Hedlin Designs is really an one man show ran by me, Gary Hedlin. I started out doing web pages back in 1996 when the internet was just starting "the tech boom", doing pages for myself, freinds, family, or anyone else who I could talk into having a web site. With no formal training, I was hungry to learn, and I learned by doing! Then after I graduating High School and obtaining my A+ Certification, I went to work for Assistive Technologies but I quickly went from repairing hardware to designing and implementing the company's first e-commerce site. Although not the first e-commerce site, it was the first site where people with disabilities could see a massive product catalog of products that could help them from using a computer to just help them live a better life. I was happy with the site, not only because I was the driving force behind it but because it filled a need that went un-anwsered for way too long.
But as soon as things really got started, 2001 came and left probably left us all in a state of confusion and uncertianty. The markets began to spirol downward as "the tech boom" began to go bust. And then after Sept 11th came, I found myself no longer working on the site I truly loved. Although I had other reasons, primarily I was looking for something different with a stable company. And no matter what I tried, it was no match for a slowing economy and what seemed to me as a world going straight to hell. So I decided to pack my belongings and go to college! But somewhere along the way I ended up at Joliet Junior College At that time cirriculums in web designs were just gaining speed, and I took whatever classes I could in my spare time to hone my skills. I wasn't really interested in a career as a web designer, but it was still one of my hobbies.
One moment that truly impacted my web design was when I snook into a web design conference at the college where Molly E. Holzschlag was showing off "the zen of CSS". I was very, very intrigued at what could be done with just a little code. "An accessable web site that actually looked good?? Damn, let me steal another bagel from the back and show me this!!" I probably learned more in that confrence, the XHTML, the CSS... I was in a zen-like state, and was fundamental in shaping my Design Theory. I still use all of what I've learned at that confrence, and what I learned about e-commerce and marketing at Assistive Technologies
So fast forward a few years to 2004... I was once agian rattled to the bone when I learned my Grandfather was diagnosed with colon cancer. It was the one moment that forced me to look at my whole life, what was going on in my life and what I truly wanted to do. So I left JJC and spent time with my grandfather until the ultimate end. Though sad at the time, I now feel it was the best year of my life being able to spend so much time with a truly great man. After that, I began to re-asses the career choice I made and realized the world is not yet ready for the way I helped people with disabilities, not in theory or practice!
So here I am doing web pages and other design work full time, With great people to work with like Moe's Performance, Thrush Sanitation, and The VFW Post 2470, I'm able to use my design skills to increase their sales or promote their cause. And, I'm able to do it in a manner that is accessable to everyone! What could be better than that?? :)