harbrained
desigstudio.

websites that wow for small businesses with big hearts

let's build your website

take back your to-do list

Let us get your website off your to-do list and out into the world so your customers can actually find you. Our fun and functional Squarespace websites and templates for values based business owners highlight your brilliance and give you back your precious free time. 

meet

our team

We’re Steph + Em, the brains behind Hare Brained Design Studio. (Our last name is Hare, and um, we kinda like puns.) We’re sisters, best friends, and we’re obsessed with making things look cute as hell. Not in a diet culture-y, cisheteronormative, European beauty standards way, though, don’t worry - in a queer, personality-packed, showing-up-as-who-you-really-freaking-are, translating your vibe kinda way. 

We’ve spent the last 9 years learning the ins and outs of online business as virtual assistants, and along the way we realized we’re besotted with web design. Behind the scenes, we’ve been honing our skills, and Hare Brained was born. In addition to our years of experience working on websites for our Virtual Assistant clients, we’ve completed the Standout Squarespace course from Squarestylist and are Squarespace Circle Members.

steph hare

emily hare

a digital crafting studio

OUR APPROACH:

Creative & Strategic. Our goal is to create fun and functional solutions rooted in strategy and purpose–while also being fun to use so your customers will want to keep coming back.

hare brained design studio is not just another web design studio. we’re a digital crafting studio, working tirelessly in our workshop to put together your perfect website. we believe your site should be as unique as your business, and it’s our goal to find the right way to present your work to the world.

OUR AESTHETIC:

Expressive & Useful. We’ll design a website that is both visually appealing, as well as strategic in how it uses visual elements & functions to guide users through the site to make navigating a breeze. We want the finished product to feel like we’ve translated the essence of your business onto the page.

OUR EXPERTISE:

Elevated & Reliable. Strategic use of native Squarespace features and Custom CSS to elevate design–for a sophisticated & unique look that is easy to update after hand-off. Nearly a decade of experience in the online business space gives us practical knowledge and a point of view that helps us think outside the box.

  • Custom Squarespace Design & Development

    Custom design & development for a Squarespace site you’re not afraid to update. With strategic use of native Squarespace features and elevated design with custom CSS, we’ll craft you a smart, responsive website that’s enjoyable to use.

    WHAT IS INCLUDED:

    -Comprehensive design strategy

    -5 custom pages with responsive design, mobile optimization & basic SEO

    -Up to 2 revisions of design proposal

    -Your custom Squarespace site and a library of video tutorials

    -A Canva file with any elements used on the site

    -30 days post hand-off support via email

    Projects start at $2,500 (may increase with additional custom features)

  • Squarespace Template Customization

    Don’t want a website from scratch?

    Browse our template shop to see which of our existing custom Squarespace templates will suit your needs, and book with us to customize it for your business!

    WHAT IS INCLUDED:

    -Responsive design, mobile optimization & basic SEO

    -Your customized Squarespace site and a library of video tutorials

    -A Canva file with any elements used on the site

    -30 days post hand-off support via email

    Projects start at $800 (may increase with add-on custom features)

  • Ongoing Squarespace Support

    For when you need more than the 30 day post hand-off support! Offered as a monthly retainer service, available in two tiers, or a one time project:

    One Day Support:

    You book a call with us to go over what support you need & we’ll get your project on our schedule, and handle the updates ourselves while recording tutorial videos for you to reference back to later for similar updates

    COST: $600

    Monthly Retainer:

    -3 hours: $450/month

    -6 hours: $900/month

selected work:

Take a peek at our past work to get an idea of what we can create together.

get squarespace tips on our blog: 

put your website woes behind you

We’ve been there. Watching the to-do list for your business growing while the website draft is gathering dust, waiting to be finished. There’s always something else pulling focus, like the stuff that customers actually pay you for. And you can bump the website to next weekend. You need to work your magic, putting the magic into the world in the way that only you can.

Really. We’ve been there too.

