/ ABOUT
I'm Not Your Average Freelancer.
I'm the person your business NEEDS.
My name is Shana Forbes. I’m a web developer, performance marketing strategist and the kind of person who will tell you exactly what your business needs even if it’s not what you came here to hear.
I’ve been called a lot of things. My clients call me Tech Goddess. Not because I’m perfect but because if I don’t know how to do something, I’ll learn it before the deadline.
I work with growth-minded businesses who are done settling for digital that looks good but does nothing. If that’s you, keep reading.
/ BACKGROUND & EXPERIENCE
Where It Started.
I finished school with a hunger for something bigger. Within two years I was working at a digital agency, not as a developer or a designer, but as a traffic controller. A project manager sitting at the intersection of every department: development, coding, paid media, strategy, client management.
That seat changed everything.
I got to see how the whole machine worked: what made campaigns succeed, what made websites fail and why most agencies sold deliverables instead of results. I was absorbing everything. And I fell in love with it.
"Not with the idea of digital. With the actual work."
From there, I built AIO Digital, a boutique digital agency that went on to win industry recognition for its work. We operated across South Africa, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. We were full service, results-driven and built on the belief that no two businesses deserve the same solution.
Then I made a deliberate choice to shut it down.
Not because things were going wrong. But because I wanted to go deeper, not wider. I wanted to be more intentional about the work I take on, the clients I partner with and the results I deliver. So I went into freelance – available for contracts, partnerships and projects where I can own the full picture.
That decision was the most strategic one I've made.
/ WHAT I BRING TO THE TABLE
The Full Growth Stack.
Owned by One Person.
Most freelancers do one thing well. Most agencies do everything averagely. I sit in a different category entirely.
I own the full growth stack: strategy, development and performance marketing. That means I can see the complete picture of your business online, identify where it’s breaking down, and fix it without handing you off between departments or pointing fingers across teams.
Strategy
Every engagement starts with questions most people skip.
Who is your customer?
What does your current digital presence actually say?
Where is the gap between where you are and where you want to be?
Strategy is not a phase, it is the foundation.
Development
Custom WordPress builds using Divi, Elementor and Breakdance.
WooCommerce and Shopify stores.
Specialty platforms – directories, LMS, booking systems, event sites.
Every build is purpose-built. No templates. No shortcuts.
Performance Marketing
Google and Meta certified.
I run paid campaigns that are built on strategy, not hope.
SEO and GEO for discoverability in both traditional and AI-driven search.
Email marketing that converts. Social media that serves a purpose.
Honest Counsel
This one is not listed on most service pages. But it might be the most valuable thing I offer.
I will tell you when something is not working.
I will tell you when your brief is the problem.
I will tell you what you need, not just what you asked for.
Certifications
/ WHO I AM
Let's Skip The Corporate Bio.
Here is what you actually need to know about working with me:
I am direct. I do not beat around the bush. If your website is the problem, I will say so. If your budget does not match your expectations, we will have that conversation early. You will always know exactly where we stand.
I am OCD about quality. Details matter to me in a way that might seem excessive until you see the result. I notice the things most people scroll past. That attention is what separates work that looks good from work that performs.
I say the things others are scared to say. The industry is full of people who will tell you what you want to hear to win your business. I’d rather lose the project than take your money knowing I cannot deliver the result you need. That honesty is not a personality quirk, it is a professional standard.
I am genuinely passionate about technology. Not as a buzzword. I grew up fascinated by what technology could do for people and businesses. That has never changed. Every new tool, every platform update, every shift in the digital landscape, I am paying attention.
The Tech Goddess title was not self-appointed. My clients coined it. Because they kept coming to me with problems they could not solve elsewhereand I kept solving them. If I did not know how, I learnt. That is still true today.
/ WHO I WORK BEST WITH
Not Every Client Is My Client.
That is not arrogance. It is honesty. I do my best work with people who match a certain energy and I will tell you exactly what that looks like so we are both clear before we start.
We will work well together if you are...
- Growth-minded. You are building something not just maintaining something
- Ready to invest in your business, not just spend on it
- Open to being challenged. You want the right answer not just a yes
- Clear on your vision or willing to build one through the process
- Serious about results not just aesthetics
- Operating locally in SA, internationally or both
- A business owner, founder or decision-maker who is done outsourcing accountability
We are probably not the right fit if...
- You are primarily looking for the cheapest option available
- You want fast output without strategy behind it
- You are not willing to be involved in the process
- You have a history of micromanaging creative or technical work
- You want someone to execute without question not a thinking partner
/ TESTIMONIALS
What Clients Say.
“Shana is the only person I trust with both our website and our marketing. She understands the full picture.”
M.Roberts - CEO
No corporate speak. Just straight talk and exceptional work. Exactly what we needed.
E.Thompson - Operations
She doesn’t just build what you ask for. She builds what you actually need. That’s rare.
J. van der Heerden - Founder
Enough About Me.
Let's Talk About You.
You came here because something in your digital presence is not working the way it should. Maybe you know exactly what the problem is. Maybe you just know something is off.
Either way, that is where we start.