Telling Jacqui's Story

Teaming up with Jacqui for the second time was a journey of inspiration and innovation. After the success of the Run Escapes website, our collaboration naturally evolved into creating a new online presence for Jacqui's keynote-speaking career. This project wasn't just about building a website; it was about amplifying her voice.

Jacqui is a 29-year-old ultra runner from Brisbane, Australia. Her journey into ultra running began somewhat accidentally at 19 when she signed up for her first 50km race, not even realising it was an ultra marathon. She placed third and was hooked.

In 2017, after battling numerous health issues that affected her physically and mentally, Jacqui set an audacious goal: to run 250km across the Simpson Desert in Australia. Starting with just 30km a week, she trained intensively and soon discovered Racing the Planet’s 4 Deserts. She didn't just stick to her initial goal; she expanded it exponentially, aiming to conquer some of the toughest terrains on earth.

In 2018, Jacqui became the youngest female in the world to complete Racing the Planet’s 4 Deserts Grand Slam, running 250km across the Namibian Desert, Gobi Desert, Atacama Desert, and the frozen expanse of Antarctica. This remarkable achievement was just the beginning. She has since become the youngest person to run an ultra marathon on all seven continents.

As a runner myself, the list of accolades blows my mind - I knew I had to make this good.

When Jacqui approached me to build her keynote speaking website, our goal was clear: create a digital stage that reflects her dynamic presence and connects her with audiences worldwide.

Just like with Run Escapes, the process began with understanding Jacqui's vision. She needed a platform that not only showcased her speaking engagements and topics but also made it easy for event organisers to get in touch with her. Flexibility, accessibility, and a strong visual identity were paramount.

We chose Squarespace once again for its ease of use and robust features. This time, we focused on a design that exudes professionalism while capturing Jacqui's vibrant personality. The website needed to be a seamless extension of her as a brand, someone who is warm, driven, genuine and vibrant.

The build process was an adventure in itself. We integrated a contact system that allows event organisers to easily reach out and schedule Jacqui for their events. The website also features a comprehensive media gallery, showcasing Jacqui's past engagements, testimonials, and videos. This not only adds credibility but also provides a vivid picture of her impact as a speaker.

A significant part of the project was ensuring that Jacqui could effortlessly update her website. From adding new speaking topics to posting upcoming events and sharing her latest thoughts through a blog, the backend was designed to be user-friendly and accessible. However, the transformation was more than just aesthetic. With her new website, Jacqui's reach extended further, connecting her with a broader audience and has since increased her booking rate for corporate speaking by 73% (DID YOU HEAR THAT EVERYONE?). With both the aesthetic improvements and functionality for ongoing management, she can now manage her speaking engagements with ease, allowing her to focus more on what she does best—Run & deliver impactful messages.

Reflecting on this project, I'm filled with gratitude. Working with Jacqui has been more than a professional endeavour; it's been a partnership rooted in shared values and mutual growth. Jacqui and I often plan things, daily run sheets or todo lists, then automatically do everything backwards with no protest. We've shared countless moments of unspoken understanding which really I can't even explain. I’ve never worked with someone who allows me to say, "Hey, sorry, I can't right now, I'm laying on the floor," and be met with, "Thank god you said that, I wanted to do that all day." From retreats together and laughs in the supermarket to ending up on the crew for Jacqui's most recent 100km ultra (which, if you don’t know, should never be taken lightly). I can't quite put my why we work together so well other then confessing that we superpowers (iykyk).

I'm excited for the many more opportunities that lie ahead, as we currently work on more projects together.

Here's to Jacqui and the countless lives she continues to inspire.