Planning a personal website: Does my portfolio matter?
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2024
- In this first episode of Built By Hand, Ben's mission is to figure out the purpose of his website and come up with a plan of attack. Does his work even matter anymore? How do you decide what content belongs here and what content belongs on The Futur's website? What tactics can you use to make the process of planning your personal portfolio website easier?
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Ben is in a unique position. He's a designer by trade with a long list of projects at his back... but does that work have a place in his career today? That's the question he struggles with as he begins to plan the structure of his personal portfolio website. Join him along the way!
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Host: Ben Burns
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Mr. Ben Burns, you can redesign my website next. A small price you'll have to pay for that genius idea of a timeline 😅
Id love to see a web design course from beginning to end. The processes involved, till the delivery date
It is a genius idea!!!
Never thought of using a timeline before. Love that idea. 💡
Hahaha I'm so down.
@@mrbenburns Eeek!
Me too, please!!
Darn ytube algorithm, didn't tell me that you were here!!!
Arrrgh!!
This content is really needful….designers tend to be shown the end product of amazing designs without understanding why certain decisions were made. This gives us way better value to follow along your thought process. Thank you Ben for doing this 🙏🏽
Thanks Felix!
Are you even a true designer if you don't have an existential crisis every once and a while
Omg so true 😭😂
Yeah, Like Working 6 Months on your Website and at the end feeling like you have too strong a skilllset now and end up discarding all the work
I'm re-branding myself, narrowing my focus and re-designing my personal website, which like you, became a cobweb covered ghost town after a while. I loved the old design, but it reflected what clients wanted as opposed to what I wanted to share with clients. This was very helpful, thank you.
Perfect timing. You know what I find really good about this series (so far) is that you really tried to break up each thought you had, each problem you faced and all the conversations with people that brought you to the different stages. This is very different from the typical videos where people just show how it's done and that's it. They never show how they got to that point, even though this is often the most difficult part about any project. Thanks and keep up the series!
This guy. This guy gets it.
That's exactly what I'm going for. We won't spend much time on the design, or on the actual development techniques. It's more about the journey. Getting from A to Z and all the obstacles that pop up in between.
Building my own website has always been the thing I've dreaded! Glad to hear I'm not the only one. I'm looking forward to seeing more of how you've tackled this and motivates me to just DO IT! 😊
Hehe thanks Stephane - hope you enjoy the journey
Shia le Bouf never fails.
Agree with you 100%: The homepage IS the most challenging. Like others, I'm also in the middle of reworking my website and the homepage is killing me. I don't want to reveal all of my work up front because I feel like that defeats the purpose of a work page, but I also don't want to send people clicking all over the place when they get to the homepage. Love the insights you offer here, can't wait to see where this series goes.
Mr. Ben is changing the ways of agency site like the way Seth Godin changing the modern of marketing, like in the past to getting clients we have to sell & push, but nowadays we have to engage and bond with them, build a relationship, having their emotions. Thanks, Mr. Ben you just delighted me.
Ben Burns is like a cup of hot chocolate on a chilly fall night....So satisfying and uplifting.
That sounds about right
Hehe I’ll take it!! Thank you 😊
That's really deep. I like that!
I’ve just been going through my hard drives today to update my portfolio so this couldn’t be better timing!
T•e•x•t. M•e.
✓ +1•7•5•7•9•5•2•6•3•8•9
Hope the hard drive excavation went well!
Wow! It is so inspiring to have a front row seat at the start of this new personal website project by Mr. Ben Burns. I think it’s tremendously helpful that in this first episode we see him engage in “design research” - where he invites members of his audience to help him gain insight into how they view his particular talents and strengths. Then he continues the conversation with trusted advisors who help him understand and pinpoint what purpose the website will solve. There is nothing like watching someone who has such a mastery of his craft embrace a “beginner’s mindset”. LOVE IT!
Thanks SO much Victoria!!
I think the beginner's mindset is the best place to be/stay. I'm a constant learner, and I never want to close that door.
It is an absolute pleasure to see ben in front of the lense again. I agree so much with Victoria at 4:22 You have a very different tone from the rest of the team and we love it. Hopefully we will get to see a lot more of you in future alongside chris. Would love to see stuff from Greg as well!
