Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Berry.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I didn’t wake up one day and decide to become a web designer. I became one because I was tired of watching brilliant business owners shrink behind websites that just didn’t match their talent.
I started The Pier Collective while working a full-time job and raising my toddler son. I’m talking late nights and even earlier mornings. Laptop open at the kitchen table while pumping. At first, I was just building websites because I enjoyed it so much. But the deeper I got into it, the more I realized most entrepreneurs didn’t just need a “pretty site.” They needed a whole system and clarity around what it actually meant to have an online presence for their business. They needed structure. They needed someone to translate the tech and strategy into something that made sense to them.
So I leaned into that.
I began focusing on service-based entrepreneurs, especially minority women who were building powerful businesses but didn’t always have access to the same digital strategy that I saw others using. I saw how often we’re told to just “post more” or “be consistent” without ever being taught how a website, a lead magnet, and an email marketing system actually work together. That disconnect frustrated me because I knew we deserved so much more. So I built a process that brings it all together.
What started as just building websites grew into something bigger: strategy-first builds, website templates for DIY founders, copy workbooks, and SEO guides. I’m even working on a program that teaches early-stage entrepreneurs how to build their first real online system with intention. I’ve invested in my learning and tools and I’ve become so passionate about what I do. My work is rooted in partnership. I don’t just design and disappear. I walk my clients through the thinking. When we’re done, they don’t just have a website. They understand why it works.
Today, I’m building an ecosystem around that belief: that your online presence should feel aligned, strategic, and empowering. I still love design. I love beautiful typography and thoughtful color palettes. But what excites me most is watching a client exhale when everything finally clicks, and when all the puzzle pieces come together in their mind. When their website stops feeling like a source of embarrassment and starts feeling like proof that they’re really in business.
That’s the through line of my story: helping entrepreneurs move from chaos and guesswork to clarity and confidence online.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it has not been a smooth road lol! I’ve struggled with identifying exactly who I wanted to help and how I wanted to show up. When I first started, I thought it was all about just building a website. Then as I began to get more involved in the industry, in different groups, learning from other designers and solopreneurs, I started to learn that it’s sooo much more than that and that there was so much more that I still needed to learn. But I had a newborn baby, who then grew into a toddler, and not as much support as I thought I would have after my mother suddenly passed away after a very short illness when my son was just two years old.
Trying to juggle being a first-time mom at 40, a full-time job in middle management, and a side business was (is) not easy, and definitely not what I envisioned my life would be like. While the other designers I learned with in various groups and organizations were just finishing high school with very few cares in the world, I had real responsibilities and not a lot of time. Mentally, it messed with me because I often felt like I was too old and had waited too long to do what I was doing, especially when I struggled to get clients.
Many times I felt like giving up and just closing my business, but I would think about those entrepreneurs who I just knew I could help if I could just get in front of them. So I keep pushing and keep learning and keep using every opportunity I can to share what I’ve learned with those who I know could benefit from it the most.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Most people would probably call me a web designer, but I consider myself more than that.
I like to call myself an Online Strategist. What that means is that I help my clients uncover ways that they can show up online like the professional they are through their own website and systems. I’m known for the beautiful custom websites and pre-designed templates I’ve created, but I’m also known as someone who is relentless in my support of small business and entrepreneurship.
I am most proud of being a self-taught designer. I’ve sought out an abundance of knowledge as I’ve learned how to maneuver this online space and help my clients see their businesses in ways they never had before. When I see that light bulb go off over their head after I’ve shown them just how all these systems work together for their business – very little in my business makes me happier than that.
And that enlightenment that I provide my clients is what sets me apart. I believe that my clients should understand the WHY behind what we’re doing and not just sit idly by while it’s being done. Building an online presence is about so much more than your logo, or your brand colors, or your fonts. And I spend the time to help those who want to know, learn exactly how to build that presence in a way that makes sense for them and that is sustainable.
Any big plans?
I am looking forward to finalizing my first flagship program that will be geared toward early-stage entrepreneurs who looking for guided education as they learn about their own online presence. I love sharing my knowledge, and I’ve been told that I can make these sometimes overwhelmingly technical concepts really easy for the average person to understand. It’s truly where I find my joy. I’m so excited at the idea of having this program and seeing how it impacts those who participate.
Pricing:
- Squarespace Website Templates start at $295
- Custom Web Design starts at $1800
- Strategy Sessions are $500 for 90-minutes
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thepiercollective.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepiercollectivewebdesign
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePierCollectiveWebDesignStudio
- Resources for entrepreneurs who want to grow online: https://www.thepiercollective.com/guides-workbooks/
