Project Overview
I inherited a project from a previous developer. The project was a simple website for a local business. When I met Pamela, I found her unhappy with the content. She wanted her website to showcase their dressage training, clinics, boarding, and lessons. But it was missing some content. And how do I say, …it was clunky, and was not very nice to navigate. The original developer used a basic SvelteKit template and added some custom styles. She did it as a freebie and a learning expereince for herself. And, to be fair, I think I was responsible for getting her interested in [SvelteKit(https://svelte.dev/)].
For the rebuild, I’ve refactored all aspects of the project. The site has improved in level of content quality, but has a way to go to meet the client’s vision and business goals. Fortunately, it is a good candidate for a CMS, so I’m exploring adding Sanity as a CMS to the project. Currently, clinic updates are added to a JSON file, which is then converted to Markdown and added to the project. This process is a little clunky and could be improved. Since my client is not tech-savvy, I want to make sure the CMS is available online and a place where she could publish from her phone.
Recently I attended one of her clinics, meeting clients and learning how she drew them to her by being persistent. She is a great example of how to build a business around a passion. And because her clients are so loyal, I’ve gained an appreciation for the people and how their lives are enriched by learning this form of riding, training in the disciplines of dressage, hunting and jumping, and competing.
Technical Challenges
The site was built with an early version of SvelteKit and I experince growing pains, needing to identify when I should migrate to SvelteKit 5 which is the latest version. The client also has a limited budget and ability to get this work done. But she has a loyal following and a strong desire to have a website that is working for her. I am working to setup a MailChimp newsletter signup form, and a Google Form to submit updates.
While she is a native German speaker and not comfortable with writing, I believe her students and friends are willing to offer their assistance with their stories and testimonials. So my plan now is to integrate a CMS to allow herself and others to add new content to certain areas of the site.
Planned Features
- Add a CMS to the project
- Add a MailChimp newsletter signup form
- Add a Google Form to submit updates
- Recruit more content from the community
Testimonial
“Greg has been a great partner in helping me build a website that is working for me. He has been patient with my limited technical skills and is working with me to create a system that I will be able to maintain. I’m looking forward to working with him again as he continues to add new features and improve the site.”
— Pamela Bauer, Owner of German Magic Farm, LLC