Hi, I'm Tamara.
Let me introduce myself.
When someone lands on your website, you have a few short seconds to convince them you’re the real deal and worth sticking around for. If your site is slow, out-of-date or hard to navigate, they’ll bounce faster than you can say world wide web.
That may sound harsh but, in today’s fast-moving online world, attention spans are short and expectations are high.
The good news? Together we can create a site that not only meets your visitors’ expectations, but exceeds them so they’ll want to stick around and discover what you have to offer.
I’m Tamara Sztainbok, a Toronto-based Web Designer and Developer, at Puzzle Box Communications. I build beautiful, modern, user-friendly sites for purpose-driven businesses that value people and plant.
I offer two options:
1. A fully customized site which is like a tailor-made piece of clothing — built from scratch just for you, a perfect fit for your needs and preferences.
2. An out-of-the-box option where we customize my (beautiful) standard template to your tastes. This one is like a great off-the-rack outfit that we tailor to fit — the price is lower but the end product still looks great.
My story
I built my first site back in the late 90s – and it was love at first click.
To most people, code is a beast. But to me, it felt like a new ‘language’ full of potential and possibility. I loved the challenge of figuring out how to use it to create beautiful and functional online spaces.
I didn’t pursue web design as a career back then, though. Instead, I became an editor and kept up with my web work on the side. Over the years, I taught myself WordPress, did some formal training in web design – and built several websites for a variety of businesses and organizations.
In recent years I’ve come to realize that, as much as I enjoy my editing work, I’m equally passionate about creating websites for businesses I believe in.
So in my mid-forties, I’ve decided to make up for lost time and pursue this passion with gusto. I’m grateful every day for the privilege of creating online spaces that allow other entrepreneurs (like you!) to share their unique gifts with the world.
Why Puzzle Box?
I understand how daunting website projects can be for the average entrepreneur, and I’m committed to making things easy for you – both now and in the future.
In addition to a beautiful product, when you choose to work with me, you get:
- A one-stop shop — no coordinating between web designers and developers
- Full support and guidance — to help you update and maintain your site going forward
- A bonus custom email template — designed just for you to match your site (I’ll even install it for you)
As much as I may love technology, I fully understand that you probably don’t. So you’ll never hear me talk techie. As for what it’s like to work with me, people tell me I’m approachable, warm, and calm.
When I’m not behind my computer, I love to run, read, create things — like natural skincare products, cleaners and the BEST strawberry rhubarb pie — and spend time with my family.