Squarespace Expertise You Can Trust

Hi, I'm Kati, founder of Hot Lizard Designs - a Squarespace specialist working with businesses across Australia and beyond from my base in sunny Perth, WA.

How I Got Here

My path to web design wasn't traditional, and that's exactly what makes it valuable.

I cut my teeth in the family training business, where "wearing multiple hats" meant teaching courses one day and wrestling with marketing budgets the next. Later roles took me from finance operations in London to launching a portable cocktail bar, to driving sales for a benchtop manufacturer in New Zealand. Different industries, same core challenge: how do you communicate what you do clearly enough to convert browsers into buyers?

When our family business needed a proper online presence with e-commerce capability, I discovered Squarespace. Within days, I'd built something clean and functional that outperformed years of expensive agency redesigns. Word spread. Referrals followed. Within months, Hot Lizard Designs was born.

That was 2014. Today, I've designed over 500 Squarespace websites for businesses of all sizes.

Why Hot Lizard Is Different

I think like a business owner first, designer second. Twenty years of hands-on business experience plus an MBA means I understand budgets, ROI, and growth strategy. I'm not here to sell you features you don't need or impress you with unnecessary complexity.

I don't believe in ransom-ware websites. You know the type - builds that lock you into monthly maintenance fees and leave you dependent on the designer for every tiny update. That's not how I work. Your website is yours. You'll have complete control, no technical jargon gatekeeping, and the confidence to make changes whenever you need to.

I've earned the credentials that matter. Squarespace Expert status (awarded 2018). Squarespace Marketplace Top Level Designer (invited 2019). Top-Rated Freelancer on Upwork (less than 10% of freelancers achieve this). Digital Pioneer Finalist and Best Business Owner-Operator Runner Up at the WA Business Awards. These weren't handed out - they were earned through consistently delivering results and keeping clients happy.

I know what small businesses need because I've lived it. During the uncertainty of the 2020 pandemic, I co-founded the Business Swap Shop - an online platform that let WA small businesses trade products and services without money changing hands. Over 80 businesses joined in the first three months. The project wrapped in 2022 as businesses adapted and thrived, but it reinforced what I already knew: small business owners are resourceful, resilient, and deserve partners who genuinely get it.

The Bottom Line

Squarespace gives you control, flexibility, and freedom from overpriced cookie-cutter solutions. My role is to make sure your site is crafted around your business goals - so it doesn't just look professional, it works hard to grow your business.

I've been designing Squarespace sites for over 10 years now, and I'm still as energized by each new project as I was when I started. Because when you're excited about your website, that energy translates to your customers.

Originally from the UK, I moved to Perth for the sunshine, lifestyle, and to be closer to family. When I'm not designing websites, you'll find me on walking trails, the tennis court, or geeking out over new Squarespace features and integrations.

Ready to work with someone who gets both the business side and the design side?