Isa Seminega is the entrepreneur, business strategist and creative behind Welland Porter, a digital design studio for small businesses with big plans. As a successful design expert, Isa has vast experience consulting on brand growth; as a self-employed Black woman in tech, she has a wealth of wisdom on staying motivated and avoiding burnout. In this interview, Isa shares her lessons and tips and why small businesses should want to work with Welland Porter.
We originally interviewed Isa as part of our female creator spotlight in the Spring edition of our Little Black Book, in honour of Women’s History Month
How does Welland Porter work with small businesses?
We’re a digital design studio specialising in web design for ambitious brands who dream big. We build websites for small businesses that elevate their brand and reflect the true quality of their products and services so they can make more money.
What services do you offer to small businesses?
Our main services are fully custom websites, homepage refreshes and website audits, where we look at what changes you can make to increase conversions and average cart value. We also offer monthly packages for email marketing, SEO and website updates, which works really well for e-commerce brands who may need regular product updates to keep things fresh.
What’s been your most rewarding project?
We’ve had the pleasure of working on so many wonderful projects so far, but one of my personal favourites was the website for Nyurah, a restaurant based in Rwanda. Working with beautiful images of mouth-watering food was a highlight. We’ve also just finished a new website for author and illustrator Andrea Pippins. Andrea was top of my list of dream clients that I wanted to work with when I started Welland Porter, so it has been really rewarding to get to do it! She is a wonderful artist and activist and being able to work with her to create a website that reflected her work and brand has been a true honour.
What would be your ideal project?
I’d love to work with a beauty startup because I’m obsessed with clean skincare and I’m really excited about the new Black-owned beauty brands coming up right now. I’m looking to take on more extended projects where we build their new website then continue to partner with the brand in other areas to support their growth. Our experience spans digital marketing alongside design so it would be great to use those skills to help accelerate growth long-term.
How do you settle into the work week?
I try to start the week with intention. Like most people, I’m pulled into so many directions throughout the week that taking that time to be intentional at the start and easing myself into things helps me feel more in control. If I have ongoing projects with freelancers I’ll check in with them to ensure they don’t have any problems or issues and check we’re on schedule. Then I’ll settle into client work.
What does a typical Monday look like for you?
I work best doing deep work and getting into the flow state. I’m not so great at switching between tasks every 30 minutes, so I’ve set certain days for client work and certain days for business strategy/marketing and admin such as invoices. Monday is a client day, so I’ll catch up with all projects I’m working on, then throw myself into checking off the to-do list.
Sometimes I’ll have client calls or consultations, and other times it’s design or coding. I tend to have those in blocks too; a few hours of problem-solving through code is my favourite thing to do and it never feels like work. I’ll walk my dog Leo for an hour around 3pm then get back to work for another few hours, catch up with my children once they get home from school, and make dinner. Although, if my husband is off, I’ll let him make it!
How do you switch off from work?
I’ve suffered from burnout in the past and it took years before I felt like I was back to my usual creative and productive self. Because of this, I make sure I’m taking care of myself the best way I can, resting when I need to rest and trying not to overload my project schedule. If I have a client launch, I’ll plan a slower weekend, just balancing things out and being mindful of my energy levels.
Are there any routines you stick to to avoid feeling burnt out or overwhelmed?
I switch off by getting out in nature. Every afternoon, I take a one-hour walk with Leo. The fresh air helps clear my mind and centres me so that when I sit back down to work I can focus better. No matter how busy I am, taking this time each day has made me less overwhelmed and less anxious about work and the unpredictability of pandemic life!
I also love a great TV show – anything Shondaland with plenty of episodes to binge-watch! I read a lot too, mostly light-hearted diverse romance and YA. I am going to have a go at writing a YA romance this year as I have a story I can’t shake!
Blueberry Hill, a recent web design project by Welland Porter
What’s been your biggest learning from building and running a team?
Growing the Welland Porter team has been slower and more considered because I’ve been burned in the past with when I had a previous business. You want to believe everyone has the same values and work ethic but that’s not always the case! My team currently consists of contractors and freelancers, which is working really well so far. When I find a great person to work with then I try to keep them busy. Working on a project-by-project basis is much less stressful for me than having a fixed monthly payroll.
What advice can you give to fellow business owners wanting to hire?
If you’re looking to expand your team, don’t wait until you are desperate for help. You’re more likely to hire wrong if you’re hiring fast. Test out freelancers with smaller projects. Learn if you can trust them, if they can really do what they say they can do, and that their work is of a high quality before you give them higher value projects.
I’m trying to create a company culture that I’m proud of. My team is almost exclusively women of colour because I want to give us opportunities that we often have to fight for. I’ve been in that position before where I’ve been overlooked or had my skills questioned because I don’t look like the stereotypical tech bro or programmer, so I’m all for spreading the work between us women!
What advice would you give to other Black women looking to build a career in tech?
First, the tech world is always changing, so you need to always keep growing and learning. It makes it harder to plan, since you never know what’s going to happen next, but that’s what makes it exciting. Read about the industry every day to stay on top of what’s happening and what that means for the future.
Second, never feel satisfied with staying where you are, as you’ll stagnate and miss out on opportunities.
I’d also say believe in yourself. Women always undervalue their skills; we undercharge for better work that a mediocre white man would charge quadruple for. Believe you are worth it. Always research what others are getting for similar jobs whether it’s for a job role or a freelance project. Society may let Black women down by seeing us as worthy of less, but never believe them.
Finally, always be up-levelling your skills. Take courses and create side projects that fulfil you creatively and expand your technical knowledge. Share your work online and find a community of like-minded women you can share your wins and losses with.
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