Today we’d like to introduce you to Gibson Hall.
Gibson is a native Houstonian, web designer, and yoga teacher.
He began making websites in 1999 for his pop-punk band, The Crimson Monkeys. Knowing the band needed a website in order to reach their fans, Gibson set out to learn how to make this happen by reading HTML and Photoshop books. Soon, his fun and friendly websites were shared around Houston and Gibson continued making websites for more bands, businesses, and local organizations.
Since then, Gibson has worked on more than 50 websites for brands of all shapes and sizes — including Kirby Ice House, Star Pizza, Academy Sports + Outdoors, & Gallery Furniture. He’s also worked for Houston’s premier advertising, public relations, and creative agencies MMI, Culture Pilot, Edelman.
He loves working with businesses that need help with digital strategy, through website design & social media marketing. In 2015, Gibson connected with UP Art Studio to help create Houston’s largest mural in Midtown and later kicked off the Mini Murals Project.
Gibson’s love for Houston, art, and technology has helped propel The Mini Murals project to over 185 electrical control cabinet art pieces by more than 30 of Houston’s most talented street art and muralist & has been awarded the Keep Houston Beautiful award by the Mayors Office.
He was working with a few notable Health & Wellness clients and was inspired to live a healthier lifestyle through their content and actions. He began practicing Vinyasa yoga, and after 5 years of practicing, the journey led Gibson to become certified to teach yoga through Black Swan Yoga in Houston and currently teaches all levels yoga in the studios and for large events.
Gibson loves to talk all things websites, business strategy, Houston, yoga, and always enjoys coffee and tacos.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced created websites for Houston brands is explaining & convincing the need for having a positive user experience.
Often times, I hear businesses that want a cheap website, something that doesn’t cost them much to create and something they don’t have to think about. Comments like these are like nails on a chalkboard.
For many organizations, the first place your customers look for you is on the web. If you’re a restaurant, brewery, gift shop or non-profit and you have a really hard to use, ugly, or non-existent website, do you think new people will want to interact with you more than those first 6 seconds? We live in a time of overwhelming options, and businesses need to be smart about making a good impression and delivering the right information.
Many of my clients come to me after trying to do it on their own. I think we see so many marketing materials out that it’s “so easy to create a website”, but these systems offer templates as if all businesses are just from a cookie cutter. These systems help you build a website but don’t take into account strategy or why you are making the website in the first place.
I love working with businesses who are willing to hear unbiased customer feedback and work towards improving their customer’s experiences always.
Your business is unique, and your website should reflect your business. I love helping businesses stand out online through easy to use and beautiful websites.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about gibsooon.com – what should we know?
I’ve spent nearly the past 2 decades creating websites for brands throughout Houston. I’ve met and worked with some of Houston’s most notable entrepreneurs, restaurateurs, and organizations.
My specialty includes User-Centered websites. I do this through lots of research, beautiful design, and working closely with my clients.
Some of my favorite opportunities for work has included: Kirby Ice Houston, Mini Murals Project, Star Pizza, Gallery Furniture, Buffalo Bayou Brewery, TEDxHouston, The Black Sheep Agency, Edelman Public Relations, UP Art Studio, Bike Houston, The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and Museum of Fine Arts.
My favorite part of projects includes hearing positive feedback after the new site has gone live and seeing clients faces when they are proud to show off their websites.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I grew up in a creative household where my parents encouraged art and education. My mom was a pre-k teacher, and dad started building computers when I was very young. This encouraged him to get our family a computer before most of my other friends. I remember playing silly games by inserting floppy discs, and my family gave me and my sister a great foundation & inspiring childhood.
Growing up in Houston, I witnessed that Houston breeds entrepreneurs (Jeff Bezos, Michael Dell, Beyonce). Because of this and people like Rod Canion, all of the public schools I went to growing up had computers for us to learn. This helped my friends also be interested in computers, technology, and was able to find a couple others who were interested in making websites at the turn of the century.
In high school, I had the opportunity to intern for one of my lifelong mentors, Cindy Marion and her premier advertising agency, MMI. I was in the business-magnet program at Lamar High School, so I could leave school early and go to the advertising agency and work for 20 hours/week, unless I could somehow play hooky from school because I always wanted to work more.
I was influenced by many departments of the traditional advertising world in 2004 including graphic designers, AEs, copywriters, and also how to be a leader by their President and CEO.
I owe lots of credit to the variety of clients I’ve gotten to know over the last 20 years. Each has given new lights of entrepreneurial spark that has helped shape my journey.
Pricing:
- Start-Up Website Package — $5,000
Contact Info:
- Website: gibsooon.com
- Instagram: gibsooon
- Facebook: gibsooon
Image Credit:
Gibson
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
