This year has been the proverbial rollercoaster. It’s brought some complex challenges but also some amazing achievements I can be proud of. In the midst of all the chaos, I’ve managed to balance web work with charity work, which has helped me connect with some wonderful people!
Awards I’ve Received in 2020
CV Magazine named Tim’s Solutions the UK’s Most Innovative Web Development Firm 2020 at the Corporate Excellence Awards. Having received two awards from CV Magazine last year, I truly value their continued support of my business.
I was delighted to be recognised by the Midlands Enterprise Awards 2020. I was named Most Outstanding SME Web Designer; it’s amazing to see my name on that award!
The Central England Prestige Awards 2020/21 also commended my work. I received the award for Website Design Specialist of the Year. It feels good to know my design skills are valued as much as my development skills.
It was third time lucky for me with Three Best Rated. They again listed me as one of the top three best website designers in Wolverhampton. This means a lot to me as the awards are based on local reviews and customer experiences, among other factors.
Challenges and Achievements
Tim’s Solutions has been serving clients in the West Midlands and the rest of the UK for 10 years now! I pride myself on fostering close relationships with my clients. I’m grateful to those who return time and again and recommend me to others.
When lockdown hit, it seemed like everyone suddenly wanted me to do some work for them! But with childcare hard to come by, I had to reduce my working hours to look after my young daughter. This meant that my availability suffered, and some projects admittedly overran. For a while, I had to prioritise the work I’d already committed to and not handle any new enquiries.
All that made me rethink the way I work; the challenges actually helped me improve my service. I now advise that, if such a situation should arise again, current work I have committed to or businesses paying me a retainer/or hours in advance get the highest priority, then people I work with on an as and when needed type arrangement, then current clients with totally new projects then new clients. I always prioritise existing clients over new ones. I’ve also introduced a new call booking site to streamline the contact process for people and help me better manage enquiries.
Charity Work and Volunteering
I’ve bettered myself on a personal level too! I have kept going with my promise to donate one day every month to local charities and non-profit organisations and I have now also taken a Volunteer Director role at Gatis Community Space (Acts of Random Caring CIC) in Wolverhampton.
“Our aim is to provide a safe and inclusive centre that puts community at the heart of its diverse projects”.
I’m looking forward to using my unique skill set to empower people in the community and forge a sustainable future.
Sustainability in all its forms is important to me. I care deeply about environmental issues, as do my family. I’m proud to say that I’ve been carbon positive for 8 years now! In support of this eco-conscious step, I took on an allotment earlier this year. I aim to become more self-sufficient (and therefore more environmentally-friendly) while teaching my daughter how food is produced.
Moving into 2021, I’ll continue building on my achievements, both personal and professional. Thank you to all my clients and I hope to collaborate with you again!
