about us
Hello
I’m Mike Baker, founder of the Elevation Works web design and marketing agency, located in Truckee, CA. I’ve been a Truckee resident for almost a decade, and I’m happy to work with clients all over the Truckee Tahoe area and beyond.
I started Elevation Works with a simple goal – to empower other Truckee Tahoe entrepreneurs and local business owners who want to take control of their own careers, to succeed on their own terms and make a difference with their ideas. Our approach is to handle the internet for you so you can do your real work, to backstop you as a partner who speaks internet, so you don’t have to.
systems, code & rock’n’Roll
Most people in the web design and marketing field didn’t exactly major in those subjects, and I’m no exception. Instead, I spent decades in the music industry, making records, playing shows and collaborating with musicians who’d played with artists like Counting Crows, Peter Gabriel, Van Morrison and Jackson Browne.
While my friends went to business school, I was deep in the rock’n’roll trenches, figuring out how artistic entrepreneurs can use digital technology to build authentic connections with customers, clients and audiences—and turn those connections into sustainable income.
So I started Elevation Works basically because I was once an entrepreneur with ideas (songs and albums, in my case) and no clue what to do next.
Business talk for real people
I knew that I needed to find people who liked my music and connect with them, and that I needed to build digital infrastructure that would make all this possible, but all the available info explaining this was written for people with computer science degrees.
This kinda made me mad.
So I taught myself how to translate that language into real person talk, and determined what elements of the business canon local entrepreneurs needed to consider and which were irrelevant to our special case.
And I learned how to turn this knowledge into code, and to build an online machine laser-focused on accomplishing my business goals.
But a funny thing happened along the way; I discovered that once I’d learned how to code websites, find customers and clients, and design a custom brand strategy, I actually enjoyed using that knowledge to help other people begin to turn their ideas and visions into real-life businesses.
Change the World (a little)
So, that’s why I started Elevation Works, to empower other Truckee Tahoe entrepreneurs and local business owners who want to take control of their own careers, to succeed on their own terms and to change the world (at least a little bit) with their ideas.
Is this you? We can help! If you’d like to find out how we can take the internet off your hands, take ownership of your endless digital to-do list and set you free to do the vital work that only you can do, just click the big blue button and get in touch.
Work With Us
Your Truckee Tahoe business is ready to shift into a higher gear, and we’re here to help you make it happen. How do you get started? Simple…
Get off the ground—right now
It’s easy to get rolling. Just click the blue button to give us a simple, quick outline of your ideas, your needs and your goals. We’ll get right back to you with some initial reactions, thoughts and a solid start on the digital strategy that your business needs right now.
No need for you to dive into the details, or explain how this is going to work—that’s what we’re here for…
Don’t worry—we got this
We’ll set up a quick call or arrange to meet over a cup of coffee in Truckee or North Tahoe in order to find out a little more about who you are, what you do and what you need.
Then we’ll get back to you with a strategic plan that tells you exactly what we’ll do to help you reach your goals, and how long it will take—all expressed in normal language that makes sense to actual humans (no tech jargon).
Your vision: realized
Let’s get busy! We’ll start building the custom digital machinery that’s going to apply some serious acceleration to your business growth.
We’ll be doing the work, but you’ll be in contact and in charge every step of the way, so we’re all sure that your needs are taken care of and your voice, vision and requirements are deep in the DNA of everything we create.
Houston, we have liftoff
Once your custom website system is all ready to go, and we push the big green button to bring it into the real world, we’ll be right there with you to make sure it all makes it off the launch pad intact.
And don’t forget—we’ll be on top of the maintenance and security that every website needs to make sure things keep working the way they’re supposed to—so you keep getting the results you’re looking for.
Hear from our clients
Mike Baker and Elevation Works are always looking for the answer to one question: how can we use the internet to help your business take the next step? We’ve built custom websites, run email marketing campaigns and handled website maintenance and support to help these folks bring their businesses from good to great. What can we do for you?
Mike did an amazing job translating our business ideas into a beautiful reality—he built our incredible course web page and registration process and checkout…He was a fantastic partner in strategizing our email communication strategy and helped us troubleshoot problems at every step of the way…I can’t recommend him enough.
Marybeth Moser
Liberating Midlife
Mike Baker has been a trusted partner for our marketing agency for many years. He is technically proficient, knowledgable of all modern internet best practices and meets project deadlines without fail. Mike provides a broad skillset—from web design and development to marketing services and podcasting—and never misses a detail.
Jason Seidler
Jade Orchard
I have worked with Mike for many years and hope that I get an opportunity to work with him again. The main reason I loved working with Mike was his attitude. In over a decade of working with him, I do not remember even a single instance of any negative emotion. He is very reliable and dependable—a solid member to have on your team.
Abhijeet Vaidya
Amazon