Name: Pamela Saxon
Employment: Saxon Creative – Brand Strategy, Web Design/Development & Marketing
Primary website:
http://saxoncreative.com
Twitter handle:
@pamsaxon
How were you first introduced to WordPress? I began in print design 16 years ago, and my clients began asking for web design soon after. In order to accommodate them, I taught myself HTML and started using Dreamweaver. Soon after that, blogging became more popular and I could see the writing on the wall that WordPress was the way to go. In 2007 I began using WP and have never looked back.
What do you like about it? Being a brand strategist and designer first and foremost, I like its flexibility and ease of use. WordPress allows me to design sites in a way that reflect a brand’s personality, while simultaneously offering the capability for my clients to post without having to contact me first, giving them ownership of their site(s). They like feeling self-empowered, and that makes me happy.
What do you do with WP now? I help small business owners brand their company’s websites in a unique and compelling way. I tackle big questions, envision the “big picture”, and am driven to provide outstanding strategic creative solutions that help my clients make more money, position themselves as industry leaders and support them in their quest to improve the world we live in. I love this stuff. Helping people put a shine on their brand is the reason I get out of bed in the morning.
How has the WP community (local and beyond) helped you? Getting involved in our local WP community has connected me with other WP users, helping me to solve problems for my clients and giving me a place where I can share ideas with others. I feel a real sense of belonging.
Did learning WP lead to any significant professional, personal, creative changes in your life? Tell us how! Once I learned WordPress, I never went back. Before, I was paying someone to develop my websites for me. This was fine, but he was so busy and I found I was waiting longer and longer to get the work completed. By learning WordPress, I was able to take that control back and get my websites completed at a much faster pace. VERY empowering.
What would you tell a brand new user? I would tell a brand new user, “Don’t be afraid of breaking anything.” If you become part of the WP community, there are always people around who can help you through it. Breaking things and making mistakes is how you learn.
On that note, the second thing I would say is, “Always remember to BACK UP YOUR WEBSITE!”
Anything else we should we know? In my previous lifetime in show business as a performer, choreographer and director, I learned from people like Leonard Bernstein, Gregory Peck and Harrison Ford that a good brand is successful because of the way it makes people feel. People just want to be happy. They want a solution to their problems, and they want to sleep well at night. I am helping companies find their “it.” And “it” is thrilling.
Do you use WordPress? Do you live in the Middle Tennessee area? If so, we want to feature you and your story of how WordPress makes your work awesome. Submit your story here.
Name: Jenni Leeds
Name: Bonita Kolb
Name: Shelby Webb
Name: Shauna “WhiskeyChick” Castorena
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Name: Claire Sweet
Employment: Director, Customer Experience Operations at WP Engine