Creative technologist

I'm Joseph. I believe nothing works without design. And design has to function in order to work. I started my career making blogs and directory websites to benefit my community. I began posting updates about architecture projects going on in Portland. Before I knew it, I figured out how to implement more advanced features on my website. I learned HTML, CSS, PHP, and JavaScript coding through a combination of online courses and side projects.

My first client was the South Portland Business Association. South Portland hired me because they recognized the value my websites provided to the community.

I grew up wanting to be an entrepreneur and own a business. At nine years old, I sold Rice Krispie treats on the side of the road. I sold over 500 treats and eventually started many other small businesses.

I started out making websites part-time; it was a side hustle generating extra income. About three years in, I  quit my day job and pursued ShiloRune full-time. I grew my freelance business to a team of three and over 60 clients. Unfortunately, tragedy struck, and I lost a valuable team member. I was offered an excellent position at Watson Creative to be their Technical Director, and the time was right, so I accepted.

Watson Creative

As Watson Creative's Technical Director, I spoke it all—collaborating with 70+ clients across industries at Watson and completing 200+ website projects. I lead the web development team of four. My team worked and led many initiatives to improve the business at Watson. One of our key accomplishments was offering advanced web hosting services to clients — I grew this segment 100% year over year.

At the heart of my expertise in digital design and development is deep intellectual curiosity. There is always a better way to get the work done. My motto, "design with purpose leads to outstanding outcomes that foster relationships."

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