About
Your website is your trail map
At least the about page is… Here’s our story about how Maple came to be.
Maple, A Brief History
In 2014, Ryan (and then Friede) were building websites by lantern light from an off grid cabin overlooking a slowly drifting river. Playfully called the “shabin”– half shack, half cabin – it was home and office in just over 400 square feet. We kept our computer charged at the neighbors barn, swam in the river during our breaks, and dug in the garden whenever we could.
The neighbors were Eve’s Cidery, our first client. We mapped out their story on a chalkboard, took photos, and developed their email newsletter. With a refined website and strategy their direct sales with customers went up – and they became independent from distributors soon after.
Today Maple is hooked to 50 feet of solar panels and running out of it’s very own barn! We have a team of 5 talented and thoughtful people, an advisory group of experts, and provide support for over 100 websites with our care plan service.
We are grateful for our staff, our mentors, clients, and the ideas that drive and fuel our work. If you resonate with our story I hope we can connect!
Read More
Read the latest reflection posts from our blog.
Project Stories
Learn more about our clients and the challenges we solved together.
Our Team
Teamwork makes the dreamwork. Or does it make the dream work? We think both.
Ryan Clover
I’m the founder of Maple Creative and long-time media activist and event producer. I’m also a dad, songwriter, and budding orchardist.
- Website Design with a focus on function, knowledge, and simplicity. I’m a fan of WordPress because it’s empowered our clients to be independent and future forward.
- Community Design with Circle.so, a platform that brings people together for shared learning, resources, and directories.
- Educator: I’m passionate about sharing knowledge and empowering people to have ownership over their websites. We do this with 1:1 creative coaching and also have a group program for clients who want to to build websites together. Check out my short mini-course, What you need to know if you’re building a website (4 lessons free!)
Lindsay King
I’m a designer, nonprofit leader, and an arts and culture journalist where I write primarily about dance. My favorite part of this work is meeting with the unique entrepreneurs and social leaders who are aligned with our values at Maple.
- Care Plan Manager: Taking care of the leaders and creative business owners who trust their websites and technical operations with Maple
- Graphic and Print Layout Specializing in non-profit reports & data visualizations
- Website Design: with a special focus on writing content and structuring information
Kevin Richardson
I’m a writer and community organizer with a background in environmental advocacy and a graduate degree in Japanese environmental history. I love running, being to two small boys, and a baby girl, and reading everything from physics to history.
- Strategic Campaign Support: I work with grassroots leaders to plan and launch campaigns to fight oil & gas pollution.
- Virtual Event Production: We host multiple events weekly for Maple clients and it’s a big part of the success they have engaging their audiences.
- Website Design: With a focus on campaign and event focused websites for community organizations.
Friede Sander
I’m an artist, herbalist, parent, and co-owner of Maple Creative. I’m passionate about design and am currently amazed that the moon not only creates tides in the ocean but also tides in mountains and cities. The skyscrapers in Manhattan grow and shrink 14 inches twice a day. Wow.
- Financial Wizard: I manage the vision and financial stability of Maple.
- Sanity Checker: I help Ryan turn big ideas into realistic plans.
- Website Design: With a focus on visual branding and conversion-based copywriting.
AC Stauble
I specialize in community design & management, working with some of our high-level retainer clients. I also design and manage a homestead in Central NY, creating handmade herbal products under the name Traveling Herb Farmer and teaching about herbal medicine.
- Circle Communities. I manage client communities and courses in Circle – specifically with environmental justice leaders.
- Virtual Facilitation: I regularly host meetups and educational events based on the frameworks taught in Breakthrough Facilitation.
- Interviewing Environmental Leaders. I host and produce an interview series with environmental justice leaders in Halt the Harm Network.
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