What a gem! This series deserves millions of views!
It's always an ABSOLUTE pleasure to hear Matthew talk.
Followed the whole process over the Twitch streams while working on my forever unfinished portfolio site, too. I feel very much part of all of this, Mr.Ben Burns. 🔥 🙌🏽
Such a great experience!
Felt like an online Coworking space ✨
This is such a breath of fresh air. Everything Ben spoke about in this video I connected with on so many levels. After changing careers and now diving into the world of creative freelancing, I often struggle with building my own site. I'm starting to learn more about wireframes and sitemaps, which I think will help me the most.
But the biggest takeaway I got from the video is how Ben wanted to BE DIFFERENT and break the mold of having a traditional CV/Portfolio website.
Despite being new to the industry, there's more to me than just a short summary, a repository of my samples and projects, a blurb about my experience, and contact info.
I'm so happy Ben shared so much transparency despite all of his accomplishments. This video provided so much value to me, and I look forward to consuming other content related to this series.
I like the approach to ask others for opinion, I mean what a great response and feedback you got from these people. Absolutely inspiring!
That back and forth really is where the magic happens for me. I like to work with people on stuff and a conversation is worth so much more to me than a solitary brainstorm
And thank you!
Followed the whole process over the Twitch streams while working on my forever unfinished portfolio site, too. I feel very much part of all of this, Mr.Ben Burns. 🔥 🙌🏽
I am so pumped, I am in middle of reinventing myself and business this gives a unique idea to explore. Thanks for sharing your process.
When I first watched Ben, for some reason, I thought he was this tough (tough in a bad way), super intimidating(in a good way), and really serious all the time. But lol, turns out, he seems like a cinnamon roll!😊 THANKS FOR THE HELP!!!
Edit: Chris seems mor intimidating bow LOLOL!
The timing of this couldn't be better - amazing how, as creatives, we all share common challenges, fears etc. (for me it's how much of my personal writing, photography, videography, conceptual work etc, , should be a part of my site, or separate - and is separate even possible anymore, as 90% of everyone is a google search away?) - I'm more on the writing/brand strategy side, but this is perfect - thank you, and good luck!.
Currently in the process of designing my own portfolio site. Timing couldn't be more perfect. Thanks!
depth and vibes bruh. great video. i been creating my multiple business/freelancing websites the past months/weeks and related with a lot Ben said. Thanks guys. Truely refreshing.
You have a gentle spirit… can’t agree more 🤗🙏 my favourite video of Ben is how he used to sell his logo for $50 and now he charges $85k for a project!!!!
Going through the process for myself and coming back to watch this all over again. Thank you, Ben!!
In the process of redesigning my own site and came across this. Super excited. Keep up the great work Ben!
Freakin awesome. Documenting it, sharing the actual process, the real connections and the fact that even individual projects take collaboration -its tricky but the results speak for themselves. Great content! I hope the team sees the true potential in this kind of series. Super excited to see the rest of the show.
eyyy this is what i'm talking about. been missing some content from Ben
Thanks Kaal- great to see you in the comments!
Always great to see more of Mr Ben Burns! This was such a helpful video, as I'm in the midst of creating my website right now. Thank you!
This was exactly what I needed to hear and see today. You inspired me to rethink not only my own website (which I have had only as a 'necessity' for 10 years!) but also the focus for my 13 year old business! Can't wait for the next instalment.
Mr. Ben Burns thanks for sharing. You’re the best!
I love this guy for the intro itself.
I have neglected my website for a long time, and by chance, I watched the video & I will redesign it in this creative way!
Thank you so much for giving me the SPARK to start working on a project that I have killed!
Waiting for the next one! & Greetings from Egypt.
Ben's series are always awesome... Instant like!
Im so pumped for this, thank you for all the wonderful advice from the futur team :)
Thanks Bruno :)
just started designing and building a new personal website, thank you for the inspiration!
damn!!!! you got me fired up. It's amazing that we get to see the process and the insides of how you approached this. This will really help inspire others. Great work man, keep it up!! We love you.
DOPE INTRO! Yet another exciting series from The Futur. Odin is with us lol
I really enjoyed this video as I am continually doing something to improve, upgrade, and accent my personal website. I am also working on my business website and capturing those nuances that are important. Hearing how you went about the process helped give me more focus and breaking down the goals of the site. Thanks Ben!!
