Michael D Hart

I'm a creative web and small business development consultant who loves to start things.

What would you like to start?

Blog

CSS3 Gradient Using Box-Shadow

Recently, while updating and tweaking my site, I came across a super-easy way to create a gradient effect using the CSS3 'box-shadow' property. To be fair, and at the risk of overstating the obvious, that's not what 'box-shadow' was created for. Generally, I'd agree that it's not best practice to use a piece of code for a use other than that for which it was intended. In this case I think it's Continue reading...

Why I Use Hootsuite to Market My Business

A while back I wrote an article comparing two leading social media 'hubs': Hootsuite and CoTweet. Following my research I chose to dive into Hootsuite and happily move on marketing myself on Facebook and Twitter, and seeking out new clients using this wonderful tool. That article got a bit of traffic, a few years passed, and that info got outdated. So, at the prompting of my readers (Thanks @ Continue reading...

10 Ways To Market Your Business With Social Media

Social media is big. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and others are changing the we we use the internet and interact with other people in good ol' meatspace. That means it is changing the way business works as well. So, if you're a business owner (or an aspiring one) you can't ignore these trends. In fact, use them to your benefit. Here are 10 ways to get the word out using little to no Continue reading...

Web Design for the iPad

What were a strong majority of savvy web designers and developers up to on Sunday, April 5th 2010? Well, after an early morning waiting in line, mad rush past the Genius bar at the Apple Store, and hours of neglecting people (and personal hygiene, no doubt) I'd be willing to bet a good number of web geeks spent Sunday the 5th figuring out how pretty (or not) their website could be on their shiny Continue reading...

Mobile is the New Black

Everyone's talking about the growing importance of the mobile web. People are going to visit your site on their iPhones, Android phones, and the iPad. It's going to happen. The question is, will you have prepared for them? Will they be able to navigate your site on their tiny 320x480 pixel screens? Contact me and let's start building a mobile solution for your business. Continue reading...

Portfolio

Wicked Brew Cafe

A few years back, when we returned to IL from NYC, we found a great local coffee shop to hang out at with our family. Mostly on Saturday mornings, we would have breakfast, dream, and chat with the owners. We came to really love this place: The Wicked Brew Cafe. As you can tell, at some point along the way I built them a website. At the time the cafe hosted many Saturday evening art and music Continue reading...

Chartsome.com

From humble beginnings to its current public beta status, Chartsome is filling a niche in the education technology sector. Teachers need behavior management power tools for the 21st century. Administrators need data to make decisions on students' needs. Chartsome fills a void not filled by any other current tool available to educators. Chartsome began in 2010 as a tool in my own classroom. Continue reading...

Belvidere Youth Chorus

In the fall of 2012 a new arts organization called the Belvidere Youth Chorus was launched with the goal of starting two musical groups composed of students across the Belvidere school district. In its first season, the groups numbered over fifty kids and is continuing to grow each season. Being an entirely new organization, the BYC required a complete brand development that reflected the youth Continue reading...

Cor Cantiamo

I am proud to announce the launch of corcantiamo.org!Cor Cantiamo is a semi-professional choir hailing from Northern Illinois University and dedicated to performing contemporary choral music and fostering new composers for the art form. All of the members of this choir are professional musicians living in the Chicagoland area and almost all are alumni of the NIU Choral Program. They work as Continue reading...

Orchestra Proposal

As many of you know, I am also a public school teacher. I teach elementary music to about 750 students at a STEM magnet school. Our small city in Northern IL is not known for its cultural awareness though it is increasingly diverse. I grew up here and it is a tremendous opportunity to be back here to do my part in shaping our fine town.As someone who greatly benefited from instrumental music Continue reading...