So you’ve decided you need a new website, or your existing website needs a facelift? Not so fast! Before you choose a website developer and spend your money on a new website, there are several things you need to consider carefully in order to get the most out of your investment. And there are some [...]
Jamie Embree
Jamie Embree — a portrait
What do you do at NetSource Technologies, and how long have you worked here?
Currently I’m the Creative Director, but I started out as a sales person back in June 1998 and graduated to web designer before the end of the year. Left for a few years in 2000, then returned in February 2006.
Jamie Embree
Do you have any nicknames?
Jamison, Jeeves
Birthday: May 18
Favorite Color: Purple
Hometown / Where have you lived?
Lindenhurst, Long Island, NY
Chincoteague, VA
Boston, MA
Ocala, FL
When did you become interested in art and design?
I’ve always been interested in art and design. Back in high school I hand-painted t-shirts that I sold to the tourists during the summer, marking my first foray into art and design as a paying job…
When did you become interested in creating websites?
I discovered website design in my senior year of college. I had a last elective course to fill, and Intro to Computer Science and the Internet captured my attention. I built the website for the yearbook as my final project, and I’ve been excited and challenged by web design ever since.
What is your favorite part of creating a new website?
I love when I manage to get a tricky piece of design to work across browsers that really shouldn’t work. I love creating designs that aren’t constrained by what typically can be achieved with HTML and CSS, but instead push the envelope of what’s possible.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I adore the people I work with. I’m so lucky to actually enjoy my work environment and the people I spend my day with.
When did you become interested in computers and technology?
When I got my first Tandy 1000 computer back in… maybe I won’t say.
What piece of technology could you not live without?
My laptop.
What do you like to do on the weekends?
Currently, I spend my weekends planning my wedding… otherwise I’d be catching up on my reading and movie watching.
Do you have any hobbies?
I’m a voracious reader. I also enjoy movies, crafts, and writing.
What is your favorite musician or type of music?
I’m always up for some Morrissey, but I’ve been enjoying Arcade Fire and Daft Punk lately. Oh, and Bloody Beetroot. Ask me again next week… and I’ll tell you what I downloaded from eMusic. Anything but country, really.
What are your favorite TV shows?
Current – Lost, House, South Park
Old and Enjoyed on DVD – Buffy, Battlestar Galactica, The Sopranos, Seinfeld, Veronica Mars
What are your favorite movies?
Lord of the Rings, Mark of Zorro (original), Rebecca, Star Wars IV – VI, The Mummy, Fortress, Pride & Prejudice (A&E mini-series), Kill Bill, Tropic Thunder. And don’t tell anyone, but I love Zombie movies…
What are your favorite books / magazines?
Lord of the Flies, Harry Potter series, Divine Comedy
I get Esquire, Entertainment Weekly, and Rolling Stone magazines delivered
What are your favorite websites or blogs?
I get my news from the web, so my favorite sites (most visited) include slate.com, washingtonpost.com, yahoo.com and msn.com.
If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I would visit Machu Pichu and the Nazca lines in Peru. And then if I had another trip to plan, I would visit Greece and Rome.
If you couldn’t be a Creative Director anymore, what career would you pursue?
I would love to own a bookshop café and write bestselling novels.
If you could choose to have any superpower, what would it be?
telepathy
How do you think technology and/or web design will change in the next 10-20 years?
I think we’ll be designing more and more for mobile technology as our devices become consolidated into a single, do-all mobile device that keeps us connected via phone, web, gps, and email at all times.
What tips would you give to a business that is just starting out with their first website?
Before you even think about building a website, define your goals. What do you want your website to achieve? What do you want it to DO for your business? Your designer will be able to give you much better results if you’re able to communicate your expectations.