In the almost 10 years that we’ve been in the online business space, we’ve had websites in all stages of completion up for the world to see. For a stretch in 2018, we just had a GIF of Ben Wyatt from Parks and Rec saying “We’re in maintenance mode!” while we worked through some bugs on our original Wordpress site. (Seriously.) We’ve had coming soon pages, works in progress sites that changed every few days, and, of course, sites we are actually really proud of. 

We get that, while websites are an essential part of doing online business, they feel like the last thing you want to spend your time on. We want to make them feel less overwhelming, whether you’re going the custom website route, or the DIY route.

Instead of feeling stressed that your website is still on your list, we want to help you get it off your to-do list and out into the world so your customers can actually find you.

Your website is the heart of your business. Social media and SEO are your billboards, bringing people in, but your website is what it all points to. It’s not owned by some soulless billionaire, hiding your brilliance away from the people who need your spark the most. (if you can’t tell, we have strong feelings about this). It’s purely you. It’s your chance to speak to your customers one on one before you ever see them in your inbox or hop on the phone. 

When people click that link in your bio, or in the search results, you want them to instantly feel your vibe. To know what you’re about and feel a sense of “Oh dang. They get it.” Creating that magic moment is what we live for.

let's build your website

why us? 

We’ve always been the kind of people who excel at helping behind the scenes. (As you can imagine, we’ve both dabbled in theater tech.)

When we started our business almost ten years ago, we discovered that where we really shine is when we can “help the helpers” - or be in a supporting role for the space-holders, the healers, the leaders, and the people with a calling who are doing amazing things in their respective fields and communities. 

Our clients are co-op consultants, learning specialists, queer business owners, therapists, dietitians, podcast hosts, and people who are passionate about doing business differently rather than following all of the online business “rules.” 

We’re a values-based business, which, yes, means we give a hoot about a whole bunch of things, like marginalized groups, and the planet, and our neighbors, and trying to do things in the most anti-capitalist way we can (while obviously, still running a business and surviving in this capitalist world). We’re members of the LGBTQ+ community, proud parents of rescue pets, and navigating chronic illness.

see some of our past work here

“A seamless and genuinely thoughtful experience from beginning to end. The process felt clear, steady, and collaborative, with careful attention to both the vision and the finer details. It was especially meaningful to see—and truly feel—a visual expression of a business we care about so deeply. Ideas were met with insight and intention, resulting in a website that feels cohesive, intuitive, and aligned with the heart of the work. Grateful for the creativity, care, and support woven throughout every step of this process.”

The Learning Loop

“I knew as an independent consultant that I should improve my web presence, but I never had the time, energy, or honestly desire to take on the project myself. I needed someone with the expertise and the enthusiasm to take my basic information surrounding my businesses and services and make it into an interactive, eye catching internet presence. You all made it so easy! You were willing to work with me and my schedule which was very useful as a busy sole proprietor. You had the vision I was lacking, and made a website better than I could have ever imagined!”

Molly Snell-Larch Consulting

available templates

available templates

available templates available templates

copy cat template
Quick View
copy cat template
$450.00

Made for creative designers & developers, our copy cat template–based off of the design of our own site–shows off more advanced uses of native Squarespace features with strategic organization and custom CSS use. This template is perfect for anyone looking to show off their unique development skills, with their site as an evolving case study for clients to see the full scope of their work!

This template includes:

  • 8 pages:

    • home page

    • about page

    • service page

    • portfolio

    • blog/features page

    • get in touch/ contact page

    • shop & product page

  • tutorial video library

  • website content set up guide including:

    • site map

    • website content checklists

    • template tutorial videos

  • Canva template for any decorate elements

one page template
Quick View
one page template
$150.00

Made for small business owners just starting off. If you’re not ready for a full five page site, this is the template for you!

With strategic use of native Squarespace features and custom CSS, we’ve done all the heavy lifting when it comes to setting up a simple but powerful website interface that will do the work you want, for you.

This template includes:

  • 6 sections:

    • home

    • about

    • past work

    • events & classes

    • this month

    • book now

  • tutorial video library

  • website content set up guide including:

    • site map

    • website content checklists

    • template tutorial videos

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