by Frieder Mack 18.January 2008 16:05
I've had the amazing opportunity to work at Mindfly Inc. for the last year.
When I started working here on January 28th of 2007, Mindfly was just starting
the transition into a css/div world, taking me along for the ride. This would
be an ongoing experience fueled by a unanimous drive to create user-friendly
and cutting-edge websites by all employees at Mindfly. Want proof? Just check
out the amazing breadth and know-how of the employee blogs for evidence. Much
of the content of these blogs encompasses issues we’ve encountered, or programs
and techniques we’ve found while developing applications.
Along the way I've discovered how to write console apps, develop web
services, work much more fluidly with IIS and MSSQL, and increase me knowledge of
.Net programming tenfold – particularly in regards to provider structures,
membership and profile provider included (I should have written more blogs…).
I've also gotten to know some wonderful people; a trail runner, a css guru, a
bartending windsurfer (thanks for the free beer!), a coding Genius, and a
punk-rockin' Swede (that description isn’t flattering for a team of
professional web developers, but I swear they build awesome websites!). These
people leant me their knowledge, their time, their wholehearted-determination,
and the necessary freedom to work and learn.
Alas, my time has come to move to a distant village (okay, maybe
not-so-distant) and further develop my relationship with my significant other.
I wish I could stay, I really do, and I will miss the great working environment
and work experiences created through the extraordinary efforts of the Mindfly
team.
So congratulations again for beautiful Lillian, John, hope to be at your
wedding next year Heather, I wish you well on your war waged on cross-browser
compliance Kyle (and look forward to your entertaining blogs), I’m excited to
see how SiteWorks develops, she’s beautiful too Rusty, and Gabe, you’ve just
started that adventure, so good luck.
by John Raasch 9.November 2007 11:31
This morning was breakfast at the chamber of commerce at Northwood Hall on Northwest Avenue. Starting at 7:00, it’s a breakfast that’s geared towards lots of businesses introducing themselves to others at a table in a fast paced “speed-dating” format. It’s something that I’ve attended for the better part of 7 years now, and the format works well to meet new folks who may need Mindfly’s services to spiff up their websites. Drew Graham the MC puts on a great show, and there usually 150 people attending.
In order to get folks attention I try to say something different, and not too dry and tech-talk boring. Some folks try humor (Richard at Central Moving and Storage), or cool $25 free gambling coupons (see Mindy Mathis at the Nooksack Casino), or the “I’m new and just got a great new job” (Mel Monkelis at Ski to Ski), and not to be outdone was Steve Beringer from Anthony’s Hearthfire Grill who was talking about free deserts! How do I follow this with something remotely interesting to keep people’s attention on web design?
“Hi, I’m John Raasch, and I’m an owner of Mindfly, a web design studio located on Holly Street in downtown Bellingham”. I look around the table. Richard is looking out the window, Mindy is sorting her paperwork, Mel is on my right, so I can’t see his expression (eyes probably closed) and Steve actually is making eye contact! Great, I’ve got about 25% of the audience.
“So websites are nothing new, and lots of businesses have them”
I’m starting to lose Steve.
“Think of a website as a cheese” This got everyone’s attention. Lots of perky faces interested in Mindfly, or at least the train-wreck that was becoming my talk.
Did I just say websites are like cheese?
“Websites are nothing new out there on the business landscape, it’s just that there are a lot of them, and a lot of old ones. If your cheese has been cared for it will age well and be a delight. Left alone, like a cheese, they don’t do so well.”
I rambled on for a while about Mindfly, and how wonderful we are, but the cheese was the defining moment of that talk.
Keep your website current, stay on top of technologies that are appropriate, don’t ignore the Search Engines and if something smells funky on your site, please contact me here at Mindfly! And as for the captivated crowd at breakfast this morning, here you go. As I promised, you are all mentioned on Mindfly’s website before lunch! 
by Heather Alvis 31.October 2007 15:40
We're having quite the Halloween Bash here at Mindfly today. The office is done up with a real crime scene investigation, streamers, balloons and ancient spider webs. We've all dressed up for the occasion and are having a great time checking out all the kid costumes coming through. Thanks to all our visitors, and Happy Halloween!
