Inspirational Women: Staci, Web Design Maven

Today we profile Staci, a fun, vibrant woman with two beautiful daughters (and a baby on the way!), who owns and operates a web design firm called Quirky Bird. Like most of us busy Softcup women, Staci juggles a career and family—and still manages to have fun while doing it.

Tracey: Tell us about your work.

Staci: Quirky Bird is a web design firm; we're creative artists and programmers and we offer business, branding, and search engine consulting with every package. We believe in empowering our customers by hooking them up with in-depth educational programs so they can be successful on their own.

Tracey: What inspired you to go into web design?

Staci: I started my own business in 2003 when I was pregnant making baby goods and taught myself how to make my own website. I had to figure out how to do everything on my own, and I learned so much so fast that I had friends that asked for help. I started helping them, and they told their friends, growing my client base. I then started gaining traction on Google and it all took off from there!

Tracey: We love hearing about women that grab life by the horns. Taking a hobby and making it into a business. Learning the craft. And helping friends along the way! What advice would you give to women interested in becoming web designers?

Staci: It's a tough gig, especially in this economy. I'm lucky that I have the creative business and art sense with enough of the left brain smarts to get me by. There are a few ways you could do it, based on your skill set, but I would recommend that anyone who isn't an artist or a programmer, hire awesome artists and developers to do the work for you and take on the project management position. Hire people that know their stuff so they can help keep you in the know with the latest trends and best practices to run a successful, efficient web company.

Tracey: That's one business lesson, specifically for women, that I read a lot—think big, and position yourself to scale up. Take some calculated risks. For many of us, it would be easy to stop at just becoming an independent web designer or consultant. But you took the risk to hire people and build an entire design firm. Tell us what it feels like to run the company.

Staci: Being an entrepreneur is like a roller coaster. One day you're at the peak, the next you're corkscrewing around like a crazy person, screaming your head off. But every day it's amazing and worth that wait in line.

Tracey: And now for our personal profile!

Staci:

My favorite thing about myself is… That I'm spunky. You can't fake spunk, you either have it or you don't–and having it helps make life a little more fun.

The advice I would give to my younger self is… Listen to your mom when she taught you how to balance your checkbook

With my spare time I like to… Read. I'm a total book junkie!!! I chew through 2 or 3 books per week.

Tracey: See, I told you she still makes time for hobbies!

Staci:

My idea of happiness is… Enjoying your life, enjoying your job, and that your job pays the bills with enough left over to play a little!

To me, the meaning of success is… That you enjoy your job, that it runs effectively and efficiently, that you're able to help people/pay it forward, and that it can support your family.

I am inspired by… In no particular order: Art (love indie, hipster art I find on etsy), books (I'm a sucker for urban fantasy novels – don't laugh!), music (more indie goodness), my kids (they're truly hilarious).

Someone I admire is… My best friend – she's beautiful, talented, well rounded, successful, and I love her.

One word I hate is… POP. Hahahaha. Make it POP. I don't know, it just doesn't POP. That word seriously makes me insane.

One word I love is… Organic–meaning any definition of organic NOT having to do with an inanimate object. The way I make art, websites, build relationships, it's all organic... it just happens like roots grow into the ground to feed a plant.

Right now I feel… Super thankful and optimistic about 2011!

If someone wrote a book about my life, it would be called… Bird Poop: Stories of Trials, Success, and a Seriously Quirky Bird.

View a complete list of the women we've profiled so far.

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