Some people find their way into web design through a computer science degree or a design agency. I found mine behind the bar.
For years I worked across Metro East — from local dive bars to upscale steakhouses — and what I learned had nothing to do with cocktails, and everything to do with how businesses earn loyalty. I listened to how people talk about businesses when the owner wasn't in the room. I heard first-hand what kept customers coming back. What made them leave and never return. What a business actually needs — online and in their community — to earn the kind of loyalty that lasts generations.
The same story kept surfacing. Great businesses with outdated websites. Owners who were exceptional at what they did but completely invisible online. Regulars who loved a place but couldn't find the hours, the menu, or a way to book. And new customers who never gave them a chance — because nothing about their online presence gave them a reason to.
I've also been on the other side of that equation. I've chosen a restaurant, a service, a product — based entirely on a beautiful website — only to show up and feel completely shortchanged. Those weren't hidden gems. They were corporate brands with six-figure marketing budgets making promises they couldn't keep. And somewhere across town, a better business with a better product and an owner who actually cared — lost that customer before they ever had a chance. That's always bothered me, and it's time for that to change.
The good news is that gap is closeable. A high-converting, beautifully designed website isn't reserved for corporations. It's not out of reach for a local business that actually has something worth showing up for. It's a decision — and one of the most important ones you'll make for your future.
Your community wants to support you, choose you, and come back to you. They just need your presence to meet them where they are. Your story matters to the people around you — and the right website makes sure they know it.
Modern Narrative exists for the businesses that are worth finding. Let's make sure people can find you.