Dara came with a clear vision for what Cambridge Driversity could become, but also with a business that hadn't launched yet, a modest budget, and a lot of ground to cover before a single line of design could be written. The first job wasn't to build a website. It was to figure out exactly what the business needed right now, and what could wait.
Scaling Back to Move Forward
One of Dara's initial plans was to offer instructor training and recruitment services through the site. During the research phase it became clear that pursuing this early would mean competing with well-established schools who had extensive, verified service pages, and going through a business verification process before the service could even be offered. For a brand new business, this would have added cost, complexity, and delay without any guarantee of return. The decision was made to simplify: rather than a full service section, a single enquiry button kept the option open without overloading the site. It was the right call for where the business was at.
Design and Development
With the branding complete from Natasha at Brockman Media, the design phase began with two distinct visual concepts for Dara to review. Giving the client a real choice, rather than a single direction to approve, meant the final design genuinely reflected his preferences and gave him ownership of the outcome. Once a direction was confirmed, I developed the one-page site around it: who they are, what they offer, their prices, and how to get in touch.
The Google Business Profile had launched ahead of the website and had already attracted strong early reviews. Rather than leave that sitting separately, we pulled that social proof directly into the hero section, letting the business's reputation do some of the work from the moment anyone landed on the page.
Setting the Business Up to Grow
The website was only one part of the foundation. Alongside the build I secured the domain on a strong .co.uk, set up a professional Google Workspace email, and delivered a starter marketing package covering Google Business Profile setup and key directory listings. I also put together a practical marketing launch document giving Dara clear guidance on how to get the most from his social platforms and GBP going forward, something concrete he could act on straight away.
Post-launch, the site stayed flexible. When Dara wanted a WhatsApp button added, that was a simple addition. The early results were encouraging: within a short time of launching, 20 new enquiries had come in through the contact form, a strong start for a business that had only just got off the ground.
