Matt Lee
Web Consultant / Creative Developer
San Diego, CA
www.bymattlee.com
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Q What do you do?
“I build interactive web experiences for brands that are passionate about their vision and ambitious about their impact.”
I specialize in working with brands in entertainment, technology, fashion and lifestyle.
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
I worked in the agency world for 6 years before going out on my own. Being employed at various agencies allowed me to work in collaborative teams where we tackled large-scale web projects. During this time, I was exposed to the many aspects of running a business including finance, operations, marketing, sales, project management, strategy, design, and development.
I decided to bet on myself and became a full-time freelance consultant because I was looking for that next challenge in life. I’ve always been head down in my design and development craft but working for myself meant putting myself out there and doing things that made me uncomfortable.
I’m happy to say that it was the right move and that I wake up every day fulfilled and ready to tackle the day’s challenges.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
Having a unique, creative perspective is important and should be communicated through your process and work portfolio.
When working with clients, providing the best quality service should be the number one priority. You should always strive to deliver the best quality of work while communicating well and frequently. Always do what you say you’re going to do and most importantly, meet your deadlines.
Q What are you working on right now?
I’m currently working on various projects with my clients while balancing typical business activities like marketing and sales. In addition to building on platforms such as Squarespace, Webflow, and Shopify, I also build custom websites from scratch. I’m a huge fan of Vue.js/Nuxt as well as React/Next.js.
Q What’s your style?
From a design perspective, I’m a huge fan of clean, minimal, and functional designs. A lot of the web projects I work on are content-heavy so I try to let the content do the talking while keeping the layouts simple and complementary. I typically like darker colors with a color scheme that utilizes many different shades. You can find an example of this (as well as the projects I’ve worked on) on my personal website.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
Client relations and sales. This goes against my old self because I’ve always been so into my craft but I love collaborating with clients and helping them solve their business challenges.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
Finding the time to learn new technologies while juggling client work and running the business. I’m very interested in web3 and NFTs but it’s been challenging to find the time to learn more about the space.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
Sending off invoices and chasing down unpaid invoices.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
I would tell my high school and college self that I should lean into life’s challenges and embrace failure more because that is the only way to learn and grow. There is no such thing as failure, just lessons learned. Things usually end up working out in the end so I would tell my younger self to take more risks.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
I would love to learn how to build a business that can withstand the test of time. The things that have been on my mind recently include how to better position my offerings, how to niche down and create a steady flow of ideal clients and how I can continue growing both professionally and personally.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I am looking for opportunities to build complete web experiences (strategy, design, technology) or front-end/creative development roles with brands and agencies. My ideal projects include interactive microsites and complete website builds for brands in the entertainment, technology, fashion, and lifestyle industries.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
My ideal client would be in the entertainment, technology, fashion, or lifestyle industry. They would be looking for a partner to build out their marketing and/or e-commerce web experience. They would value high-quality work, clear communication, and be a pleasure to collaborate with.
Q: What is your rate?
The general budget depends on the project, its complexity, and the business. Projects can start at $1k and are typically priced using a fixed-price structure. I can be flexible with the budget as long as we can be flexible with the scope.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Feel free to email me to start the conversation. Please mention your goals, budget, and timeline. I would love to hear from you.
Q Who is a creative you admire?
John Elliott for creating one of the dopest fashion brands out there today. Highly recommended for those that value the simplicity of basics while paying attention to the details that matter.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Working out, eating good and sleeping well.
This member profile was originally published in March 2022.