MY STORY.
I KNOW THE STRUGGLE.
If you’re not an experienced web designer, then web design can be a tricky, confusing, and sometimes scary venture. You have options, between all the ‘build-your-own-website’ software or hire a designer that you trust with your money and the fate of your business. Both are risky, and before I was a designer, I faced those very same scenarios.
They didn’t exactly end well.
I’m Matt and I am a co-founder of Shoot To Thrill Media.
Before I started Shoot To Thrill Media, and before I knew anything about building websites, I was a budding entrepreneur. I had business aspirations, and the know-how on how to properly start, grow and manage a business. But of those business skills, technology wasn’t something I was proficient in. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve always been tech savvy, but when it came to getting my first website built, I was delusional in thinking I could create a decent website with the free (and some paid) tools available to me.
MY STORY.
I KNOW THE STRUGGLE.
If you’re not an experienced web designer, then web design can be a tricky, confusing, and sometimes scary venture. You have options, between all the ‘build-your-own-website’ software or hire a designer that you trust with your money and the fate of your business. Both are risky, and before I was a designer, I faced those very same scenarios.
They didn’t exactly end well.
I’m Matt and I am a co-founder of Shoot To Thrill Media.
Before I started Shoot To Thrill Media, and before I knew anything about building websites, I was a budding entrepreneur. I had business aspirations, and the know-how on how to properly start, grow and manage a business. But of those business skills, technology wasn’t something I was proficient in. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve always been tech savvy, but when it came to getting my first website built, I was delusional in thinking I could create a decent website with the free (and some paid) tools available to me.
DONE WITH THE DIY.
I’ve always been a do-it-myself kind of guy, so I figured I would tackle the web building. There’s tons of tools, like SquareSpace and Weebly that offer a way to build great looking sites FOR FREE! So I started building my own site. I saw some progress and it seemed like it was going well. But there was something missing. I didn’t know what and I couldn’t figure out why my site just wasn’t cutting it. I looked at other cool looking sites, and tried to replicate them, but things just weren’t panning out.
I spent more and more time focusing on a skill that I wasn’t great at, and I saw my time being pulled away from what really mattered, and that was managing my business. I knew I wasn’t getting any better at building a website and these DIY web builders definitely had their limitations.
So I made the decision:
I was going to find a web designer.

TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.
I found a designer that looked the part. I knew nothing about the work and effort behind having a “professional” building my site. So when I was given a 3 month estimate, I was at their mercy, as I had no idea on what was a normal time frame. I trusted they were doing their job and they would deliver a product that was far beyond my capabilities.
Well, the 3 months went by and I hadn’t heard much from the designer, so I checked in. After a string of emails, I was delivered the first draft of my website. It was nowhere near what I had envisioned, and so much content and so many elements were missing. But the designer ensured me that this was a normal pace, and things WILL get done. Having no real knowledge on the subject, I trusted them, and they continued the build.
After speaking with the designer, I decided to speak with friends that I know have dabbled in web design. After looking over the site, and what all has been done, they genuinely thought that the site, that I had waited 3 months for, had been worked on for just a few hours.
This web designer took advantage of my lack of knowledge on web design to sell me a service that they were less than qualified for. I was lied to. I was always in the dark while they “built.” I put my business and website in their hands, and it was a costly mistake.
I was upset. But most importantly, I was determined. Determined to understand this craft, that seems so important in not only mine, but EVERY industry.
So I began learning.
DONE WITH THE DIY.
I’ve always been a do-it-myself kind of guy, so I figured I would tackle the web building. There’s tons of tools, like SquareSpace and Weebly that offer a way to build great looking sites FOR FREE! So I started building my own site. I saw some progress and it seemed like it was going well. But there was something missing. I didn’t know what and I couldn’t figure out why my site just wasn’t cutting it. I looked at other cool looking sites, and tried to replicate them, but things just weren’t panning out.
I spent more and more time focusing on a skill that I wasn’t great at, and I saw my time being pulled away from what really mattered, and that was managing my business. I knew I wasn’t getting any better at building a website and these DIY web builders definitely had their limitations.
So I made the decision:
I was going to find a web designer.

TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.
I found a designer that looked the part. I knew nothing about the work and effort behind having a “professional” building my site. So when I was given a 3 month estimate, I was at their mercy, as I had no idea on what was a normal time frame. I trusted they were doing their job and they would deliver a product that was far beyond my capabilities.
Well, the 3 months went by and I hadn’t heard much from the designer, so I checked in. After a string of emails, I was delivered the first draft of my website. It was nowhere near what I had envisioned, and so much content and so many elements were missing. But the designer ensured me that this was a normal pace, and things WILL get done. Having no real knowledge on the subject, I trusted them, and they continued the build.
After speaking with the designer, I decided to speak with friends that I know have dabbled in web design. After looking over the site, and what all has been done, they genuinely thought that the site, that I had waited 3 months for, had been worked on for just a few hours.
This web designer took advantage of my lack of knowledge on web design to sell me a service that they were less than qualified for. I was lied to. I was always in the dark while they “built.” I put my business and website in their hands, and it was a costly mistake.
I was upset. But most importantly, I was determined. Determined to understand this craft, that seems so important in not only mine, but EVERY industry.
So I began learning.
CREATING A TRANSPARENT BUSINESS.
Fast forward a few years.
I’ve officially become a self-taught web designer.
I looked back at what was the biggest problem I faced with web design. It wasn’t the lack of knowledge that was problem, it was the lack of clarity and transparency when I trusted someone with my website. They may have known what they were doing, but left me in the dark to HOPE that it was working out.
So I turned that pain point into a vision and that vision into Shoot To Thrill Media.