Josh wanted to redesign the website. Jess said no. A few months later, Jess came back with the same idea. She called it an Uno reverse. Josh may have finally admitted Jess is wiser than he is.
A repositioning gave them the green light — a new narrative, new pricing, two product pages that didn't exist before. What Josh thought would be a simple redesign turned into three mood boards, a glow up that didn’t kill Ghosty, and a 37-line launch checklist.
If you've ever underestimated what it actually takes to ship a new site — or had to explain why it's not just a fresh coat of paint — this one's for you.
Hear how Jess navigated a full site overhaul, got leadership buy-in by showing her work, and figured out what it really takes to launch a website that tells a story.
Get to the good stuff:
[00:00] "Our website is atrocious." Bold words from the guy who built it. The redesign finally gets the green light.
[01:07] Why this redesign happened now — and not when Josh suggested it.
[02:03] What you keep vs. what you kill in a brand refresh. Spoiler: Ghosty lives.
[03:27] First impressions matter. How design shapes how buyers perceive your product, not just your brand.
[05:10] The “real” reason Josh approved the redesign budget: those gradients with text on them were haunting him.
[06:01] Keep it, evolve it, or kill it. Three buckets to sort your brand before you redesign anything.
[06:54] Inspiration audits, mood boards, and why "I just don't like it" isn't helpful feedback.
[10:20] Giving good design feedback is a skill. A little word vomit is okay.
[12:22] Three mood boards walk into a bar. One's too safe, one's too stark, one's just right.
[15:09] Wireframes, design applied, and those "aha" moments that never get old.
[17:01] Why pricing and packaging research didn't just live in a spreadsheet, and how it influenced how the site was structured.
[18:48] Moving from feature-based navigation to product-led storytelling.
[19:50] Getting leadership to understand a website isn't "just a website". Show your work. Every step of the way.
[21:39] Product imagery that actually tells a story — and how marketing and product crushed it.
[23:24] Positive affirmations to soothe your soul. Plus, some ASMR that nobody asked for.
[24:06] The parts of a site launch people often forget: developers, RevOps, SEO, tracking, QA. It's a lot.
[25:33] Content staffing realities and why your sitemap can be your best project management tool.
[29:12] Launch day logistics: pick a date, be flexible, and for the love of Ghosty, build a checklist.
[31:30] Josh wants last-minute typography changes. Jess ends the meeting. As she should.
This Meeting Could’ve Been a Podcast is a Vector production.
Filmed and produced by Sweet Fish.
Editing by Handy Man Edit.
Music by Peter McIsaac Music.
