Poof! I have a new website: https://janepollak.com

I hope you visit it soon (and often) and that you enjoy the design and content. I also hope, and anticipate, that it appears to have been accomplished effortlessly. Like the Bolshoi dancers gliding across the stage, you don’t see their feet and muscles do the heavy lifting. You just see the grace and ease.

I hope for that reaction, but because I’m devoted to helping entrepreneurs, particularly women, I don’t want to pretend that I glided into this without breaking a sweat. Instead, here’s what YOU might expect if you want to re-do, or first time do, a website.

Current headshots are important. Your prospects want to see you. What got me extra motivated to get going on the new site was my new look. I had headshots taken this summer which required a haircut and a wardrobe consultation. Consider which aspects of your business you want to feature – like speaker, coach, author – and dress the part.

I’d hired a writer to freshen up my copy to reflect our age of pithy phrases and bullet points. That was being worked on while I was focusing my new images.

After I’d approved the copy, my writer recommended a graphic designer and someone else to build the site. We sent the text to the designer saying the look shouldn’t stray too far from my old site. I got the first round of page designs back and froze. Fortunately, my writer called to check in on her teammate’s work. When I forwarded her what I’d received, and disliked, she blessedly agreed and researched the field for both of our sake. I want you to see what the unnamed vendor sent me. See what I mean? I didn’t even know where to begin to describe to this person what was wrong, it was SO off the mark. No focus, too many fonts, and no aesthetic. Ugh!

Once I was referred to a new vendor, we moved forward again. It still takes days or weeks to design each page, have it approved and then coded. One of the final elements was adding a video. For those of you who are camera shy, I feel your pain. Not my favorite means of communication, but vital in this era of youtube. Again, hair, outfit, production crew, carving out time and setting up my apartment for the takes. Then waiting for the final cut for approval.

What began in May is now complete, a full six months later. I’m very happy with my new website and thank my team for making it happen.
Writer: Gail Schwartz
Designer: Christy Errico
Webmaster: Tom Knorz
Photographer: Katie Settel (She has a #remarkable special for people I refer. Mention this hashtag.)
Video Intro Production: Rebecca de Ornelas and Michael DiBiasio

Would love to hear from you about ease of navigation, delight and/or suggestions and comments.