Back in early February, it was National Story Telling Week so I took on the challenge to tell my story.
Who?
I’m Amy – founder of Two Cows Web, multilingual, animal obsessed, snow sports enthusiast with a passion for everything web design related! I talk about food and drink whenever I get the chance, have my own allotment and enjoy turning my crops into preserves and flavoured gins. Being outdoors and active is super important to me so I try and do something every day however small- we’re talking walking, running and roller skiing to name a few. On the flip side I love escaping into the world of books and words, cross stitch and sewing – I’ve even started attempting to make my own clothes! After spending over a decade teaching languages to babies, toddlers, children and teenagers, I made one of the best decisions of my life – I started up my own web design business that I love and I’ve never looked back.
What?
I take away the stress of creating and maintaining your website by doing it for you. I do it all with a can-do attitude and a deep understanding that many business owners find talking web design is completely out of their comfort zone. As one of the great philosophers of popular culture J Lo once said ‘Love doesn’t cost a thing’ and nor does kindness. My core mission is to give your organisation an online presence we can both be proud of. If you’ve got a broken website, you can count on me to find the problem, fix it and restore it to its former glory. I can even step in as your eyes and ears and keep your website ticking over and performing exactly as you intended. There are lots of ways you can find out more about what I do. Feel free to have a look at my website, connect with me on social media or you listen to my podcast all about web design called Help! My Website Sucks. Helping you with your website strategy is only a message away!
Where are you?
Iām based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire but I don’t discriminate against where people live to work with them! As long as we find a mutually agreeable way to work (in person, over email/Zoom/carrier pigeon*) our individual locations are not important. *I’ve never had anyone request this yet but I’m not averse to the idea. Confession time (Yorkshire look away – it’s for your own good) *I’m not actually from Yorkshire shhhh don’t tell anyone. Despite my attempts at blending in with the gorgeous Yorkshire peeps, I am an honorary Yorkshire woman by association only. I originally hail from the dizzy lowlands of Suffolk out on the East coast although I left at 18 and haven’t returned other than to see my mates and family. It’s a lovely part of the world but there are many, many others including God’s own country! Working with people all over the world is a dream come true and I relish each and every opportunity that comes my way from wherever you’re based. If you want to get your website working for you and your business, I’m ready to answer your email or feed your pigeon.
Why?
Being independent and self-sufficient has been drummed in to me since I was a kid – it was pretty much the only way to survive life during my younger years. Learning languages and education gave me a way out and has afforded me the luxury of some amazing experiences such as studying at two Spanish universities, working in a German high school and crafting a career as a teacher for many years. The highlight of teaching will always be the opportunity to give children and young people a different perspective. It was such a privilege and leaving the profession was gut wrenching as there was still so much work to do. However the lessons I’d taught about how right now doesn’t define your future really hit me. I went back to the drawing board and looked about what I really wanted from life and what I would enjoy doing – helping others, computers and being creative scored highly so here we are. Oh and I like to constantly critique websites when they don’t work or have an awful design – I always say I can do better and usually I prove myself right š
When?
I started up Two Cows Web after the idea had been bubbling away in my mind for years and when the ‘C-word’ hit in 2020, there was no better time than the present to get started! As a fledgling business asking me when I do my website work is like asking what the weather is going to be tomorrow – no idea but if I were going to guess, I’d say changeable (this is the U.K. after all!) I tend to work during standard office hours but often get a second wind late evening or over the weekend and can’t help doing ‘just one more thing’ here and there. Of course working on the internet means it is open 24/7 and is not location specific so there are a few blurred boundaries! However I’m keen to note that it is purely my own choice to work in this way – I don’t expect clients to answer emails over the weekend or on an evening but can work with those who need a chat on an evening or a quick fix of their website if required.
How?
How did I become a web designer? I was visited by a ghost and he told me I need to change my ways so took me on a journey to remind me what I wanted from life in my past and then how my future may look if I continued with the current job. Needless to say I saw the light and realised that businesses needed help with their online presence and I was the person who was going to make that happen! Since that day I have made it my mission to take away the stress of creating and maintaining your website by doing it for you and to make web design accessible for all. And that ends the challenge of telling my story in 6 parts! Hope you enjoyed finding out more about me and why I do what I do. Thanks so much to @claresunshinedigital for laying down the gauntlet and inspiring me to give a go. Really appreciate it even if I am completely exhausted writing about myself – time for a lie down.