Melissa Kelly
Melissa Kelly
Massachusetts / USA
Founder of Go Bloom Creative
Services
Squarespace Template, Squarespace Design and Dev, Website Tweaks, SEO Strategy
Course Taken
Standout Squarespace
01
Hi! My name is Melissa Kelly and I’m a Founder of Go Bloom Creative based in Massachusetts, USA.
02
Outside work you will often find me making snacks for my kid, thinking about what to make my kid for dinner, cleaning up my house, imagining what it would be like to read a book by myself on the beach, and then trying (and failing) to get to bed at a reasonable hour #momlife 🤪
03
But on a typical workday, I am usually feeling really grateful that I get to wear comfy clothes to my job and help clients and customers who are making the world a better place.
04
My day usually starts with an overly complex coffee making routine
05
Most of the time I am working on new templates, learning new skills, writing emails and blogs
06
What are your first memories of the Internet?
The sounds of a dial up modem (yep, me and the internet go way back) and how exciting it was to hear the phrase "You've got mail."
07
What is the best part about the process of building websites for you?
I started this business with a passion for helping therapists create their ideal business and for building websites in Squarespace. There is something I find so satisfying about creating in this platform-like it fits in the grooves of my brain somehow. I love how easy it is to add custom features and the process of figuring out how to bring a visual or interactive idea to life.
08
What is your favorite stretch or pastime in between coding?
I'd love to say I take a healthful walk, but if I'm totally honest? Pacing around my house, finding something to randomly clean, or a snack to eat. Usually I'm in a flow state if I'm coding and building in Squarespace (because it's my favorite part!), so I'm not always the best at breaks.
09
How would you describe your Standout Style in 2-3 words? Modern. Minimalist. Playful.
10
Which Standout workshops do you find yourself incorporating most often on your website projects?
Templates Masterclass!
Fluid Tabs
Mega Menu
Fluid Vertical Lines
Stylish Vertical Tabs
11
What makes your work standout?
I prioritize my user–therapists who are creating a website with little experience or design knowledge-and their clients. Those two groups of people drive me as a designer. I prioritize practicality and functionality. The visitors of this website may be under significant stress, so the site needs to be easy to navigate and ethical. Because I have first-hand experience being a therapist in my previous career I understand how to bring these elements together. And I also promote self-expression. I make my templates fun, playful, and "voicy" as a way to show that you can be professional and polished but you should still be you. Gone are the days when therapists are "blank slates," so your website can represent you and doesn't have to look like everyone else's.
12
What are the biggest takeaways from the Standout programs?
I joined the Standout Squarespace program in October 2020 and even though I completed the program I remain in the community as an alumni because I see it as an essential for my business. It not only gave me the foundation for what I have today (smart, time-saving coding skills, design knowledge, business SOPs) but it has given my sustaining connections to other designers who have supported me and my business, as well as limitless inspiration for design and development and the skills to put it in place. What I have invested in Standout Squarespace I have earned back so many times over and I am forever grateful to have stumbled upon Rache's free CSS course back in the day! 🙏
13
What is your dream website project?
My ideal client works really hard, sees clients in historically marginalized groups, and doesn't get paid enough (because a only a minuscule number of therapists do get paid enough). While I still do 1-2 custom projects a year, my focus is on creating tools, courses, and programs that support therapists in having a website that feels aligned to their unique selves and businesses and remaining affordable and accessible.
