A love of digital publishing and design drove development at Slabmedia.

The creation of a website consists of writing a set of rules to best describe your vision to the world.

It started in 1997 when I was working on a website for my band. I was early. As a graphic designer, I knew what I wanted it to look like. I had a vision for what my audience would want from my band’s website. Within the limitations of the early world of HTML, I started experimenting with the code that turned out to be the kernel of Slabmedia.

I was lucky to be early. I won a webdesign award and people started asking me to build websites for them. I found I loved doing the design but changing the content to meet my new client's demands took over my life, so I started building a system that would allow my clients to change the content themselves, determined to make it easier than sending me an email describing what they wanted me to do. This was before WordPress or Squarespace existed. I ended up writing the first version of Slab.

Jim's very first website in 1997:
back when screens were really
480 pixels wide.

I built our Slab Web Publishing Platform from the ground up from the point of view of a designer, not a coder. I made the system customizable to the clients' needs, emphasizing specific functionality over infinite flexibility. When the application you use to update your site has been customized specifically to your editing needs for each section, it removes the barriers to making the edits you need to keep your website up to date and relevant. This builds authority, and reputation, and reduces unnecessary phone calls, increasing qualified leads.

A website as a living thing. It starts as a framework of design and structure, and then grows and deepens with content. This is likely the first or second place a potential client finds you. It needs to be in harmony with your culture and purpose.