Jennifer Folsom designed our first official WordPress in early 2017 with Anne Martin For Judge.  In what appears to a be sign of good things to come Ann won her election!

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) officially launched in October 2020. It was announced as the new default analytics property and the replacement for Universal Analytics (UA) at that time, introducing a new event-based data model.

On January 27, 2012, Bear Web Design purchased its first domain through GoDaddy—JMInsuranceAgency.com—for $10.17. Prior to this, we had been using Aplus.net as our primary domain registrar. While the exact reason for exploring GoDaddy at the time is unclear, it quickly became evident that GoDaddy’s user-friendly portal and management tools were a strong fit for our needs.

Over the following years, we purchased more than 100 domains for both our company and our clients, as GoDaddy became our primary platform for domain registration, management, and renewals. In 2016, we officially closed our Aplus.net account and fully transitioned to GoDaddy.

To this day, GoDaddy remains our primary domain registrar, continuing to support our operations and client services.

Prior to 2018, Bear Web Design presented web design samples to clients as a series of individual HTML pages. While effective, this process was time-consuming to set up and made it easy for clients to miss links between design concepts and sample pages.

In March 2018, Bear Web Design subscribed to Moqups, providing our team with a collaborative platform for creating and sharing wireframes, website mockups, and logo concepts with clients. This significantly streamlined our design presentation process and improved communication throughout project development.

Moqups is a streamlined and intuitive web application that enables teams to create and collaborate on wireframes, mockups, diagrams, and interactive prototypes. Its cloud-based platform makes it easy to gather feedback, iterate on designs, and keep projects organized in a single location.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, companies around the world rapidly migrated to using Zoom as remote work became the new standard. With offices closed and employees working from home, businesses needed a reliable way to communicate, collaborate, and hold meetings virtually. Zoom quickly became one of the most popular platforms because of its ease of use, video conferencing capabilities, and ability to host large meetings and webinars. From small businesses to major corporations, organizations relied on Zoom to maintain productivity, conduct team meetings, train employees, and stay connected with clients during an unprecedented shift in workplace operations.

In 2014, Bear Web Design launched a Help Desk system using Zendesk to better support our growing client base. As we expanded to serve well over 100 clients, managing design and development projects—as well as ongoing client needs—through standard email alone became increasingly inefficient.

To address this, we introduced HelpDesk.BearWebDesign.com, a custom client portal that streamlined communication and centralized support requests.

Since implementing the Zendesk Help Desk in 2014, Bear Web Design has consistently handled an average of approximately 1,000 client project and support tickets per year, significantly improving our organization, response times, and overall client experience.

Bear Web Design started using Harvest in 2014 providing a time tracking system that allowed for full integration with Zendesk. Harvest quickly become the primary time tracking system for team members and the primary invoicing initiater for our billing. 

Bear Web Design began using Harvest in 2014, implementing a streamlined time-tracking system that fully integrated with Zendesk. Harvest quickly became the company’s primary platform for employee time tracking and the foundation for client invoicing and billing operations.

At the time, Harvest was already emerging as one of the leading platforms for creative agencies, web studios, consultants, and other service-based businesses that billed by the hour. Its appeal centered on simplicity and efficiency — allowing teams to track time, generate invoices, and monitor project profitability without the complexity of enterprise-level software.

Over the years, Harvest helped Bear Web Design improve workflow organization, strengthen billing accuracy, and create a more seamless connection between project support and financial management.

Bear Web Design signed up for a Google Apps for Business account on January 1, 2012, and Google’s suite of products has been a foundational part of our operations ever since. During that time, we onboarded all team members to @bearwebdesign.com Google accounts, giving us access to essential collaboration tools such as Gmail, Calendar, Drive, and Docs—tools we continue to rely on every day.

In 2014, Google Business Profile was introduced, and we quickly adopted it as a key part of our client strategy. We ensured that every client we managed established a presence on the platform, which has since become a cornerstone of local marketing and visibility for the businesses we serve.

In 2011, Bear Web Design transitioned from a manual billing and accounting system to QuickBooks Online. This initiative was led by my sister, Rosemary Goodman, based in Melbourne, Australia, who serves as our Accountant and Bookkeeper. The move to an online platform made remote collaboration seamless and reinforced the value and efficiency of cloud-based systems.

Since then, Rosemary has meticulously maintained Bear Web Design’s financial records. Her consistent attention to detail, timely invoicing, and monthly oversight have ensured that our books remain accurate and up to date at all times—providing a strong financial foundation that has supported our growth.

It is also worth noting that QuickBooks underwent a major rebuild in 2013, evolving into the modern, fully cloud-based platform that businesses rely on today.

WordCamp Atlanta 2019 was a vibrant, community-driven WordPress conference held from May 3–5, 2019, at the Loudermilk Center in downtown Atlanta. The three-day event featured beginner workshops, design and development sessions, and networking opportunities.

Bear Web Design Team Member Jennifer Folsom & Brad Dawson attended WordCamp 2019 in Atlanta and attended a talk about the inherent challenges of using accessibility tools and understanding how to make user experiences better regardless of ability.