Of course we rebuilt our website after 6 months. What we learned doing it ourselves.

When we launched Executive Summary we were already deep into client delivery before we had even defined our own identity. The first version of the site was a functional front door that let us focus on the work. It did its job, but it was never built to last.

That first site came together quickly with a freelancer on Upwork and GoDaddy hosting. Elementor was bundled in, but only in a stripped-back form. Even with that, the experience felt clunky, especially once your expectations have been raised by working with gen-AI tools like Gamma, where the assistant frames your content and designs the layout for you in seconds. Not the same category, but you get the idea. The site looked fine, but the foundations were never strong.

Eight months in, when we lifted our heads from the work long enough to look at the site from a distance, it was obvious that a cosmetic refresh wouldn’t be enough. We needed something that reflected how we think and how we want clients to experience our work. The structure had to be as considered as the content.

Choosing the Right Platform

A proper review of hosting options pointed us to Hostinger. The difference was immediate. The Website Builder felt like it was made for people who understand structure, who use AI tools every day, and who enjoy getting into the details without pretending to be full-time developers.

The real benefit was the dual approach. Hostinger gave us simple visual tools for speed and the freedom to inject our own HTML, CSS and JS when accuracy mattered. That combination changed how we approached the rebuild.

The Designer Who Almost Set the Direction

Early on we spoke to a designer who showed us a site that felt exactly right. Clean, structured and confident. Only later did we learn he hadn’t actually built it. Probably a lucky escape.

When that path closed, we stopped looking for someone who could guess our taste and instead paid more attention to why that reference site worked in the first place. We analysed the layout with the same discipline we use in client work. Spacing, type hierarchy, rhythm and structure. Once we understood the principles behind the design, we had a far stronger baseline than any visual mock-up could provide.

Building a Real Design System

Once we understood the underlying logic, we built the site as a system instead of a collection of pages. We created global CSS tokens for typography, spacing, colour and motion. Every component followed the same rules. Every section sat on the same rhythm. No negative margins. No one-off styling. No patchwork fixes.

When the rules exist, the work gets easier. New pages slot into place. Layout decisions become faster. The design stays consistent because the system keeps you honest. It is one of the most useful assets we created.

Making AI Useful

AI played a real part in the build. We used a dedicated ChatGPT project with a master prompt that captured the full design system: spacing, hierarchy, rhythm and structure. It meant any new design or component was automatically checked against the same rules, so everything snapped into the right look and feel without us having to police every detail. Gemini covered the moments where we needed a long-context read for a more complex block of code.

AI didn’t replace decisions. It helped us apply them consistently.

Designing for How People Read

With the system in place, we could focus on features that genuinely help people move through our work.

- Case study filters give visitors a simple way to explore without scrolling endlessly.
- Tabbed layouts break information into calm, guided steps.
- Carousels support the story rather than decorate it.
- Subtle animations create pace without demanding attention.

These features work because they come from the same system, not from a drawer of random widgets.

Getting the Imagery Right

We wanted imagery that felt like part of the brand, not generic decoration. Unsplash became essential. By curating collections and searching with intent, we found a tone that felt modern, understated and consistent. The images support the content rather than distract from it.

Bringing the Content to Life

Much of the copy was already there from the original site. This time the structure supported it. Cleaner spacing, clearer typography and better pacing made the same words feel more confident. It reinforced a simple principle. Good design removes friction.

What We Learned

The rebuild confirmed a few things.

- A design system saves more time than it takes to build.
- AI is most useful when it strengthens discipline rather than improvising around it.
- A strong CSS baseline pays dividends in every new component.
- Simplicity relies on structure.
- And when founders stay close to the details, the brand feels aligned in a way you can’t fake.

The project took time, but it left us with a site that feels like us. Clearer. More consistent. Built for the work we do. Most importantly, it gives us a foundation we can grow from without rebuilding it every time.

For a consultancy built on clarity, that foundation matters.

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