Elizabeth Ellery on building an authentic brand and thriving web design business
Elizabeth Ellery didn't follow the typical path to becoming a successful web design entrepreneur. As founder of Elizabeth Ellery Studios, she's built a thriving brand and web design business rooted in authenticity and intuition. In a recent episode of Looks Good From Here, Liz shared her unconventional journey from fashion design to Squarespace web design, revealing the mindset shifts and strategic decisions that transformed her business.
From fashion design to web design
Liz's story began in the fashion industry, where she spent a decade working for a London-based clothing company. "From the age of 13, I knew I wanted to be a fashion designer," she explains. After completing her four-year degree and landing her dream job, her career took an unexpected turn when the company appeared on a prime time BBC show.
"The website crashed, and the next day I found myself being a website designer," Liz recalls. Despite initially feeling resentful about shifting away from textile design, she discovered a passion for web design that would eventually become her calling.
Her transition to Squarespace came in 2015 when she created a portfolio website to showcase her textile prints. This first experience with the platform planted the seeds for what would become her full-time business.
Taking the leap into entrepreneurship
By 2018, after investing in personal development and working with a business coach, Liz made the bold decision to leave her secure fashion job and start her own web design business. "I handed my notice in and I left. I'd never designed a website within my portfolio, and I don't think I even had any savings," she shares.
Her strategy was simple but effective. She offered to design her coach's website for free in exchange for a recommendation to her email list. The result? Three clients immediately signed up, and Liz made half her annual fashion salary in her first month of business.
Navigating the ups and downs of business
Despite her strong start, Liz experienced the reality that many entrepreneurs face. "I want to be very clear with everybody that's listening because I think it's really scary. It's like the Instagram highlight reel. People might think everybody's got it sorted but me," she emphasizes.
By year five of her business, Liz was struggling with inconsistent income and the mental toll of entrepreneurship. She even applied for a full-time job. However, her family's encouragement kept her going. "They were like, 'Elizabeth, you've done so well. You should be so proud of yourself. Just keep going.'"
The turning point: trusting intuition
The breakthrough came when Liz stopped following every marketing trend and started trusting her intuition. "I think I didn't trust myself about how to market my business or how to grow it," she reflects. "As soon as I started getting really intuitive and was like, what do you enjoy doing? What are you really good at? What feels good to you in your business? That's when everything changed."
This shift involved:
Streamlining her packages to what felt authentic
Focusing on marketing methods that brought her joy
Raising her energy and reframing negative stories about money and clients
Following her intuition in all aspects of business development
Creating authentic brand experiences
Liz's approach to web design centers on translating a client's true energy into their online presence. "What I try and do on people's websites is get who they are and their energy and their authenticity online, so that you're not selling somebody who they think their clients will like," she explains.
She emphasizes the importance of congruency between a person's online presence and their real personality. When clients meet her after visiting her website, they consistently tell her, "You're just like your website."
Practical tips for authentic branding
When working with clients to develop their authentic brand presence, Liz starts by asking: "How do you want your clients to feel when they land on your website?" This question naturally reveals the designer's own values and personality.
For her own website, Liz wanted visitors to feel they could trust her, that they'd found someone warm and friendly who makes them feel excited and happy. These feelings guided every design decision on her site.
Designing your ideal business
One of Liz's most powerful insights centers on loving your own website. For the first five years of her business, she didn't actually like her website. When she finally redesigned it in February after her fifth year, everything shifted.
"As soon as I did that, I felt unstoppable," Liz shares. "I would get on a call thinking, if you've just looked at my website, I am the person because it looks so good and it just reflects me."
This confidence translated directly into business success. Her website positioned her well for podcast applications, workshop opportunities, and client calls. It gave her the confidence to charge premium prices and pursue ambitious goals.
Building community in the Squarespace world
Liz has been intentional about building community among Squarespace designers. "I was like, I don't have any friends in this industry," she recalls. Her solution was straightforward: she started messaging designers on Instagram as if they were already friends.
This genuine approach to connection led to meaningful relationships and eventually inspired her to create the Website Designer Summit. Over 1,000 people attended the first year, drawn by the authentic, informal format that reflected Liz's personality.
The summit has grown to include sponsorship from Squarespace and attracts over 1,400 attendees.
Creating a business that brings joy
Perhaps the most striking aspect of Liz's business is how she's designed her daily life around what brings her joy. "Rather than closing the laptop, I do all of my relaxing before work," she explains.
Her mornings include slow walks, reading card decks, luxurious skincare routines, and wearing a robe from a five-star hotel. She'll enjoy a lovely lunch before diving into designing websites, then end her day reading fantasy romance novels in bed.
"I've intentionally designed my business in a certain way that it's joyful and getting clients has been pure ease because everything is aligned and I've focused on the right things," Liz shares.
Key takeaways for web designers
Liz's journey offers valuable lessons for designers building their own businesses:
Trust your intuition. The marketing strategies that work for others may not work for you. Follow what feels aligned with your values and personality.
Show up authentically. Your website should reflect who you really are, attracting clients who connect with your genuine self rather than a manufactured persona.
Build community intentionally. Don't wait for connections to come to you. Reach out, start conversations, and create the community you want to be part of.
Design a life you love. Your business should support the lifestyle you want, not the other way around. Be intentional about structuring your days around what brings you joy.
Love your own website. If you don't feel confident about your own online presence, it affects everything from pricing to client interactions. Invest in creating a website that makes you feel unstoppable.
Connect with Elizabeth Ellery
Liz offers an online course called Design a Life You Love, which teaches her framework for creating an aligned, joyful business based on intuition rather than typical marketing tactics.
Whether you're just starting your web design journey or looking to realign your existing business with your authentic self, Liz's story demonstrates that success doesn't require following someone else's blueprint. By trusting yourself, showing up authentically, and focusing on joy, you can build a thriving business that feels as good as it looks.
Website: elizabethellery.com
Instagram: @elizabeth_ellery
Listen to the full episode. This conversation is from the Looks Good From Here podcast, where we dive past the shiny Instagram version of the internet to have real conversations with designers building real businesses.
