Did you know that the technical term for clicking on an online advertising banner is called a clickthrough? Or that purchasing a product online is considered a conversion? Ten minutes with Justin Tillman, a 23-year-old graduate of the University of Georgia and you are going to feel like you are up-to-speed and ready to enter the ever-changing and flourishing world of web communication and technology!

After deciding that it was time to be able to connect with our readers more often, Jami, Shirley, and I carefully sketched the design and information that a proposed website would offer. Color schemes, information, photography - it had to look and make one feel like the magazine does. The impact it would have became clear shortly after Shinefire Studios posted a press release about our upcoming site on their company website – and boom! We got a post back asking how to get in touch with our sales team about advertising in Reflections from a prospective client!

Justin Tillman, partner and web consultant for Shinefire Studios, warned us of the great things being at the tip of anyone’s finger and what they can do for a magazine such as ours. He went through all of the ins and outs we needed to know and think about before finalizing the initial design and contents of our new website.

Justin has been a resident of Richmond Hill since 1986, before many of the present-day entrepreneurs arrived. He graduated from Richmond Hill High School in 2004 and headed to Athens to experience life as a student of UGA. Yellow Jacket fans should not rule out this Dawg, for he has the capability and drive to help bring any company into the mainstream of life, so necessary since the internet boom of the 90s.

Justin did not always plan to return to Richmond Hill to open his own technology company. His initial goal, to become a dentist, was more in line with the degree he chose in the science field, with a heavy emphasis on both biology and psychology. But after meeting Shay Frendt, a resident in his freshman dorm, the love for a new science was born. The two friends spent a lot of time bringing new technology to the various clubs they were involved in, such as the UGA College Republicans, where they implemented updated technology to bring more voters into the political stream. They took on simple projects, then more complex ones, like building their own security hub for their self-installed surveillance system to protect their college home, or a full blown tech-y system for their cars. My favorite is the music, video, navigation, email, and voice control system, all wrapped up into one dashboard system - perfect for the super busy Justin, who informed me that the bio I asked for (for this article) was “written” through voice control while traveling from Savannah to Richmond Hill - and sent via email from the car! I’ve got to get one of these!

All these projects eventually turned into their entrepreneurial venture. Justin and Shay co-own Shinefire Studios. With Shay’s vast knowledge of web design, programming, and software development and Justin’s imaginative expertise in hardware, the two make a dynamic duo with a bright future. Shay’s technical background includes working at an Atlanta startup called WeTheCitizens, where he served as a liaison between design and engineering teams in order to standardize the design framework of their social networking platform. The product has been used by clients such as Rudy Giuliani and the Jonas Brothers. Presently, in addition to Shinefire Studios, Shay is a software consultant in state government where he implements Oracle’s Enterprise Tax Management software.Through school projects and college internships, and just one short year after graduating college, by combining their knowledge, Shinefire Studios was created. The two are ready to bring any small town business to the next level.

Business owners, if you are looking for a web design, additional applications, hardware solutions, marketing consulting, or infrastructure design, Shinefire Studios can help. Being educated on the topic is not as in depth, difficult or “unlearnable” as one may think. The vision is easily within grasp - just reach out and take hold of it.

Editors Note: If you have questions regarding your website or a desire to know how to get started, contact Justin Tillman at 912.429.0811 or visit www.shinefirestudios.com. Accessibility, transparency and innovation will walk through your office door. Expect to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of your end-to-end business operations in less than 24 hours!