The People Behind the Work.
John Hundley | Owner
I design websites, build brands, run ad campaigns, and do the SEO work that gets businesses found. Most of my clients are here in Montana. A lot of them aren't. The approach is the same wherever you are.
I started John August Design because I wanted to do good work for people I like working with. That's still the whole idea. It's just grown into a studio. No account managers. No layers. You talk to the people doing the work, and we figure it out together.
How I Got Here
I grew up in Alaska. Backcountry, small towns, the kind of place where you figure things out yourself or they don't get figured out. I've been taking apart computers and putting them back together since I could reach a keyboard.
I studied Global Humanities and Religions in college. It's an unusual path to web design that turns out to be exactly the right one: studying what drives people, what they respond to, and how symbols work is the foundation you want when you're building brands. Desire and symbology are two of the most fundamental building blocks in design and marketing. I learned that in a classroom before I ever learned it in a client meeting.
I landed in Missoula because I wanted to live somewhere with mountains and rivers and real people (the story is a little more interesting than that, but that's for an in-person conversation).I started building websites for local businesses, then brands, then ad campaigns. One thing led to the next. That was years ago. I'm still here and still doing it because I really do love the work.
Meet May
Meet May
May | Lead Designer
May designs and builds alongside me on client work across the studio. Here she is in her own words.
Hi, I'm May. I'm a designer and web developer with more than ten years of experience turning ideas into thoughtful, beautifully designed digital experiences.
My love for design started simply. A family member gave me a free copy of Photoshop when I was young, and I became completely obsessed. Experimenting with graphics grew into a career across branding, graphic design, web design, and development, working with everyone from local shops and independent entrepreneurs to established franchises and larger organizations. I started as a graphic designer, and it didn't take long to realize the web was where I wanted to be. Building a website is creative work and problem-solving at once: how it looks, how it works, and how it makes someone's experience a little better.
I'm a big believer that good design is beautiful and purposeful. I bring strategy, curiosity, and care to every project, and I build websites that feel intentional, intuitive, and true to the people and businesses behind them.
When I'm not designing or coding, you'll find me antiquing, cooking from scratch, practicing food photography, or reading a good true crime book with my husband and our dog nearby. There's also a decent chance I'm watching an early-2000s reality show.
a few of my favorite things…
dogs • antiquing • cooking from scratch • spending time with my husband • true crime books • early-2000s reality TV • food photography • finding hidden gems at thrift and antique shops
What We Do
We build custom websites on Squarespace, Shopify, WordPress, and custom code. We design brand identities from scratch. Logo, color system, typography, voice, guidelines. We run Google Ads and Meta campaigns built around the people you want to reach, with monthly reporting. And we handle SEO from the ground up so your site shows up when people search for what you do.
Some projects are one of those things. Some are all of them. Every engagement starts with a conversation about what you need and what makes sense for where you are right now.
JAD is a Squarespace Platinum Partner. We've done work for restaurants, breweries, tech companies, fitness brands, nonprofits, retail shops, professional services, and a fiber optics manufacturer. The range is the point. Good design thinking applies everywhere.
How We Work
We keep it simple. You tell us what you need. We tell you honestly what it'll take. If we're a good fit, you get a proposal with a clear scope, timeline, and price. No surprises.
We don't disappear into a cave for six weeks. You're involved throughout. You see progress, give feedback, and we refine together. When it's done, you get a walkthrough, documentation, and a site you can manage yourself.
We answer the phone. We respond to emails the same day. If something breaks, we fix it. That's the whole philosophy.
Let's talk about your project.
No pitch. No pressure. Just a straight conversation about where you are and what you need.