This year marks 30 years of WebSight Design (WSD)—three decades of creativity, innovation, and an entrepreneurial spirit. What started as two friends with a shared dream has grown into an experienced web design agency, trusted by clients across the country. As we celebrate this milestone, we’re taking a look back at how it all began.
The Phone Call That Started It All
Alex Paine still remembers the moment his lifelong friend Joe Conte called from San Francisco in the winter of 1994. While Alex was battling the brutal Lake Placid, NY cold—where temperatures hadn’t risen above zero for 29 consecutive days—Joe was basking in 70-degree weather, spending January days at the beach. That was all Alex needed to hear. By April, he packed everything he owned into the trunk of his old Honda Civic and set off for the West Coast, chasing a new adventure and a chance to build something meaningful with his friend.
The Early Days: Grit, Passion & A Power Mac
Joe had moved to San Francisco the year prior and had started WebSight Design (WSD) alone, working out of his tiny North Beach apartment. At the time, he was also working at an art gallery and teaching himself how to build websites. Meanwhile, Alex arrived in California with little more than a dream and an unshakable belief in their partnership. He took on multiple jobs—tech gopher at a real estate brokerage in the morning, junior sales associate at a travel agency in the afternoon, and landscaper on the weekends.
Finding stable housing proved to be challenging. Alex found himself sleeping under the stars in the Marin Headlands and showering at the gym until he secured a small rental in Mill Valley. Shortly after, Joe arrived at his doorstep, in need of a place to crash. Along with his clothes and a futon, Joe brought his prized Power Macintosh 9500—a major upgrade from Alex’s outdated Mac Classic. With Joe’s 33.3K modem, the two spent countless hours tinkering, learning, and dreaming of what WebSight Design could become.
Then came the moment that changed everything. One day, Joe walked through the door holding a check for $10,000—their first real web design deposit from a company called Sport & Social. It was a game-changer. With Joe focusing on design and Alex diving into HTML, WebSight Design started taking shape. By 1996, they had enough work for Alex to quit one of his three jobs. By early 1997, he left another. By 1998, they were making enough to both go all in.
From Camping Chairs to Rising Stars
Their first big test came when a travel industry client wanted to meet at their "office." At the time, their conference room was a weathered deck in Mill Valley. When the client arrived expecting a business location, they were instead greeted by two guys in camping chairs and a dog named Regus. The client must have seen something special because they gave WSD the job—on the condition that they get a real office.
So, they did. A few weeks later, they moved into an artist loft in Sausalito, paying $900 a month (utilities included). Shortly after settling in, a friend Dean Gelfand introduced them to the management team for Carlos Santana, who needed a website. WebSight Design landed the gig and built Santana.com. It was a defining moment. Just a year later, Santana’s Supernatural album became a global phenomenon, selling over 30 million copies and winning nine Grammy Awards. That exposure put WebSight Design on the map, opening doors they had never imagined.
Building a Legacy
Over the next few years, WebSight Design grew into a team of 16, hiring key people like Noah Furhman, Stephanie Long, Paul Siegel and Mac Cady—who are still part of the company 25 years later. Then, another major milestone: a call from Excite, the Google of its day, seeking their expertise. More long-term clients followed, including FTPartners.com, HobbyBunker.com, and McLaughlin-Ventures.com.
Through it all, WebSight Design (WSD) remained rooted in the same spirit of resilience, friendship, and determination that started it all. Through every project, the WSD team carries the lessons, grit, and passion that got them here, ensuring that every client they work with feels like part of their journey, too.
Celebrate With Us – Take 30% Off WCAG Audits & Remediation
As a thank you for being part of our thirty year journey, we’re offering 30% off WCAG Audits and Remediation to help improve your website! To redeem this offer:
- Email [email protected] with code WSD30
- Book by July 31, 2025
Here’s to 30 years of innovation—and many more to come!
