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Projects & Work

A brief timeline of projects and work since 2000

1. 2023 — Real Customer Insights

   Real Customer Insights is a "done-for-you" service that brings your customer's voice directly into your business decision making. In just four weeks we will deliver unique insights from your customers that will reap marketing dividends for years to come.

   realcustomerinsights.com

2. 2023 — Craft+Work

   Craft+Work is an event series for founders, freelancers and consultants who don't subscribe to the notion that there's a "right way" to build a successful business. It's for those who are open to new ideas, new ways of thinking, and keen to hear how others have done "their thing, their way".

   keirwhitaker.com/craftwork

3. 2022 — Work With Shop

   Launced in late 2022 Work With Shop was a job board for the Shopify ecosystem. The timing couldn't have been much worse as the economy, and therefore recruitment, took a nosedive. Nevertheless many learnings were had and I finally got to play with Kirby CMS.

   Closed August 2023

4. 2022 — We Worked at Shop

   I created We Worked at Shop to assist individuals laid off from Shopify in June 2022 and subsequently May 2023. The site was shared widely and a number of people reported finding their next role as a result of posting their profile.

   Closed August 2023

5. 2021 — Coaching

   As my business developed my focus shifted to coaching founders, soloists, and consultants. Whilst many of my clients are focused on Shopify I have also branched out to working with people running digital and creative businesses.

   keirwhitaker.com/coaching

6. 2019 — Consulting & Advisory

   Started my consulting business with the goal of helping Shopify foucsed agencies, developers, and technology partners. Since then, I've had the privilege to work with amazing companies and individuals.

   keirwhitaker.com

7. 2013 — The Back to Front Show Podcast

   Launched The Back to Front Show (site no longer active) podcast with Kieran Masterton. Over the next five years, we somehow manage to dispatch 50+ episodes of varying audio fidelity to an unsuspecting public. To our amazement, people listened and appeared to enjoy our banter.

   Closed 2019

8. 2012 ‐ 2018 — Shopify

   I kicked off the year with two aims — to double down on coaching and advisory work and launch a project that I had been sitting on for far too long. So far, so good — watch this space for more on that side project!

9. 2011 ‐ 2014

   For three years, I worked on a number of side projects with Elliot Jay Stocks under the banner of Viewport Industries. These included Insites: The Book (Free PDF Download), Digest (Free PDF Download) — a one-off lifestyle large format magazine, and Insites: The Tour — a four cities in four days tour chatting with web industry pioneers about their work journey. Our book launch party was something else, happy days!

   Attended web conferences, made new friends and learnt from the best in the business. Today I reminisce fondly about the pre Brooklyn Beta Clover Club get togethers, Marc's wonderful Beyond Tellerrand series, Jonny's Brighton late summer fun and heading to the land of grids and concrete cows for pizza with the geeks of MK.

10. 2008 ‐ 2010

    Moved from London to Bath, had children, and accepted that I was now an adult proper!

    Worked in a variety of roles at Carsonified (acquired in 2011), the UK based company known for web-focused events such as The Future of Web Design and The Future of Web Apps.

    Additionally, I hosted and produced the web design and development podcast Think Vitamin Radio. The show made the shortlist for the annual .net awards two years running, which was nice. If asked, I say it came joint second in 2010! We were beaten by Zeldman, I'll take that!

11. 2004 ‐ 2008

    Got an education in code thanks to mentors Chris and Craig, whose development agency focused on large scale data-driven web applications. Started to dabble in WordPress and undertake a variety of freelance projects. Around this time I managed to be banned by Heart Internet for consuming 70% of their FTP bandwidth, but that's another story.

12. 2000 ‐ 2004

    I held a number of mostly web-related positions in the NHS (National Health Service) in East London, UK. In addition to fixing printers, installing Exchange servers, and helping local GPs understand the benefit of the internet we built an intranet (rememeber them) using Dreamweaver and Microsoft Access that was used by thousands of users for many years!

13. Pre 2000

    Before my first tech job proper, I spent two years working at the famous London venue The Royal Albert Hall. I have many funny tales from this era. Feel free to quiz me if we meet.

    Built my first web site thanks to hosting that came free on the front cover of a magazine. From HTML 4.1 to stolen scripts and Classic ASP the journey had begun.

    Sent my first email proper using Pine in a Terminal window on a Radius Mac clone. Downloaded more guitar tab than I could ever learn courtesy of free and untracked university internet.

    Had my first taste of AOL and slowly realised that what I had seen in War Games in 1983 was becoming a reality. It wasn't long before I was playing online Tic-Tac-Toe with a stranger in Wisconsin and thinking about the possibilities this "internet" thing offered.