Meet Drew Waltman, local entrepreneur and small business owner. Drew’s specialty lies in web design, development and SEO — which he does out of BLOC, Leucadia’s most sought after co-working space. BLOC and Drew share a love for small businesses and gladly offer their professional services to help them succeed. In an effort to shed light on local businesses, BLOC has been profiling its members and sharing their stories. They recently published an article on Drew and his business, Waltman Design, which we are sharing below. For more on BLOC’s Leucadia co-working space and to learn more about their business members, visit hibloc.com.
The following originally appeared on hibloc.com.
How did the name come about and how long have you been here?
I transitioned from Waltman Productions to Waltman Design at the end of last year (2017). As my freelance work increased, it made more sense for the business name to reflect the services I offer. My focus is on web design, development and search engine optimization. This year marks the ten-year anniversary since I started doing freelance work and the six-year anniversary since I went full time.
What is your role at the company?
CEO / Founder
How did you get started?
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Sciences and I’ve always been interested in web design/video production. My roommate in college, who was a graphic designer, encouraged me to talk to a counselor at the The Art Institute of California – San Diego which helped me get into their web design and interactive media program.
What is your favorite thing about the business?
Working with small business owners to design and develop a compelling website for their brand. It feels great to offer a service that helps business owners achieve a larger customer base by connecting with their target audience online. I definitely have a passion for what I do! Also, It’s good to have a work/life balance. I make sure to try and get in the water as much as possible.
What’s the best part about being in Leucadia?
The atmosphere, the ocean, the community and the people! I’ve been with BLOC since 2012 and have met a ton of creative people. I’ve always felt the most comfortable in a creative atmosphere and it’s hard not to be inspired in a town like Encinitas/Leucadia.
How do you feel your business reflects/fits in the community?
I work hand-in-hand with local small businesses to help them grow their online presence. I take an all angle approach to design and develop a good strategy for my clients. The main platforms include web design, development, search engine optimization, and helping clients find ways to tie together their brand, services and product, all while keeping them up to date in the digital world.
Do you know about BLOC and what we’re about?
Yes, I’ve been with BLOC since the beginning. I think it will be six years in June.
Knowing more about us, is there a way for us to collaborate/work together?
I think you are doing a great job at creating visibility for small businesses by doing community interviews and blog posts that are shared on your website and social media accounts. I think by doing more interviews with members, like myself … it would be a great way to help us entrepreneurs connect and get noticed.
Do you have anything exciting coming up in the future?
I’ve really been focusing on my transition into digital marketing. My plan is to start offering different packages for clients that focus on brand visibility. I’m also excited about the idea of partnering with local organizations to do beach and community cleanups. I’ve always had a love for surfing and the ocean and finding a way to give back is something I want to do more of.
Did you always see yourself doing something like this?
Yes, the digital world has always been of interest to me. In the late 90’s I started shooting low budget skate videos with friends. My love of digital has always been with me. I’m just as passionate about it now as I was back then.
What was your very first or most memorable job?
Working for UCSD and helping them maintain the UCSD News Center website. It was my first real job out of college and I learned a lot during my time there. To this day that is one of the highest trafficked websites I have ever worked on.
Learn more about Waltman Design at waltmandesign.com. Follow Waltman Design on Instagram at @waltmandesign and on Facebook at facebook.com/waltmandesign.
