I always get so many wonderful compliments about  RFC’s website… So much so, that I thought it would only be fair if I “shared” my awesome contact, Brianna Young, of Mad Hatter Design Company.  She has been instrumental in getting Rainflower Company off the ground, and is my “go-to” girl for all of my million-and-one silly questions and dilemas.  You can’t ”have” her because she’s “mine”, but you may “borrow” her if you have a project you need to complete, website, logo, you name it… She’s your girl.  Here are some valuable insights to consider for your next project from the Mad Hatter herself…

RFC:- Tell us a little bit about the “Mad Hatter”…

MHD:- The Mad Hatter is a little bit crazy, but I think that works in my favor. I’m a mom to a 2-year-old girl (and soon to be another baby girl!). I’m 27, love technology, and love spending time with my family. I’ve worked in all kinds of industries, including elder care and retail. And at one point, I owned a bath and body business where I made my own products.

RFC:- How long have you been in business?

MHD:- I’ve been designing professionally for about 2.5 years.

RFC:- Tell us about the design process, what is involved in designing a website?

MHD:- First I talk with the client via email or phone to find out what they want for their new site. Once I’ve done a bit of research, and have a good idea what the client wants, I start creating images as a preliminary layout. I get my client’s feedback through the entire process, and the direction things go generally depends on what the client wants. I put it all in Dreamweaver and work on the CSS and HTML for the site. Once the client gives me the “ok,” everything goes live on the web! Wordpress sites are a little different, but either way, it’s all about my client.

RFC:- What is your favorite platform to use for the website?

MHD:- I prefer building HTML/CSS sites, using Dreamweaver to guide me. For more dynamic sites and blogs, I like to build custom Wordpress themes.

RFC:- Roughly how long does it take to design one?

MHD:-It truly depends on the site, but I can knock out a 2 or 3 page site in just a few hours.

RFC:- Can you give us a rough idea of how much to budget for a website?

MHD:- Start with about $400 if you want a basic Plain Jane site with no bells and whistles. Make sure that includes some basic SEO. Every designer should take care to use search engine friendly code, keywords, and image alt text. The price will also depend on your designer’s level of experience, what is included (hosting, logo design, etc.) and how many pages you need for your site.

RFC:- Where do you draw your inspiration from?

MHD:- StumbleUpon is one of my biggest sources of inspiration. I’m always coming across gorgeous sites with beautiful images and great code. But even something as simple as a colorful photo can inspire a website’s theme!

RFC:- What 3 items can we always find in your purse?

MHD:-My iPhone, Orbit Maui Melon Mint gum, a stack of my business cards.

RFC:- Favorite quote?

MHD:- “It’s not the piano that makes beautiful music. It’s the person sitting at the piano!” I have no idea where that came from, but I’ve always loved it. Photoshop alone can’t make things pretty!

RFC:- Tell us a little bit about Brianna, the songstress…

MHD:- Oh, I’ve played guitar about 9 years now. I’ve even recorded a few original songs and played a few open mic nights around Tulsa. Maybe one of these days I’ll pursue it further. My music can be heard at www.myspace.com/britulsa

RFC:- Tell us something about you that no one really knows and would be shocked to find out?

MHD:-At one time, I owned and ran 7 different businesses while attending school full time, and being a stay-at-home mom. I’ve cut back quite a bit these days.

RFC:- What project are you most proud of?

MHD:- Actually, my own website! It’s taken me a long time to decide on the face of Mad Hatter Design Co. and I think I’ve finally nailed it. It has spunk, is playful, but still professional – so me.

RFC:- Where do you see your business in 5 years?

MHD:- I see my design services morphing into more of a graphics boutique. I love the custom work I do, and will probably continue doing it on the side, but providing graphics to other designers will allow me more time with my family. That’s the reason I wanted to work from home in the first place!

RFC:- What trends do you see happening in design for 2009?

MHD:- Mobile design is becoming ever-so-important for anyone whose clients are accessing their sites via Blackberry or iPhone, so making sites more accommodating for loading in mobile browsers will be key for the coming year.Accessibility and usability are also becoming more important. These days, if users can’t find what they need on your site quickly and easily (or if they physically aren’t able to do so, and no accommodations have been made), they will leave your site.  There are also some exciting new possibilities opening up for typography and web browsers – this could mean big things for those of us who love fonts! Wouldn’t it be great to display your website in any font you want?

That’s awesome Brianna!  You are a true rockstar and I wouldn’t be anywhere close to here,  if it wasn’t for you!  THANK-YOU SOOO MUCH!  Wanna get in touch with Brianna? Please visit her website, and blog where she shares lots and lots of fabulous webdesign and graphics information!