For years, whenever I met someone new and they asked me what I did, I’d always say, “I build websites”.

So when AI came along, and suddenly everyone had the ability to build websites, it felt like I’d lost all my value.

But the problem wasn’t in the skills I’d spent over a decade learning.

It was in how I was framing them.

Both to other people, but more importantly, to myself.

Building websites is the mechanics of what I do each day, but what I’m actually doing is solving problems for startups, via their websites.

And the main problem I’m solving is helping startups get more customers.

And this is a problem startups are always going to need solved.

In the future, as AI changes behaviour, it might not be through a website, but if my focus is being the solution to this problem, then how I do it will also adapt to this change in behaviour as well.

So what I actually do is:
“I help startups get more customers.”

I’ve been building websites for 12 years.

A lot has changed in that time.

And most of that change happened in the last 3 years.

Since first using ChatGPT back in 2023, it feels like I’ve been living in this limbo waiting for the next feature to be released and destroy my career.

But as time has passed, I’ve realised there’s more to gain than lose in this rapidly evolving world.

It used to be the case that the ability to build a product was the moat. You could have a badly designed product, but the fact that you’d managed to build it showed you were a serious business.

That’s no longer the case.

Now, a 14-year-old in their parents’ bedroom could one-shot an app to a usable level; that moat is gone.

I believe design is the new moat.

And great design isn’t something that you do once and then forget about. Great design is an evolving thing, something that requires constant thought and discovery.

This is what I’m looking to build with Twohands.

I want to partner with startups for the long term and build brands that win through design.