Tresses by Candace
THE SITUATION
A site she was paying for but never really owned.
A site she was paying for but never really owned.
Candace had been running her business out of a ShowIt site built by a team in Norway. The design looked fine on the surface. Under the hood, every update was a negotiation.
She got quoted $1,500 to change a meta description. She was being charged $150 per quarter for stock image licenses, including a photo of a woman in a robe taking yellow pills used as a background on her hair salon site. She didn't pick the image. She didn't know it was there. She was just paying for it.
The portfolio was three carousels sorted by hair color: blonde, brunette, dark, with no connection to the services she offered. No blog. No new clients page. No live Instagram feed, even though she posts constantly. When she asked for something changed, she described it across a language barrier and waited for an invoice.
The site wasn't keeping up with her, and it was costing her to stand still.
Big Tex Gym has been an Austin institution since 2015. Rob and Esther built something real, a place where pro-level powerlifters, bodybuilders and other athletes and first-time members train side by side, and nobody makes you feel like you don't belong.
Their website hadn't kept up. Another agency built it over a decade ago and owned the DNS. Every update was a support ticket and a wait. Time-sensitive events couldn't go live on short notice. The design was stuck in 2015: overlapping images, a sticky testimonial widget that followed you across every page and blocked content, too many nav links to count.
Then their YouTube channel: years of gym culture, events, and training content got banned without warning. No appeal. No explanation. Gone. They didn't own their platform. They didn't own their narrative. That had to change.
WHAT WE DID
We built a site that actually feels like her, without the surprise fees.
Her business got the "glow up" that's been overdue with a brand new website. Everything was built from scratch, including a new brand design with new colors, fonts, and an elevated luxury aesthetic. She's on the Monthly Managed plan, so updates happen when she asks, not when she gets a huge invoice.
No more stock image fees. No more language barrier. No more portfolio carousels that never got updated.
The new site reflects Candace's actual personality and showcases her work in real-time, and that was just the bare minimum. We also built her a CMS-driven Services page that displays her full menu and most popular services so visitors are informed before booking. Her new blog system is also CMS-driven, so any new blog article takes minutes to post.
New website site from the ground up in under 30 days. Custom CMS for events, blog, trainers, partners, and vendors. Thirteen pages built and QA'd before launch with no placeholder content, no "we'll fix it later."
Monthly managed retainer means Rob and Esther never wait on a vendor again. Events go live in minutes. Blog posts are published on their schedule, on their platform, by their team. The site Big Tex Gym always deserved.
PLANNING
We assessed the situation and made a game plan
We assessed the situation and made a game plan
01 - A FULL SERVICES MENU
01 - A FULL SERVICES MENU
We built a full, detailed services menu.
We built a full, detailed services menu.
The old site had three photo carousels sorted by hair color. Blonde. Brunette. Dark. No prices. No descriptions. No connection to what Candace actually offers or how to get it.
The new Services page is CMS-driven with 17 services, each with a category, description, starting price, and direct booking link. Tier 1 signature services get their own full-width spread cards: image, description, price, and Book This Service linking straight to GlossGenius.
Visitors know what they're booking before they book it. And any changes are made quickly.
After the YouTube ban, this was personal. Big Tex Gym lost years of content to a platform decision they had zero control over.
Their new blog is fully CMS-driven: rich text body, category tags (Training, Nutrition, Recovery, Events), related articles logic, and author attribution so trainers can publish under their own name. Every article is an SEO asset Big Tex owns outright. No algorithm can take it away.
The old site had three photo carousels sorted by hair color. Blonde. Brunette. Dark. No prices. No descriptions. No connection to what Candace actually offers or how to get it.
The new Services page is CMS-driven with 17 services, each with a category, description, starting price, and direct booking link. Tier 1 signature services get their own full-width spread cards: image, description, price, and Book This Service linking straight to GlossGenius.
Visitors know what they're booking before they book it. And any changes are made quickly.
02 - LIVE INSTAGRAM FEED
02 - LIVE INSTAGRAM FEED
She posts on IG. The site keeps up.
She posts on IG. The site keeps up.
Candace is active on Instagram. The old site had no connection to it. It only had three static carousels sorted by hair color that quickly grew outdated. Any update requests to her portfolio required a manual update, and fees to follow.
The new custom Instagram component pulls her live Instagram feed directly from Behold's JSON API. Every new post she shares appears on the site automatically. No embed lag. No iframe. A seamless infinite scroll of her work, always current.
Her portfolio updates itself every time she posts.
After the YouTube ban, this was personal. Big Tex Gym lost years of content to a platform decision they had zero control over.
Their new blog is fully CMS-driven: rich text body, category tags (Training, Nutrition, Recovery, Events), related articles logic, and author attribution so trainers can publish under their own name. Every article is an SEO asset Big Tex owns outright. No algorithm can take it away.
Candace is active on Instagram. The old site had no connection to it. It only had three static carousels sorted by hair color that quickly grew outdated. Any update requests to her portfolio required a manual update, and fees to follow.
The new custom Instagram component pulls her live Instagram feed directly from Behold's JSON API. Every new post she shares appears on the site automatically. No embed lag. No iframe. A seamless infinite scroll of her work, always current.
Her portfolio updates itself every time she posts.
03 - THE NEW BLOG
03 - THE NEW BLOG
Content that shares her expertise
Content that shares her expertise
The old site had no blog. Not a small one, just none at all. No way to answer the questions clients actually search before booking. No SEO surface area. No content to point people to between appointments.
The new blog is fully CMS-driven, with rich text editing, category tags, and opportunities for affiliate links to products she recommends. Each article is an SEO asset that lives on tressesbycandace.com, and she can drive traffic back to her site through Instagram posts and stories, a platform she’s already very active on.
