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Press Release: 01/10/01
Family Businesses
Article by Dina Weinstein.
Printed in
the January 10, 2001 edition of U.S. 1 Newspaper. All rights
reserved.
Sarah Miller loves dragons. Think China and King
Arthur's Court. Her
husband and business partner, Michael Miller, says virtual worlds grip
Sarah in both her hobbies and her professional life. "I've always
loved the Internet," says Sarah.
The couple met five years ago. Their first conversation focused on the
Internet, and that was before it was widely used. Sarah says that's
what drew the two together. They have transformed two rooms of their
Ewing home into offices for Set Now Solution, LLC, started in 1996 to
provide web design consultation
for Internet and advertising agencies.
Sarah majored in English at the
College of New Jersey, Class of 1994, and worked at E-Design Group,
which was bought by InfoFirst. For
four years she operated the company while maintaining full-time
employment but has devoted full-time to Set Now since November.
Michael has been with the company full time for a year. An 1985
advertising and public relations graduate of
Ithaca College's School of Communications, he worked in corporate
video
for Bristol-Myers Squibb and most recently for Stonehouse Media. He is taking classes towards a masters degree in education at LaSalle
University's Newtown extension
site.
The company, newly incorporated, specializes in custom Internet
production. The Millers call themselves website producers, similar to
video producers, coordinating graphic artists, programmers, media
providers, Internet service providers,
advertising agencies, and website owners.
"We wear many hats," says Sarah. "I know programming back-end and
graphic design and Michael knows video. Together we pull together a
complete package." Their sites have a multimedia interface, using
Flash production, music, animation,
audio, graphics, copy editing, data base creation, security issues,
chat elements, live events, and streaming video technology. Their
business strategy involves collaborating with former employers to
achieve their goals.
The Millers pride themselves on making sites that work for their
clients, which include, dotPhoto, InfoFirst,
Yale Materials
Handling Corp., Children's Medical Center,
the Center for Interim Programs, and Russell and Company.
Perhaps not surprisingly, some of the sites Sarah says are most
successful are those meant for children -- like Disney's. "We don't
want
users to feel daunted by the website's navigation scheme," she says.
"And we don't want the user to work
too hard. Navigation should
work as people learn. Users shouldn't learn to use navigation."
Both admit to having to adjust to working out of their home. "We're
excited to go to the supermarket," Michael jokes. While they may miss
simple office social interactions, it is the Internet
that allows the Millers to connect with any business partner. "And, I
get to work with my best friend," says Michael.
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