In this interview, we speak with Jon Bardi of Jon Bardi Web Design about his journey from starting a one-person web design business in Sardinia to building a reputation for creating user-friendly, visually appealing websites. Speaking with Website Planet, Jon shares insights into his client-focused approach, how he differentiates his services from other agencies, and his thoughts on the future of web design in an evolving digital landscape.
What inspired you to start Jon Bardi Web Design, and how has the company evolved since its founding?
It was a case of “needs must” really. I met and married an Italian woman who lives in Alghero, Sardinia, and I realized that to have any future living there, I would have to work for myself, since jobs are not exactly plentiful in Alghero.
I had experience in web design going back to my college days in the early 2000s, back when Dreamweaver was king, so I decided to start my own web design business. It was slow going at first, but if you treat customers well, word of mouth will do all the hard work for you.
Getting work has never been a problem, although I am in a constant state of anxiety that one day it will all just grind to a halt.
How do you differentiate your web design services from other agencies in terms of creativity and client experience?
It seems to me that most other web design services, and certainly other agencies, are all about how much money they can squeeze from their clients. It shocks me when clients tell me the quotes they have been given.
A lot of my clients just want a web presence, something to get the ball rolling. A mother who wants a platform to advertise her homebaked cakes should not have to fork out five thousand pounds for an all bells and whistles megasite, and on top of that pay extra if they want to change their phone number at some point.
I find it hugely satisfying to help my clients get seen on the internet and to help launch their new project or business. It is not about sales to me, or upselling extras they will not need. Their success is my success, and I believe that this approach is why I have been successful over the last ten years.
Can you describe your approach to building user-friendly and visually appealing websites for small businesses?
I give my clients a choice from the outset. They can leave everything to me and let me create something in line with their current industry, something I think works visually, or they can take total control themselves, which can result in some interesting outcomes.
If a client wants orange text on a green background, for example, I will try to prod them into a more aesthetically pleasing color scheme, but at the end of the day, I want them to be happy. What is the point of having a website that meets design conventions if the client is not thrilled with it?
I think what is more important is that the website design says a lot about the person who owns it; otherwise, everything will just look the same. I start with a first draft of the homepage and will not proceed with any more pages until the client is 100 percent satisfied with the design.
Could you share a project that was particularly challenging and how your team overcame those challenges?
Well, I do not have a team; it is just me, although I do plenty of agency work. The most challenging project recently was a feng shui website. I should have realized it might be difficult when I first heard the words “feng shui,” since everything had to be in the right position and just right, from colors to font sizes to image placement.
Luckily, my client was lovely and we got along very well, which was extremely important. We met in a coffee shop to go over each aspect of the site live, which is not something I would usually do, but it helped put everything together exactly as she envisaged.
Every project has its own challenges, but if you are patient and maintain good communication with your client, there is nothing that cannot be overcome, although it can take a lot of tact sometimes.
What are your goals for the future of Jon Bardi Web Design as web technologies continue to evolve?
I have to confess that I am becoming a little worried about the future of web design. With the advent of AI and how Google Search has adapted to favor social media sites such as Reddit, I am concerned that web design may become a dying art, especially for the low-budget clients I tend to attract.
A lot of my work lately has been “clean-up” jobs for people who tried to create their own websites on platforms like Wix and discovered it is not as easy as it looks.
But I have a few backup plans in my back pocket should the need arise, and I am confident that if I keep focusing on keeping the customer happy, I should be fine, provided the robots do not take over and destroy us all.
