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I’m in love with our new website!

I know this will become one of my favorite posts I’ve ever written.  Not because I think it will be better written than any others, but because I get to talk about a project that I’ve been working on for 10 months.  In fitness, and I think in general these days, that’s a large amount of time to spend on any one project.   This week, after many many hours of angst and sweat, from thinking not even working out, I have completed the first phase of a much larger project.  We have a new website with a new look and it’s live right now!  You can check it out now or continue reading!

I’ve loved all of my previous websites.  We’ve had four including this latest version.  They are like children in that you pour your heart and soul into their development and hope that others will see what you see in them.  But after 13 years in business, I’ve realized that websites need updating more frequently than ever.  Technology gets outdated quickly, trends change, and most importantly, our business has grown and evolved.  It has become more complex, and because of that we needed a website that has all of that important information, but is also easy to navigate and update.  That’s no easy task, but I think we’ve done a pretty good job with this latest website.

I must thank a few people who really helped me see this project through.  First, my partner Mike, kept me going throughout.  He’s brilliant at making one of my favorite quotes come to life.  Stephen Covey said, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”  That is never more important than when working on a gigantic project.  Mike was always there to support and gently steer me back on track.  On my own section of the website, which is still in development, I’ll be posting my suggested reading list as well as my favorite quotes, and of course writing blogs.  Check it out here.

Next I want to thank Adam, one of our team members.  He stepped up to the plate to be my assistant, and I’m not sure he knew what he was getting himself into.  He’s helped me take the many many photos I needed for the new site – and I am truly a novice at photography. But every photo on the site was taken by me – except the ones of me – those I set up and had Adam pose until I got the shot I wanted, and we switched places and he snapped the shot.   And, being the exceptional writer that Adam is (check out his bio in proof), he helped me write and edit the site, a lifesaver for sure!  And Adam’s joyful personality kept me going on days when I could have easily thrown the towel in.  You’re a gem Adam – you truly are.

Next, I want to thank Devon, another of our talented team members.  (She also runs Beach Body Clinic – Check it out here) Her Photo Shop skills are appreciated by everyone on our team – not that my team needs all that much help.  Take a look at our team page and you’ll see for yourself how gorgeous my team is – and the fact that they’re also extremely talented instructors is a bonus for us all!  Most of the Photo Shop work Devon did was taking out or changing the backgrounds and putting people together in photos that weren’t actually there together when I took the photo.  Photo shop is truly amazing!

And no good writing (even of website content) goes without a great editor.  Monica, who works at our Front Desk, was so quick to see things that I didn’t, and I had been looking at these pages for months.  She’s really an asset for JGF&P in many ways.

And none of this would have been possible without my web expert, Chris, from Word Press Learning Center.   He has been amazing!  Great to work with and so so nice!  Give Word Press LC a call if you need any help with your site!  But remember, I have first dibs on Chris.

Finally, my team endured photo shoot after photo shoot after photo shoot and they were always willing to help out, with a big smile and sometimes holding challenging positions forever while I got the perfect shot.  I know that I always say that I have the best team in fitness and Pilates, but I really do.  I simply would not be where I am today without these amazing men and women that make up the JG team.  So hats off to you all.  Thank you so so much!

Now, I hope that you take some time, watch our very quickly put together tutorial on the homepage on how to navigate the new site.   And, of course, give me your feedback about our new site.  But please, be gentle… this is one of my children you’re critiquing… after all.

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