Small Business Website and CMS
A modern home for a New Orleans craftsman.
Role: Web Strategist & Designer
Martin Krusche has been repairing saxophones in New Orleans since 1995, but his website looked every bit like it was built the same year. I worked directly with Martin to understand his business, restructure his site, and stand up a content management system so he could publish new instruments for sale on his own — no developer required.
The Challenge
The original site was a relic: hard-coded HTML, a gray-and-orange color scheme stretched across a black background, and walls of unformatted text. Navigation was a single row of cramped links, and there was no easy way for Martin to update content or post saxophones he had for sale. Prospective customers — many of them touring musicians passing through New Orleans — struggled to find pricing, contact info, or available inventory. Martin needed a site that reflected the care and craft he puts into his work without losing the personality his existing clients knew him for.
The Approach
I started by sitting down with Martin in his shop to understand how his business actually ran: who his customers were, how they found him, what questions they asked over the phone, and what he wished the website did for him. From those conversations, I drafted a new site map and navigation built around the jobs customers actually came to do — learning about his approach, seeing work in progress, getting a quote, and shopping his available inventory. From there, I designed a clean, photo-forward layout that put Martin, his shop, and his neighborhood front and center. I built the site on a lightweight CMS so Martin could add, edit, and retire "For Sale" listings himself whenever a horn came through the shop. I wrote documentation and walked him through the publishing flow until he was comfortable managing inventory on his own. Martin had strong opinions about certain design decisions — the oversized red hero text, the specific photo of him on the porch with his dogs, the prominent "Call for Free Quote" button. I pushed back where I could and explained the trade-offs, but ultimately the site belongs to him. The final design reflects a real collaboration between strategy and a client who knows exactly how he wants to show up online.
The Outcome
The new site launched with a clear navigation, a modern visual identity, and a working CMS that Martin uses regularly to keep his "For Sale" page current. Customers can now find pricing, see in-progress repairs, and reach out without scrolling through walls of text. Most importantly, Martin owns his web presence.
Key Highlights
- Conducted on-site discovery interviews with the owner to map real customer journeys
- Designed a new site map and navigation organized around customer tasks, not internal categories
- Built a lightweight CMS so the owner can publish saxophone listings independently
- Delivered training and documentation that turned a non-technical client into a confident publisher
- Balanced strategic recommendations with strong client preferences to deliver a site that feels authentically his
Interested in working together?
I am currently open to senior content strategy and editorial leadership roles.
Get in touch