SBC Hive Spotlight: Kelly Gleason
In this month’s installment of the SBC Hive spotlight, we sat down with Kelly Gleason, one of the Hive’s most talented web designers! Please read on to learn more about Kelly’s passion projects, her pets, and how she got involved with SBC!
How did you hear about SBC, and why did you decide to be a part of our collective?
I met one of the co-founders, Michelle, when I stayed at her home as an Airbnb guest a number of years ago. We got along well and stayed in touch after that. When I heard that she and Emily were starting Social B., I reached out to see if her team took project referrals. I had a handful of clients in need of services that I couldn’t offer at the time (such as logo design, copywriting, and other creative needs that are not my specialty). She told me about how Social B. worked and sent me a link to apply to join if I was interested. I thought it was an awesome concept and I was excited to apply to be part of it!
We hear you’re a self-taught web designer. When and how did you decide you wanted to teach yourself this skill, and would you encourage others to do the same?
I am mostly self-taught! When I was young, I loved setting up very basic (pretty terrible) sites for fun. As a high school student, I was fortunate enough to have access to a class where I learned basic HTML and CSS – which was a helpful foundation.
I learned how to build websites in a more professional sense when I was in college. A friend had bad luck with an agency and I tried to help them out by making edits/finishing up their site. It turned out that I loved working in WordPress! I started trying to learn everything I could get my hands on. I set up a sandbox site to practice and took on small projects for friends; I’ve been building, updating, and managing sites ever since. Over time, I learned from extensive Google searching, online tutorials and workshops, a significant amount of trial and error, and some fantastic mentors.
There were good and bad things about learning mostly on my own. For anyone considering it, it can be great! There is always more to learn and a ton of sources to learn from. If constant research and learning is your cup of tea, it’s perfect! I would recommend to anyone considering it to network with others as quickly as possible – collaboration and sharing is incredibly helpful.
What is one website or project that you’re most proud of, and why?
I’m in the process of wrapping up a project for a site called Spirit Place, which is a community-based website that focuses on holistic and alternative healing. I really like the design, and put a lot into the functionality as well. I configured a dynamic directory, user-populated event list, and a few other functions that are centered around community needs. I have really enjoyed working on it and am proud of the project as a whole!
As an SBC freelancer, you’re one of the busiest and most sought-after creatives in our organization. What is important to you about having a network to create and refer to?
First off: thank you, that’s really nice!
Everyone I’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with through Social B. has been supportive, collaborative, and super talented. As freelancers, we all can get pretty busy from time to time and have different areas of expertise. It’s wonderful to not only have a trusted community of professionals to refer projects to, but also to have colleagues to ask for feedback, chat, and collaborate with.
Do you have any pets? If so, what are their names and favorite activities? 
I do! I have a dog, Abby, and a cat, Oswald (his full name is Oswald Cobblecat for any Batman fans). Abby is a silly, sweet girl who loves to play, spin, and lounge. Ozzy is a bit of a ham who can often be spotted on Zoom calls. He loves snuggles, attention, and trying to steal food off of our plates as we’re eating.
Kelly Gleason is currently accepting freelance web design and SEO clients. Check out her work and portfolio here. Contact us at socialbcreative419@gmail.com if you’re interested in collaborating with her.
