast-forward a few years, and it’s no longer aligned with what your brand is today or where you're trying to go.

Here are 7 signs your website is stuck in the past, and how to fix it before it starts costing you 
real opportunities:

→ Your hero still says “Welcome to our website”

→ You still have a slider

→ You hide your pricing “for the conversation”

→ Your mobile experience is barely usable

→ You’re still using words like “synergy” and 
“cutting-edge”

→ Your blog hasn’t been updated since 
the last redesign

→ It looks nice, but doesn’t do anything

The fix? Start with honest reflection.

Does your current site reflect who you are, what you do, and why you're the right choice today?

Your website is often the first impression.

Make sure it reflects the business you’ve become, not the one you were three years ago.

What’s one outdated website detail you secretly hope never makes a comeback? Let’s hear your personal "please no" list below.

---

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Outdated Website Energy: 7 Red Flags to Watch For

Short-term wins feel great.
Until you realize you’re stuck chasing them.

You launch a campaign. Traffic jumps. Leads roll in. It feels like progress.

But a few weeks later?

The numbers plateau. The pipeline dries up.

And you’re back to scrambling for the next “quick fix.”

Here’s the problem: Short-term wins aren’t strategy. They’re just tactics in disguise.

And if that’s all your marketing is built on, long-term growth never gets a seat at the table.

Here’s what short-term thinking can cost you:

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁 – because you optimized for volume, not quality.

𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 – because they’re disconnected from your brand’s larger story.

𝗔 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 – because it was redesigned without a strategy behind it.

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘁 – because your team’s in a constant cycle of execution with no compounding results.

If it feels like your marketing engine is always running, but never gaining traction, his is probably why.

Here's how to break the cycle:

→ Recalibrate your KPIs.
→ Build marketing assets, not just campaigns.
→ Align teams around the long game.
→ Test fast, but optimize slow.
→ Get leadership buy-in for long-term investment.

Quick wins are tempting. Especially when leadership wants results now.

But marketing that 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 takes time, alignment, and a strong foundation.

The best brands don’t just show up fast. They show up consistently, and keep showing up better.

What’s one short-term win you’ve chased that didn’t pay off long-term? Or one long-term play you’re glad you stuck with?

---

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Considering a redesign? 
You don’t have to lose weeks of productivity to 
make it happen.

“𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 
𝘸𝘦𝘣𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯?”

The classic question. 

We get it. You’ve got a million things on your plate, and the last thing you want is to get buried in the details of a website redesign.

Here’s the deal: We do the heavy lifting. You won’t be bogged down in every pixel or line of code. 

But your insights at key moments will ensure the final product reflects your brand and drives the results 
you need.

Here’s how we handle it:

→ Strategic Kickoff
→ Content & Messaging Review
→ Design Feedback
→ Ongoing Approvals
→ Post-Launch Optimization

You’ll be part of the process when it counts, but we’ll do the bulk of the work. 

From strategy to design to launch, we’ll guide the project and keep things running smoothly so you can focus on growing your business.

---

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♻️ Share with a team postponing a redesign.

Your Role in a Website Redesign

Web years move fast. 
If your site’s standing still, it’s falling behind.

How often should you redesign your company website?

Short answer: 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴.

Your website doesn’t age like wine. It ages like milk.

That shiny new launch you were proud of 3 years ago?

In web years, that’s ancient. Especially if your business, your audience, or your goals have evolved (and they probably have).

So how often 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 you redesign?

Here are some baseline rules to keep things fresh, and your customers happy:

→ Every 2–3 years

→ Anytime performance dips

→ After major brand or product changes

→ If your team avoids utilizing it

→ When it stops working across devices 
(or for your users)

A redesign isn’t just about looking better.

It’s about 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 better for your customers, your team, and your growth goals.

When was the last time you redesigned your site? And what finally pushed you to do it?

---

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When Do You Really Need a Website Redesign?

You wouldn’t ignore sales KPIs. 
So why ignore your website’s?

We set KPIs for campaigns.

We obsess over them in sales.

But somehow, when it comes to websites, one of your most valuable digital assets, they rarely get held to the same standard.

That’s a miss.

Because your website isn’t just a homepage and a nav bar. It’s a conversion engine, a brand ambassador, and a sales assistant that works 24/7.

It deserves a job description and KPIs to measure if it’s doing that job well.

Here are the metrics every high-performing website should be accountable for:

→ Conversion Rate
→ Lead Quality
→ Bounce Rate (and why)
→ Time on Site + Scroll Depth
→ Sales Team Feedback
→ Bonus: KPI Alignment

Websites should be treated like any other part of your revenue strategy: built with intent, and measured 
with precision.

If yours isn’t being evaluated like the rest of your team, don’t be surprised if it’s underperforming like it’s not part of the team.

What KPIs are on 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 website’s scorecard?

---

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Most websites rush the ask. 
That’s why users ghost.

You're excited. You 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 it's going well.

So you pop the question: “Can I have your email?”

They hesitate. Smile politely.

And then disappear forever.

The truth is, most websites rush the relationship.

They ask for personal info before earning trust.

No value. No clarity. No reason to say yes.

If your form fill rate is low or your leads are junk, it’s probably not your CTA.

It’s what came before the ask.

Here are the rules for building trust 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 you ask 
for anything:

→ Give before you get
→ Be clear about what they’ll get
→ Avoid bait and switch tactics
→ Use micro-conversions to warm them up
→ Speak like a human, not a funnel
→ Design for trust

People don’t share their contact info because you 
want it.

They share it when they believe you’re worth hearing from again.

That doesn’t come from clever copy or flashy buttons.

It comes from clarity, consistency, and a little patience.

So the next time you ask for an email, ask yourself: Would I give 𝘮𝘺 info here?

What’s the fastest way a website has lost your trust? Drop your story in the comments. We’ve all seen some form-fails.

---

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If your website's a priority, 
Don’t treat it like a side project.

Should we handle our website redesign in-house or bring in an outside agency?

It’s a smart question, and the answer depends on your team’s goals, capacity, and the complexity of 
the project.

Here’s how to think it through.

Your internal team might be the right fit if:

 → You have in-house strength across strategy, UX, content, design, and development

→ You have clear ownership and time to give the project focused attention
 
→ The goal is a refresh or incremental improvements

→ Everyone is aligned, and you have the breathing room to work through it internally

But when the stakes are higher, timelines are tighter, or capacity is stretched thin, a trusted agency partner can make the process more manageable and
more successful.

Here’s where an outside partner brings value:

→ Dedicated focus and end-to-end experience
→ Fresh perspective
→ Reliable momentum
→ Goal alignment from day one
→ Data-backed decisions

There’s no single right way to approach 
a website redesign.

But asking the right questions upfront can make 
all the difference:

→ Do we have the bandwidth to take this on with care?

→ Is this a light refresh or a deeper strategic shift?

→ Are we looking for outside perspective to help 
us grow?

If your project calls for structure, clarity, and dedicated attention, the right partner can help you get there with less stress and stronger results.

---

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