Mike Mella
Be Like Water
About
I'm Mike Mella. I am a very experienced designer, developer, and strategist based in Toronto, Canada. I want the Web to be more beautiful and more usable. I have been creating websites since 1999. Before some of my competitors had yet discovered the Internet, I was already building websites on it. Today I work primarily with non-profit organizations. I specialize in working with Craft CMS, ExpressionEngine, Statamic, and Tailwind.
Before starting my company, I worked as the Web manager for a large Canadian charity. I speak English and French fluently, and I have earned a certification in Google’s Tag Manager Fundamentals course. I also co-host the Website 101 Podcast.
Projects
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The Monitor
"We absolutely made the right choice when we decided to develop our new site with Mike and BLW. From early sketches to launch and through to maintenance, Mike has been collaborative, guiding in his vision while still open and responsive to our feedback. In addition to being a skilled designer, Mike is a polished project manager and a great communicator. He heard our unique needs and challenges and ensured that the site that was designed was the one that the Monitor needed. I've worked on several website redesign projects and none of them have been as smooth and successful as this one."
- Róisín West, Senior Editor of the Monitor, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives -
Caring for Kids
"Although we were pleased with the popularity of the Caring for Kids’ website content, the previous static design no longer met our needs. Mike seamlessly brought our vision to life, and offered creative and dynamic design and navigation solutions, including an attractive mobile-responsive design. He also created a new colourful wordmark that better represents our audience and content. Mike is a dream to work with – his expertise comes through in his thoughtful suggestions, and he always has the client’s best interest at heart."
- Francine Charbonneau, Manager of Public Affairs, Canadian Paediatric Society -
Canadian Paediatric Society
"Updating the design on our flagship website—www.cps.ca—was not an easy task, given some of the parameters, but as usual Mike brought his keen sense of design and understanding of our target audience. Mike integrated current features and functionality, so our website feels current without being too "trendy". I look forward to working with Mike again, and would highly recommend him."
- Elizabeth Moreau, Director, Communications & Knowledge Translation, Canadian Paediatric Society -
Thomas Yu
Thomas Yu is one of the most well-known and respected amateur pianists in the world. He hired me to design and build his website to showcase his music and promote his live appearances. Built on Craft CMS, every aspect of the site's content can be managed by Tom himself.
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Diabetes at School
Mike took our one-dimensional content and brought it to life. His clean and thoughtful design enhances the text without competing with it. What we appreciate most about Mike is his ability to understand an audience’s needs, and use the latest technology and functionality to meet those needs.
- Elizabeth Moreau, Director, Communications & Knowledge Translation, Canadian Paediatric Society