Making a founder's site fast, safe and ready to take subscribers.
NeuroMynds had a website and a design from a previous contractor, but not one that could go live. We took over production readiness, covering subscriptions, integrations, speed and security, and coached Lisa through WordPress so she could run it herself afterwards.
Context
Who they are.
NeuroMynds connects people to neuro-affirming mentors and coaches: a searchable directory of mentors by language and speciality, alongside a community and learning material. Lisa had already made a good start. There was a website and there was a design, both from another contractor. What there wasn't yet was a site ready to carry real members.
The problem
What they walked in with.
The site was slow, security was practically absent, and the pieces that make the platform work, from mentor management to the newsletter to calendar events, weren't connected. Subscriptions didn't exist yet. And Lisa isn't an engineer, so whatever we built had to be something she could operate on her own once we stepped back.
Our approach
How we worked.
Took over production readiness
Worked through what the previous build had left open and closed the gap between a site that exists and a site that can go live in front of paying members.
Made it fast, and made it safe
Performance work took the site to a different order of speed entirely. Security went from practically absent to something you can reasonably put members' data behind. A third of the plugins came out along the way: less to update, less to break, less to attack.
Connected the moving parts
The mentor management plugin, the newsletter software and the Google Calendar API for events: each wired in and each explained, so Lisa knew what was talking to what.
Coached, rather than handed over
Every decision walked through with Lisa rather than made behind her: the WordPress environment, the subscription setup, what to touch and what to leave alone. She ended up running it, not depending on us.
Highlights
The interesting parts.
- The site ended up 15× faster than we found it.
- Security went from practically absent to something that can sit in front of members' data.
- A third of the plugins were removed, leaving a smaller surface to maintain and to attack.
Stack
What we built it on.
Timeline
How it unfolded.
Take stock
What the previous build left behind, and what actually stands between it and a launch.
Production readiness
Speed, security, and cutting the plugin estate down to what's genuinely needed.
Subscriptions & integrations
The paid side set up, and mentor management, newsletter and Google Calendar connected in.
Launch & coaching
Live, with Lisa walked through the environment so she can keep it running herself.
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