Learn how to build, maintain and run a successful website yourself, with no previous technical knowledge.
Our purpose is to allow people to build websites, starting from a base point of no technical knowledge whatsoever.
The core principle is based on the old saying “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day.” Our version is “Teach him how to build a website, feed his family for life.”
Why? It’s all about empowerment. Helping people to build cool stuff.
For all those who join our community, we want it to be Easy, Friendly & Effective.
Alistair McBride: (the arty one)
Like so many good things, SAS was born out of necessity. I’d been amazed at how easy it was when shown by my friend. I’d succeeded at a once alien skill and wanted other people to feel the same accomplishment and save loads of money like I did. The desire was to give people just like me the ability to build a site, maintain it and change it themselves, so you don’t have to rely on erratic contact with an expensive web design companies. Or when using them, be much more informed about what you want and why. Like I’d done, I wanted people to discover new skills, take control and save a fortune.
If you want to read my journey through the trials and tribulations that brought me all the way to create SelfAssemblySites, have a look at From Frustration to Success, it’s pretty much our Origins Story.
Alastair McDermott: (the techie one)
I’ve been self-employed for 4 years now and really started to understand the value of time. I’ve built a lot of sites myself, and helped a lot of people and organisations with their online presence.
Off-line, I can only help one person, or a small group at most, at a time. Myself, I can build a good website for an organisation in 1-3 weeks. But with the online tools now available, I can teach hundreds of people to build their own websites every day.
But not just a cold piece of software, that’s why we wanted to make a community. We wanted people to feel like we’re their techie friend, who is showing them the ropes of how to build a great site. There’s a warmth, a familiarity with SAS as we wanted people to feel comfortable and free to express themselves. The next best thing to meeting us in person.