Thanks Emily! Glad it helped a little.
Sometimes I wish the process looked a little more magical, but honestly, lists are where it’s at. Who are the users? What do they want to accomplish? What do they need? Then you make sure the site handles those jobs. Simple, effective.
This is super timely. Really appreciate the behind-the-scenes and existential questions your wrestling with. While the struggle is always part of the process, it's still a struggle. Hearing you process these things, reveal your thought process, and reach out for help from your community is incredibly encouraging. Looking forward to the next one.
Literally started planning my website yesterday. Huge fan of the streams, been a big inspiration
Great job Ben, been following you guys for a long time and I'm really happy you are moving forward. We are with you and happy to see you growing
.
Very helpful! I am just about to graduate from college with my AA in graphic design and my AA in user-centered design so designing my own personal website is something that's been on my mind lately. Looking forward to this series!
Thank you so much for sharing this process. Ben Burns, you are amazing! Looking forward to watch the next episode.
Perfect timing!! I redesigned my portfolio over and over again for the last 5 weeks and never finished it 😩
Yes, Mr Ben Burns, we want to hear you.
Having a good portfolio site matters! It can be the difference between the client choosing you or the next guy. The client can see your best work and imagines you can do the same for them. Also huge tip is to get professional photos of yourself for your website. It makes you look like your successful and experienced. Words from past clients of mine.
Great tip Marcos. And absolutely - if you’re after clients, your work should be front and center
I'm a photographer, but i'm sure there is something I can learn. lord knows I need to redesign my site. Gone are the days of just posting pretty pictures, you have to show you can solve problems.
I'm with you on this journey
I am in a similar stage and really appreciate your candor and willingness to let us witness your process.
You can't even begin to realize what perfect timing this is for me, as I've decided to rebrand/revisit my own site and portfolio. Looking forward to more!!! (plus it helps a ton to see your process since I'm not a web designer by trade, but an illustrator)
Never bought shares in my life but the day The Futur has an IPO
I'm first in line.
This channel defines value.
Just when I started redesigning my portfolio
Interesting. I saw myself in a similar situation. I will drop the video to my community.
This comes really at the right time for me, huge thanks!
Awesome!
Mr. Ben Burns! This video is pure gold. You just inspired me on so many levels with the storytelling here! One day I will return to this comment and share where I am compared to where I was right now 😱😎😂
This resonated a lot. How timely this showed on my feed, and I kept nodding to every part of your story and process. Just in the past week, I rebuilt my website for the first time in 4 years 😅, after also arriving at a similar conclusion of not putting past work at the forefront.
As with finding more examples-Ben, I highly recommend checking out Frank Chimero's websites (portfolio & blog). His simplicity and content have been good benchmarks for me. He also has an elegant rendition of a timeline, close to what Matthew talked about. Won't be surprised if you already knew of him through your research though!
It's so interesting to see that as a designer’s journey and career grow, the priorities we have and stories to share evolve so much. Will be following this series closely, and thank you for producing it 🙏
Man, thanks for this video. I've been stuck for years with my portfolio, now I feel I can move on.
Awesome Ben! Excited about this new series and love how transparent you are being about the process
This is a good motivation/reminder to rework my website... that I've pushed off for years.
Very timely. I'm planning my new website right now!
Excellent! Best of luck Colin
@@mrbenburns The more I plan, the luckier I get!
Can't wait for the next episode! Salute! Mr. Burns!
Oh man! Now i'm fully pumped to update my portfolio website.
Dreading to build my portfolio too. Man, what an amazing trigger. *Break the mold!*
Love the series Ben. Keep doing the good work 🙏🔥🔥🔥
Your situation is my situation exactly. This is content made for me. My clients are all by referral, nobody even looks at my services and prices or forms or work, they just call me up. So idk, I just put up a splash page while I think about what I wanna do with it. I think I'm doing something like your plan + adding a Stripe billing customer portal. Then next year, focusing on teaching and print on demand to move myself further away from services.
We love Matthew Encina!!
