Creative Journeys with Nick & Hannah Ippolito of Squarekicker, pt II
Creative Journeys powered by Squarespace is a series of free, in-person and online events taking place across Aotearoa New Zealand for 2025. Coming up Online on 23 July, Nick & Hannah Ippolito will be presenting ‘Transform Your Design Business: Achieving More with Squarespace’. Register here for your free ticket.
Kia ora Nick & Hannah. Great to have you guys back again this year. Can you both share a bit about your background and the background of Squarekicker?
Kia ora! We’re so happy to be back. SquareKicker really started from a need we experienced firsthand. Nick was working as a web designer, and Hannah had run a few small businesses over the years, so we both knew the ins and outs of client work, design challenges, and juggling all the moving parts of a creative business.
When Nick kept running into limitations on Squarespace, having to choose between a design compromise or diving into code, he started thinking about a tool to fill that gap. What began as a small side project intended to create some supplementary income quickly turned into something much bigger, and soon we found a growing number of professional designers looking for the same thing: more freedom, without needing to jump to more complex platforms.
There’s this common misconception that Squarespace is only for DIY users. But what we’ve seen, and continue to see, is a thriving community of designers using Squarespace as their main platform to run high-end, scalable businesses. That’s who we’ve built SquareKicker for.
What’s your view on the biggest misconception designers have about what’s possible on Squarespace?
The biggest one? That you can’t build truly custom or complex designs on Squarespace. That might have been true once, but not anymore.
You don’t need to leave the platform to gain creative control. With the right tools, Squarespace becomes incredibly flexible. We’ve seen designers push the limits in amazing ways, delivering polished, bespoke results and building businesses around a platform their clients actually enjoy using. And that’s a win-win.
Can you share a quick example of how SquareKicker has helped elevate a standard template into something truly custom—without code?
One of the most exciting things about SquareKicker is how quickly it removes those invisible barriers. Things that used to require advanced code, like complex scroll effects or custom layouts, can now be done visually, right within the Squarespace editor.
Our designers say it best:
“Bringing SquareKicker into my toolkit is a huge game-changer for me as a designer! I feel that I can really grow and build the dynamic websites I’d like to create without doing a ton of coding, and then worrying that my clients are going to break their website anyway. My clients want something unique and exciting even when they can’t quite articulate it, so to get to show up with dynamic new options is the best feeling! They’re thrilled, and I’m energized. This is the best feeling!”
— HR Hegnauer Design Studio
It’s stories like that that remind us how powerful it is when creativity isn’t held back by code barriers.
What are a few premium features or design tricks that clients love but are surprisingly easy to implement?
There are so many to choose from! But a few that always stand out:
- Horizontal scrolling: It gives a super polished, high-end feel to a site and can be added with just a few clicks.
- Hover features: Whether you’re going for subtle movement or bold interactive effects, hover styles can add instant personality.
- Magnetic Motion: This is a newer feature that lets elements move in response to scroll, hover, or mouse movement. It’s a great way to draw attention to key elements and make a site feel alive.
All of these are powerful tools—and the best part is they’re simple to apply with the right workflow.
For designers just starting out, what’s one simple thing they can do today to make their Squarespace builds look more high-end?
One great way to get started is by using a professionally designed template. It might feel counterintuitive at first, but using a high-quality template doesn’t make your work less professional—it actually makes your process more strategic.
By starting with a solid foundation, you can focus on things like branding, content, and custom styling, rather than building everything from scratch. It’s a great way to offer your clients a polished, high-end result while you continue to grow your skills and confidence.
You’ll also find it helps you work more efficiently, take on more projects, and gain momentum in your business early on. Our SquareKicker Template Store is full of flexible, designer-built templates that are perfect for getting started without compromising on quality.
How can designers communicate the value of a custom Squarespace experience to clients—especially when competing with “DIY” builders?
Such a great question. The truth is, professional web designers bring so much more to the table than just “building a website.”
It’s not just about putting sections on a page. It’s about understanding structure, guiding users through a journey, and directing attention to the most important actions. Designers help clients clarify their goals, shape their messaging, and make confident decisions about their online presence.
Plus, there’s the accountability. Designers finish things. We all know how easy it is to start a DIY project and never quite get around to finishing it (guilty!). Hiring a professional means things get done, beautifully, strategically, and on time.
Ahead of the Online event on 23 July where you’ll be presenting ‘Transform Your Design Business: Achieving More with Squarespace’ can you give us a taster as to what folks can expect to learn?
This session is designed to help you level up—whether you’re freelancing or running a studio. We’ll cover:
- How to streamline your workflow using templates that actually enhance creativity
- Tips for creating fully custom designs—no code required and how to pitch these projects to your clients.
- Simple techniques that elevate client sites and wow visitors, we can dive into a few fun design features.
- Insights into other avenues our designers are using to increase their monthly income.
And of course, we’ll show where SquareKicker fits into this, making it easier to build beautifully, work efficiently, and stand out in a competitive market.
Lastly, where can people find you online?
You can find us at squarekicker.com and on Instagram at @squarekicker. We also share tutorials, designer spotlights, and helpful videos on YouTube—including our new series Looks Good From Here, where professional designers open up about their stories, processes, and lessons learned. It’s packed with encouragement and real insights, so come say hi and explore what’s possible with Squarespace and SquareKicker.
*You can read Hannah & Nick’s Creative Journeys pt I article interview from 2024 here.
Register here for your FREE ticket to this Creative Journeys webinar
New to Squarespace? Visit squarespace.com/designassembly and use the code DESIGNASSEMBLY20 for 20% off a new annual subscription*
About Squarespace
Squarespace is a design-driven platform helping entrepreneurs build brands and businesses online. We empower millions in more than 200 countries and territories with all the tools they need to create an online presence, build an audience, monetise, and scale their business. Our suite of products range from websites, domains, ecommerce, and marketing tools, as well as tools for scheduling with Acuity and creating and managing social media presence with Bio Sites and Unfold. For more information, visit www.squarespace.com/designassembly
Enter promocode DESIGNASSEMBLY20 at checkout by 11.59PM NZST on December 31st, 2025 to receive 20% off your purchase of a new subscription plan for a Squarespace website. Discount applies to the first payment of an annual or monthly website plan, but does not apply to future recurring payments. Discount may not be applied to previous purchases, subscription upgrades, combined with any other offer or applied after December 31st, 2025 to purchases made before expiration of this offer. Use of Squarespace is subject to the Squarespace Terms of Service posted at https://www.squarespace.com/terms-of-service.
