Lake Cowichan, Vancouver Island, BC · Canada
The thinking
behind every
build.
Brittany Holmes. Founder of Nota Studio. 20+ years in IT systems. Based in Lake Cowichan, BC. Building custom-coded websites with SEO and GEO built in — for small businesses across Canada and the United States.
The Background
Not a designer who learned to code.
A systems thinker who builds websites.
Most web designers came up through design school — they learned Photoshop before they learned HTML, and they learned HTML before they ever thought about how Google reads a site. The result is websites that look finished and perform poorly.
I came up through 20+ years in IT infrastructure, systems architecture, and digital operations. I spent two decades learning how systems think — how data moves, how platforms talk to each other, how a decision made in one place affects everything downstream. When I turned that lens on websites, I saw the gap immediately: most of them are beautiful broken things.
A website isn't a poster. It's a system. It has inputs (traffic), logic (architecture and content), and outputs (enquiries, bookings, revenue). Every element has a job. When the system is built properly — SEO coded in, GEO schema structured, conversion architecture intentional — the output changes. That's not marketing. It's engineering.
I built Nota Studio because I kept seeing the same problem: small businesses doing exceptional work, buried behind websites that couldn't be found, couldn't convert, and couldn't be cited by the tools their clients were actually using.
Nota Studio is a one-person studio by design. Every client gets Brittany — not a junior account manager and a rotating team of contractors. Every build is built from scratch, scoped properly, and delivered with the full weight of 20+ years of systems thinking behind it.
Based in Lake Cowichan on Vancouver Island, BC. Working remotely with small businesses across Canada and the United States.
20+ Years in Systems
IT infrastructure, digital operations, and systems architecture — the foundation behind every strategic build. Not design instinct. Systems thinking.
Custom Code. Always.
Every site built from scratch. No templates. No drag-and-drop. Every element placed with a reason and a job — engineered for search, AI citation, and conversion.
Ranked and Cited
SEO built into the code, not managed by a plugin. GEO architecture standard on every build — schema markup, semantic HTML, E-E-A-T signals, topical authority.
Google Ads Management
SEA / SEM campaigns for local service businesses across Canada and the USA. Immediate traffic managed alongside organic foundations — not instead of them.
Lake Cowichan, Vancouver Island, BC
Based in Lake Cowichan, BC. Serving small businesses across every Canadian province and every US state — 100% remote, no location barrier.
The Difference
Why it's not the same
as hiring a designer.
The web design industry is full of talented people who make things look good. Nota Studio makes things that perform. The difference is in the discipline behind the work.
Strategy before
aesthetics.
Most designers start with how something looks. I start with how it works — who the visitor is, what question they're asking, what they need to feel before they'll trust you, and what needs to happen for them to book. Aesthetics serve that strategy. Not the other way around.
Built for search,
built for AI.
SEO is written into the code — not managed by a plugin after the fact. GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) architecture is standard: schema markup, semantic HTML, E-E-A-T signals, and topical authority built in from the first file. Not an add-on. The foundation.
You work with me.
Every time.
Nota Studio is a one-person studio by design. There's no junior assigned to your project after the pitch. I scope it, build it, and deliver it — and the quality is consistent because the person responsible is always the same person.
Your website is
a system, not a poster.
Twenty years in IT taught me that everything is connected. A heading hierarchy decision affects how Google reads the page. A schema markup gap affects whether ChatGPT cites you. A poor conversion path affects your booking rate. I see all of it at once — before a pixel is placed.
Built to be found
where it matters.
Local business visibility requires specific signals — geographic schema, NAP consistency, Google Business Profile alignment, and local keyword architecture. Every Nota Studio build has this as standard, whether you serve one city or all of Canada and the USA.
A website that pays
for itself.
The wellness clinic that tripled organic traffic within 90 days and increased bookings 68% wasn't spending on ads. The site was doing the work. That's the difference between a website as an expense and a website as an asset. It's what every Nota Studio build is engineered to be.
The Philosophy
"I'd rather do fewer things exactly right than more things that don't move the needle."
Nota Studio has a small client roster by choice. Every project gets the full weight of my attention — not split between ten clients and managed by systems. That's not a business model. It's a values decision. The clients I work with deserve someone who knows their site the way they know their business.
Honesty over flattery
If your website has a fundamental problem, you'll hear about it — clearly and without softening. The truth early is less expensive than the discovery late.
Performance over beauty
A stunning website that doesn't rank, doesn't convert, and isn't cited by AI tools is an expensive decoration. Performance is the brief. Aesthetics serve it.
Deep work over volume
Small roster. Real attention. Every client gets the same standard of work — because it's always the same person doing it, at full capacity, not at divided attention.
Ownership over dependency
Every client is handed off with full documentation, training, and the ability to run their site independently. You shouldn't need me forever — but you'll know where to find me when you do.
Honest Fit Check
This isn't for everyone.
Here's who it's for.
Nota Studio works with a selective roster. Not as a marketing tactic — because the quality of the work depends on the quality of the fit. Here's a direct breakdown.
Limited Availability
If you recognise yourself
in this page, let's talk.
"I've been looking for someone who actually understands this stuff." That's usually how it starts. Let's find out if it's a fit.
Thirty minutes. Tell me where your site is failing you and what you're trying to build. I'll tell you honestly what would make the biggest difference. No pitch deck. No pressure.
Payment plans available · Remote across Canada & the USA · 30-min discovery call · no pressure