Remote Website Developer & Designer

Building websites that do more than look good.

I build websites, improve SEO, and solve technical challenges by hand. AI helps where it makes sense, but the judgment is always mine.

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Black and white portrait of Vanesa Esteban DESIGN • DEVELOPMENT • SEO • SUPPORT •
What I do I build websites As head of service delivery, I make sure we deliver.
How long Eight years and counting Since 2018 on WordPress, Shopify, Wix and Squarespace.
How I work First things first I start with the priorities and help wherever I can.
How I grow Always learning I take the initiative to teach myself and keep improving.

60 second video

Learn more about me.

My path from freelance design to leading service delivery, how I build in WordPress, and where AI fits into my work.

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Overview
Goal
Outcome
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Social media design

Social feeds.

Static posts I've designed for ten different brands, each with its own look.

Tip: select any post to open it.

As Head of Service Delivery

No two days look the same.

But every morning starts the same way. Before anything else, I open these and read all of it.

A normal day

I go through every app looking for anything that got lost in translation. Emails get answered. Requests become tasks.

Then I check in on the team. There are seven of us in service delivery: three in SEO and four developers. Something is usually on fire, so I deal with that too.

I work closely with our founder to keep delivery running smoothly. We use AI to be efficient, and to get creative with the harder problems.

A little about me

Still learning. Always building.

I started in freelance design in 2018 and never stopped building. WordPress is home base. I studied for this, and I've been a student ever since, always picking up something new. AI is part of how I work now, but the thinking is still mine.

What I work in

Different project, different tool. I work in whichever one the job needs.

Website builders
  • WordPress
  • Elementor
  • Shopify
  • Wix
  • Squarespace
  • Zoho Sites
Code
  • HTML
  • CSS
  • JavaScript
  • PHP
Around the build
  • Figma handoffs
  • SEO
  • Automation

If a project needs something that isn't on this list yet, I learn it.

How I got here

  1. 2018

    Freelance design

    Where it began: building WordPress sites freelance.

  2. 2020–2021

    In-house web team

    My first full-time role, alongside a small web team.

  3. 2021–2023

    E-learning

    Built online courses and materials for e-learning.

  4. 2023–2024

    Agency work

    Built websites for optometry practices all across the US.

  5. Now

    Head of Service Delivery

    Making sure design, development and SEO get delivered.

Kind words

What people say.

A few shout-outs and reviews from teammates and clients along the way.

Real messages, quoted as written. Names are blurred for privacy.

1 / 12
  • ★★★★★Google review

    They seem just as excited about the project as I am. That level of personal investment is rare to find.

    ClientGoogle review · 8 months ago

  • @Vanesa Truvestments – no need for a video from my side, truly stunning work on this one. Well done! Looks good on my side 👍

    ColleagueTeam chat

  • Vanesa, you have outdone yourself again!! Thank you SO SO MUCH!!! These look fantastic. I really love what you've done with the changes. The clients are going to be over the moon!! (Or should I say over the sun 😅) Thank you again so very much!

    TeammateSlack · Sep 27th, 2023

  • @Vanesa – 3Form Fitness: I checked through the website. Checked all the links. Checked the Social Media links. Checked the pages. Could not find any issues or concerns, well done 👏

    ColleagueTeam chat

  • …d obviously there's a few few things I want to switch around but man what a difference when you first pull it up so inviting right awa… Nice job @Vanesa !!

    ColleagueTeam chat

  • I'd like to give a shout to my mini downsized design team @joshua.bickerton @KevinB @Vanesa Esteban for picking up allll the slack, as so many of our team members are on vacation this week. Thanks for pulling together—and the positive power and energy!

    TeammateSlack #shout-out · Oct 5th, 2023

  • @Vanesa Just checked through Vital You site, looks really good and I cant find anything anything out of place on the site. Well done 👏

    ColleagueTeam chat

  • @Vanesa Esteban You have absolutely outdone yourself!! These are gorgeous. I love them and I'm sure that the client will too. I'll definitely let you know what the client says and if any additional changes need to be made. Once again, THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!! These are truly wonderful! 🎉🤲🐶 I am genuinely excited to share them with the client. Super proud of such amazing talent.

    TeammateSlack · Aug 22nd

  • Big shoutout to @Vanesa for the new Sumber page site upgrade: https://sumnerfurniture.com/home-new-v1/

    My replyNo, shoutout to you – you built it, I just implemented it. Thanks @Shawn

    ColleagueTeam chat

  • SHOUT OUT TO VANESSA!! LITERALLY SHOUTING … THANK YOU for all your help, work and perseverance on our first ODSite—Esthetics Site/Client—Pink EyeCare & Esthetics @Vanesa Esteban https://www.pinkesthetics.ca

    ReplyI just sent this website to show a potential customer that does esthetics – hoping they think it is as nice as I do.

    ReplyI love it! Dr. Pink's office is very engaged with CS so I'm happy to see we created something so beautiful for her

    TeammateSlack

  • 🔥Syn-Mar reply: (well done Vanesa) Shawn, I love these! I shared with my team for feedback and will keep you posted. Thank you, Derek | Vice President

    ReplyGreat job on those designs @Vanesa !!

    Client replyShared in team chat

  • A few big wins this week to share… FSA site is finally live!! Thanks for everyones work on that especially @Vanesa and all the headaches we have been through over the months to get that site ready. Also, @Uncle          with some big ad account wins on International … texted me yesterday saying they are getting tons of calls and closed $15k in services this week!

    ColleagueTeam chat

Process

From brief to live.

Every website I work on goes through the same five steps, whether it's a full build or a single landing page.

It keeps things predictable for the client and the team, and it means nothing goes live before it has been checked.

Step 1 of 5 · Discovery

I start by understanding what the project actually needs, before anything gets built.

I read the brief, look at the current site and ask the questions nobody has asked yet. The goal, the audience and the must-haves are agreed before design starts.

Step 2 of 5 · Design

I turn the plan into a look and feel that fits the brand, from scratch or from a Figma handoff.

Layout, colors, type and images come together page by page. If a designer has already done this in Figma, I work from their handoff and stay faithful to it.

Step 3 of 5 · Build

I build it out in WordPress and Elementor, or in whichever platform the client already uses.

Pages, forms, menus and mobile layouts get built properly, with custom code added only where the builder can't do the job. Headings, page titles and image descriptions go in as I build, so the site is ready to be found.

Step 4 of 5 · Test

I test across devices, plugins and edge cases before anything goes live.

I click every link and button, submit every form and check every page on a phone. Spelling mistakes, placeholder text and anything that looks unfinished get fixed here.

Step 5 of 5 · Launch

I ship it, then stick around for the fixes and follow-ups after.

The site goes live, the domain and hosting are checked, and I keep an eye on it. Feedback after launch gets turned into clear tasks and done.