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Angelika Paul's Member Spotlight
Angelika Paul is a website designer and the Co-Founder of KiwiMotif Website Design and Maintenance located in Stoneham, Massachusetts. KiwiMotif is a boutique website design and maintenance company that officially launched in 2018. However, the inspiration began in 2012 during a community effort to rebuild a local playground. While fundraising, Angelika met many small business owners who shared the same frustration: outdated, hard-to-manage websites. What started as small website fixes turned into a full-fledged business helping small businesses shine online with modern, secure, and worry-free websites.
Why did you join NASE?
I joined NASE to connect with a larger community of small business owners and access valuable resources tailored to self-employed entrepreneurs. The guidance, tools, and support have been incredibly helpful in navigating the challenges of running a business.
What inspired you to enter the field
you are in?
I was inspired by the needs I saw in my local community. Small business owners wanted to be found online but didn’t have the time or technical knowledge to maintain their websites. I realized I could combine my creative and technical skills to meet that need, and KiwiMotif was born.
When and why did you start your business?
KiwiMotif was officially incorporated in 2018 after several years of doing informal web projects for local businesses. The more I helped, the clearer it became that there was a bigger opportunity to make a meaningful impact by providing ongoing website design and maintenance services.
How do you market your business?
Primarily through word-of-mouth and community networking. We’ve built strong relationships through BNI groups, Chamber of Commerce events, and even casual conversations on that original playground. Our growth has been fueled by trust and referrals.
What challenges have you faced in your business? How have you overcome them?
Scaling our business while maintaining personal attention has been a major challenge. We’ve addressed it by developing efficient systems and leveraging technology like video conferencing to stay connected with clients. The pandemic pushed us to adapt quickly, and that flexibility has helped us grow without compromising service quality.
Do you have any employees?
Yes. KiwiMotif is currently run by me and my co-founder, Joshua Downer, our software engineer. We’re a two-person team, and we love the flexibility and balance this setup allows. We may expand as we grow, but we enjoy the close-knit collaboration for now.
What’s your schedule like, what’s a typical day for you?
A typical day starts with website checkups—monitoring performance, running security scans, and ensuring everything is running smoothly for our clients. The rest of the day may include design projects, client meetings, strategy sessions, and maintenance updates. Every day is different, which keeps things interesting and fun.
What’s the best thing about being self-employed?
The freedom to structure my day around what matters most. Whether it’s focusing on a client project or taking a walk to recharge, being self-employed gives me the flexibility to work in a way that’s both productive and personally fulfilling.
What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received from a client?
That we’re both “very knowledgeable and
caring.” It’s the perfect reflection of how we strive to treat every client with expertise and genuine personal attention.
What’s the most important piece of advice you would give to someone starting their own business?
Get a website so your clients can find you online. And don’t forget to claim or create your Google Business Profile—it’s a simple but powerful way
to boost your visibility, especially locally.
Which NASE member benefit is most important to you?
The legal guidance and business resources have been incredibly valuable. We also appreciate the QuickBooks discounts and the SelfInformed newsletter, but the real value is feeling part of a supportive community of entrepreneurs.
Any other information you would like
to share?
We love helping small business owners feel proud of their online presence. Seeing their confidence grow as their business succeeds is what makes our work so rewarding.