Ladies who Webflow: Claudia Cafeo

The Webflow community is full of great, talented people. However it looks like especially on social media and in forums male identifying Designers are still the ones who are more present – or at least more vocal. In this series I'd like to highlight specifically female Designers and Webflow Developers who are doing great stuff. I am kicking of part one of this series with the wonderful Claudia Cafeo. I asked her 10 questions about Webflow, her business and the great community she's set up for female Designers working with Webflow. Check out her answers below...

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Tell me a bit about your background, where you're based, who you are and what you do...

I am a highly creative and empathic individual. I'm Italian but I live in London where I work as a High Level Teaching Assistant helping children with special needs at a primary school, my specialisation is autism.I have been studying and practicing UX/UI Design for over a year now and I've recently started studying Webflow in order to build the websites that I design.I'm also the founder of a community for women in UX/UI Design and Webflow Development across the world.In my spare time I love playing video games, play the piano and take photographs around the world.

When did you get started with Webflow?

January 2021

Which platform did you work with previously and what inspired you to switch?

I started learning about HTML and CSS and I was using VisualStudio Code. When I came across Webflow it felt like a breeze of fresh air. I'm very much a visual person and Webflow designer allows me to build by looking and thinking of the website structure at the same time. It's really powerful for a designer.

Was it hard for you to get your head around Webflow and did you know how to code before?

I knew a little HTML and CSS and learning Webflow can be a learning curve when it comes to CMS and more intricate functions and integrations but I haven't found it too hard.

How has Webflow improved/changed your freelance business (or your life as a designer if you're not a freelancer)?

I am now able to provide a more wholesome service by offering the designs as well as the development of the website. There is a constant, increasing demand from people who need a website and it just sits-in well to be able to offer a custom website that can go live.

What do you like most about working with Webflow?

The designer interface. It's just too nice to see your thoughts immediately translated into a live website. Also, I love the fact that we can create symbols, just like in Figma or any other design tool, so that we can just operate on the master symbol and see our changes applied across the page in the blink of an eye! Magic :)

Have you got a great project you've worked on (or are currently working on) you want to tell us about?

I am mostly proud about the women community that I have started in April. It started off from a need of having a team supporting me, as studying by myself was a bit intimidating - you never know if you're doing it well or properly. It's then when I thought that many other women might be experiencing the same feelings or following the same path.I opened a server on Discord and after a simple message on the Webflow Global group on Facebook, I had 60 women joining me from everywhere in the world. I was SO happy!I then took part at the first global Webflow meetup organised by Fin'sweet and I fell in love with their energy and setup so I got the idea of creating a similar virtual space for the members of my community. Today, we have an amazing GatherTown virtual office where we hangout and take part in weekly events that I organise by inviting guest speakers who come to teach us about design or Webflow related topics. I count +300 talented women from across the world in my community and I couldn't be happier and prouder of the movement we are creating.Not only I'm trying to tackle the big gender gap in tech and, generally, the world, but I'm also so lucky of being able of having found some people in the community that I can today call friends.

Do you have any tips for people starting out to set up their own Webflow design business?

Join communities, start networking, ask questions. You are not alone out there and there are so many kind people who will be willing to help and prevent you from making the same mistakes they did.

And the last question: what is your favourite Webflow feature or tool?

Flexboxes - they just put my OCD mind at ease by making sure everything is tidy and evenly spaced out! haha

Where can people go to learn more about you?

Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/cloud_uxui/

Community Website: https://floxiescommunity.webflow.io/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-cafeo-58609a86/

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Thanks again Claudia for appearing in the first article of this series!

‍Keen on being featured here as well? Great. Get in touch with me via email.