Laura Wheeler is a middle aged, overweight, mother of 8 (so far), who operates a successful web design and promotion business from the wilds of Wyoming. She homeschools her kids, and is a prolific technical and instructional writer.

This site was conceived after the Wheeler family renamed their web design business to Firelight Web Studio. She met with a client, and mentioned her intent to expand her business, and said to him, “Who is going to take me seriously? I look like a frumpy haus frau!”

His reply was illuminating. He said, “I did.” He then went on to say, “One of the reasons I hired you is because you were unquestionably real. When I saw you in casual clothing, needing a haircut, with a kid in tow, all thoughts that you would try to gouge me went right out the window.” He then explained that he was more willing to trust her because as a small business owner, he could identify with her priority of people over clothing, and her priority of family first. He also said, “Any pre-judgments I might have had disappeared when you opened your mouth and started talking. I did wonder if my site might end up looking ‘homemade’, but your preliminary examples were so professional I stopped being concerned.”
Laura knows what it is like to be in that awkward stage of building a business where you are successful enough to know your worth, but no so successful that you can afford to LOOK successful. There are just more important things, like the software to do the best job for the client, or the ability to give your clients the best prices, or the kid that needs shoes YET AGAIN!

She believes that relationships are the most important thing with business. If you can afford to give a good first impression, fine. If you cannot, then present yourself as intelligent with the first thing you say, and most decent people will be willing to overlook your clothes and hair, as long as you are not deliberately sloppy, or dirty.

Web design is largely about appearance - and how appearance affects function. So a few people will wonder how a woman who wears clothes from Wal-Mart, and whose home is decorated in “early hand-me-down” can design a coordinated and elegant looking website. She can - because elegant clothing is expensive, but it does not cost more to create an ugly site than it does to create a neat and impressive one.

This site has been created to encourage those women who are dedicated and intelligent, but who know that in the appearance department they cannot compete with someone in a suit. You really CAN succeed in business, even if you DO look like a frumpy haus frau, IF you refine your niche, and focus on kindness and professionalism in your manner.

Laura owns and operates over 35 websites on various home, family, small business, and marketing topics. She owns Firelight Web Studio, and is a member of the Laramie Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Total Integrity Business Group. She is also the Web Admin for the Town of Medicine Bow, and is involved in encouraging Business Development in her town, through leadership of a citizen’s committtee.