This video and series is the healthiest food for my brain right now, because I am also trying to make my own website this summer (but in Wordpress, because I know nothing al all about Webflow and I'm a complete beginner), so all these ideas and roadmaps are extremely useful! Thank you very much for making this and good luck on creating the best website to suit you, Ben! :D
I am currently reading Janda's book, and it is a must for any person looking to advance themselves in creative industry... I love how you connect the things that are in the book to this video! A great one, looking foward to the rest of the series.
Bound to be another amazing video.
❤️
I share a similar mindset that the nuances of what makes me creative doesn't fit into a box. This was helpful in helping shift my thinking of how to approach the revamping of my portfolio!
I was creating my first personal website and had almost finished but this video made me rethink now.
Oh no! If you’re almost done, see it through - there can always be a round two :)
Thanks :) There wilk always be room for improvement.
Thanks Mr Ben Burns, you've given me a kick in the ass to sort mine out too, took it down a few YEARS ago and it just needs done!!! WARRR CRYYYYY AGGGGGGGHHHHHHH lol
Haha yea I’m in the same boat
Love the personal vibe of this story. Great video guys and thanks Ben for sharing your "creative struggle" 👍
Thanks Greg!
Good ideas with the homepage. But I would have both "now" and "then" on the same LP, Homepage. Start with the "Now" even in the hero section. I think people really want to know what's the latest video you uploaded, latest gig, book, tweet even and then have the user scroll down and take them thru memory lane and tell them who you are or just remind them :)
Fantastic Ben. Brazilian Futur fan here. Doing exactly the same for a client here. So good to see your process, very helpful! Thanks for the content!
As expected.. ben burns GOT IT. Thanks @mrbenburns for the amazing content, I know for sure this will be another awesome series!
Aww thanks Simone!!
Currently updating my personal site too! Looking to start my own freelance business outside of my full-time job, can't wait to follow these videos!
This spoke to my soul
So helpful. This is something I'm currently planning. Re-defining who am I as an artist feels like starting over so late in the game. But never too late. Taking notes on your journey!
Just started rebuilding my own brand. This was perfect timing!
👍 Loving the intro @benburns, it's great to see your personality show through the video.
Thanks Michael! Good to see you in the comments
That's such a valuable video. Thanks for showing us what's going behind the scene.
This legit couldn’t have come at a better time for me! This is giving me building a brand vibes which was my fave futur series ;)
and we love you Mr Ben Burns! This is looking amazing.
I LOVE THE PREMISE OF THIS SERIES. THANK YOU.
as a chef turned designer thats an amazing perspective,
This is showing much time and effort and planning goes into building a website! i was bored the other day and thought id try out building a portfolio website for myself. and man..it was rough. no real planning or strategy made it so i didnt know where to start or constantly making mistakes or changes
It's indeed a process. thanks for sharing mr B
That was really helpful! 🙏🏻🙌🏻👍🏻
Thanks Amit
Amazing 1st episode, looking forward to the rest of this series 👏
Looking forward to accompanying you on the journey! A big thank you for putting in the extra effort to document things so professionally. You're lifting the bar for online education into the stratosphere!!
Love this series.
Always great watching you Mr Burns cuz your story and methods are so much like mine.
Building a brand was my favorite Futur series in large part because of you. I love the way you communicate your process, ideas, and opinions. I'm building a new portfolio site now so this couldn't have come at a better time for me :D
Bennnnnnnnnn! This is great. Can't wait to see where this all goes.
Hey, glad to see you back at it! This was a good video to get some insight on how to approach website building. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks Marquelle!
Fantastic Ben! I’m exactly in the same path, I’m not interested in new clients but in interactive and no-performative personal website. Thank you and looking forward to see the rest of the series! Cheers, Danila
It’s a weird place to be in. So much freedom. The sandbox is huge lol. Thanks Danila!
10:30 "at some point you built reputation and people buy from it, not because they have seen your portfolio" thanks for your insights 😉
Congrats on the release of this new web series Ben and big thumbs up for streaming a lot of your process on Twitch! :) Super excited for this!
Esto es loco, no se si llamarlo sinergia o alineación, justo estaba planeando como ajustar y replantear mi sitio web y me encuentro con este video. Creo que te acompañare en este viaje Ben. Gracias por compartir.