The old site had no blog. Not a small one, just none at all. No way to answer the questions clients actually search before booking. No SEO surface area. No content to point people to between appointments.
The new blog is fully CMS-driven, with rich text editing, category tags, and opportunities for affiliate links to products she recommends. Each article is an SEO asset that lives on tressesbycandace.com, and she can drive traffic back to her site through Instagram posts and stories, a platform she’s already very active on.
The old site had no blog. Not a small one, just none at all. No way to answer the questions clients actually search before booking. No SEO surface area. No content to point people to between appointments.
The new blog is fully CMS-driven, with rich text editing, category tags, and opportunities for affiliate links to products she recommends. Each article is an SEO asset that lives on tressesbycandace.com, and she can drive traffic back to her site through Instagram posts and stories, a platform she’s already very active on.
04 - THE NEW CLIENTS PAGE
04 - THE NEW CLIENTS PAGE
First time clients are welcomed and arrive prepared.
First time clients are welcomed and arrive prepared.
The old site gave new clients no guidance. No FAQ. No what-to-expect page. Clients showed up to their first appointment not knowing what condition their hair should be in for the best results, how long they’d be there, or what happens if they run late.
The new New Clients page walks them through everything: what to expect at their first visit, what to bring, how pricing works, and the cancellation policy. It’s all laid out in a clean, approachable design with a custom FAQ accordion component.
Better-prepared clients mean smoother appointments for Candace.
The old site gave new clients no guidance. No FAQ. No what-to-expect page. Clients showed up to their first appointment not knowing what condition their hair should be in for the best results, how long they’d be there, or what happens if they run late.
The new New Clients page walks them through everything: what to expect at their first visit, what to bring, how pricing works, and the cancellation policy. It’s all laid out in a clean, approachable design with a custom FAQ accordion component.
Better-prepared clients mean smoother appointments for Candace.
The old site gave new clients no guidance. No FAQ. No what-to-expect page. Clients showed up to their first appointment not knowing what condition their hair should be in for the best results, how long they’d be there, or what happens if they run late.
The new New Clients page walks them through everything: what to expect at their first visit, what to bring, how pricing works, and the cancellation policy. It’s all laid out in a clean, approachable design with a custom FAQ accordion component.
Better-prepared clients mean smoother appointments for Candace.
05 - EMAIL CAPTURE
05 - EMAIL CAPTURE
Another avenue to build her community
Another avenue to build her community
The old site had no way to stay connected with clients outside of Instagram. No email list. No owned audience. If Instagram engagement dipped, so did her reach.
The new site includes a custom MailerLite embed that gives Candace another way to grow her community and stay top-of-mind between appointments. Now her Instagram, blog, and email list work together instead of existing separately.
She can send subscribers hair tips, product recommendations, and her take on trending topics people are actively searching for. By keeping an eye on Google Trends, she can create content around real search demand, then direct readers back to her blog and booking page through email.
Instead of relying on social media alone, she now has a full ecosystem that keeps clients engaged with her brand across multiple channels.
This was the most important page to get right. Big Tex has a dual identity most people get wrong: lead with "hardcore gym" and you lose newcomers. Lead with "welcoming community" and serious athletes may think this softens the image.
The About page earns both. A Chad Kroeger meme opener to set the tone. An Austin Fitness Community podcast embed for origin credibility. A 13-node custom scroll timeline of every milestone since 2015. The page bridges the gap between two seemingly different ideas, harmoniously.
The old site had no way to stay connected with clients outside of Instagram. No email list. No owned audience. If Instagram engagement dipped, so did her reach.
The new site includes a custom MailerLite embed that gives Candace another way to grow her community and stay top-of-mind between appointments. Now her Instagram, blog, and email list work together instead of existing separately.
She can send subscribers hair tips, product recommendations, and her take on trending topics people are actively searching for. By keeping an eye on Google Trends, she can create content around real search demand, then direct readers back to her blog and booking page through email.
Instead of relying on social media alone, she now has a full ecosystem that keeps clients engaged with her brand across multiple channels.
WHAT THEY SAID
Working with Kim has been such an amazing experience. She is not only incredibly innovative, but also truly invested in the outcome. She brought ideas to the table that elevated my website beyond anything I had imagined. From start to finish, she made the entire process feel seamless and collaborative. What really sets her apart is how much she genuinely cares. She goes above and beyond to make sure every detail is just right, holding herself to such a high standard and never settling for anything less than exceptional. You can tell she’s a perfectionist in the best way—thoughtful, intentional, and deeply committed to her work. I truly believe the website she created is going to play a huge role in growing my business. It feels aligned, elevated, and designed to connect with my dream clients. She made me feel supported every step of the way, and I’m so grateful to have worked with someone who brings both creativity and care into everything she does. I can’t recommend Kim enough.❤️
Candace Nevarez
Owner, Tresses by Candace— Georgetown, TX
What... the actual fuck... that's a sweet fucking page!
— Candace's husband, upon seeing her salon's new site for the first time
THE TRANSFORMATION
THE WRAP UP
She didn't just get a new website. Her business got a glow up.
She didn't just get a new website. Her business got a glow up.
Her old site had a great design, but it wasn't helping her build an ecosystem that turns her client roster into a community.
The site launched with a CMS-powered Services and Blog system, a live Instagram feed, a New Clients guide, and a full SEO foundation with six validated JSON-LD schemas.
Candace called it the glow up her business had been waiting for.
Then her husband saw it and agreed — loudly.
Her old site had a great design, but it wasn't helping her build an ecosystem that turns her client roster into a community.
The site launched with a CMS-powered Services and Blog system, a live Instagram feed, a New Clients guide, and a full SEO foundation with six validated JSON-LD schemas.
Candace called it the glow up her business had been waiting for.
Then her husband saw it and agreed — loudly.