Case Study
Mikalee Byerman, Humor Strategist
Brand Identity & Website Development
A Serious Website for Someone Who Doesn't Take Herself Too Seriously.
When your career is built around helping people find the humor in life and business, your website probably shouldn't look like everyone else's.
Mikalee Byerman is a nationally recognized writer, author, keynote speaker, and humor strategist who helps organizations and individuals embrace creativity, authenticity, and the power of levity. With an extensive writing portfolio, a loyal readership, and a personality that refuses to fit neatly into a corporate box, Mikalee was ready to take the next step in her professional journey.
As she transitioned from a traditional full-time position into independent consulting, Mikalee needed a digital home that could bring her many talents together while preserving the audience she had spent years building.
Ace Studios partnered with Mikalee to develop a distinctive visual identity and custom WordPress website that reflected her personality, showcased her expertise, and created a foundation for her growing consulting and speaking business.
The Challenge
Building a personal brand around an established professional presents a unique challenge, especially when that person doesn't fit neatly into a single job title.
Mikalee was an accomplished writer, blogger, speaker, and communications professional preparing to establish herself as an independent humor strategist. Her new website needed to communicate the breadth of her expertise without overwhelming visitors or diluting what made her distinctive.
The project also involved a significant technical consideration.
Mikalee had cultivated an existing blog and an audience of more than 3,000 subscribers. Transitioning to a new WordPress website meant carefully migrating that content and subscriber base while preserving the connection with readers who followed her work.
At the same time, the website needed to support her next chapter, giving prospective clients, conference organizers, and readers straightforward ways to explore her services, discover her writing, and subscribe to future updates.
And then there was the creative challenge: the website needed to be professional enough for corporate clients while still feeling unmistakably Mikalee, complete with personality, humor, and a carefully measured appreciation for pineapples.
Our Approach
Ace Studios approached the project with a simple philosophy: Mikalee's personality should be the centerpiece of her digital presence, not something hidden behind conventional corporate design.
We began by exploring how her writing, speaking, consulting, and humor strategy services could be brought together under one cohesive personal brand.
Our creative direction embraced a playful but refined visual approach, balancing elegant typography and thoughtful layouts with unexpected personality.
Photography played an important role in establishing that tone. We incorporated updated imagery, including Mikalee's signature pineapple-themed photos, to help the website feel approachable, distinctive, and authentically hers.
Beyond the visual design, we developed a website structure that gave each part of her professional identity room to shine.
Visitors needed to be able to explore her writing portfolio, understand her consulting and speaking services, read her blog, and connect with her without getting lost in an overly complicated navigation system.
We also carefully planned the migration of her existing WordPress content and subscriber audience, prioritizing continuity so longtime readers could remain connected as Mikalee moved into her next professional chapter.
Throughout the project, we balanced creativity with responsive design and accessibility considerations, ensuring the personality of the website didn't come at the expense of usability.
What We Created
Ace Studios helped launch Mikalee's independent professional presence through:
Brand Identity and Logo Design
We developed a distinctive logo, color palette, and supporting visual identity that reflected Mikalee's personality while establishing a cohesive presentation for her writing, speaking, and consulting services.
Website Strategy and Content Architecture
Our team organized Mikalee's diverse offerings into a streamlined website structure, making it easy for visitors to explore her professional background, writing portfolio, speaking engagements, consulting services, and blog.
Custom WordPress Website Design and Development
We designed and developed a responsive WordPress website that balanced polished visual design with playful personality, creating a digital experience that felt professional without being predictable.
Blog Content and Subscriber Migration
We carefully migrated Mikalee's existing WordPress blog content and audience of more than 3,000 subscribers, preserving an established community of readers while transitioning to the new website.
Email Marketing and Newsletter Integration
We integrated email subscription functionality to help Mikalee continue growing her audience, including opportunities to connect with readers and prospective clients following speaking engagements and conferences.
Website Copywriting and Messaging
Our team supported the website's messaging and content development, helping communicate Mikalee's range of services while preserving the conversational, witty voice that made her writing recognizable.
Photography and Visual Storytelling
We incorporated updated professional photography throughout the website, using personality-driven imagery and playful visual elements to create a more engaging experience for visitors.
Mobile Optimization and Accessibility
We developed responsive layouts and incorporated accessibility-conscious design practices aligned with WCAG standards, creating a more usable experience across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
The Result
Mikalee Byerman launched her independent consulting and speaking business with a cohesive visual identity and custom website that reflected both her professional expertise and unmistakable personality.
The new website brought her writing, speaking, consulting, and humor strategy services together in one destination, making it easier for prospective clients and audiences to understand the different ways they could work with her.
Just as importantly, the successful migration of her existing blog and subscriber audience helped preserve the community she had spent years cultivating, ensuring that her transition into independent consulting didn't mean starting her online presence from scratch.
The integrated newsletter functionality also gave Mikalee a practical way to continue building relationships with readers and audiences beyond her website, including at conferences and speaking engagements.
Through a combination of creative design, thoughtful content organization, and careful technical planning, Ace Studios helped establish a digital presence that was sophisticated enough for corporate audiences and playful enough to feel authentically Mikalee.
Because when your business is built around the power of personality, the last thing you need is a website without one.