A Bespoke Payload Website

A Bespoke Digital Platform for a Modern Design Consultancy

With my freelance work, I led the end-to-end design, development, and client consultation for a new bespoke website for Torii Consulting. The project involved migrating from a vulnerable, clunky WordPress site to a high-performance custom solution using Payload CMS and Next.js. The result was a secure, easy-to-manage platform that measurably increased leads and engagement.

The Challenge: An Outdated and Insecure Platform

Torii Consulting, a growing design consultancy, was held back by its digital presence. Their existing WordPress site was highly vulnerable, relying on a bloated suite of plugins like Elementor that stifled creativity and made updates a chore. The site failed to represent their revamped brand, was difficult to navigate, and did not generate leads or effectively promote their design podcast, “All Things Design.”

They needed a complete overhaul with three primary goals:

• Generate qualified leads through custom-built sales funnels.
• Drive engagement to their YouTube podcast and establish their brand as an industry leader.
• Improve Design Presence: As a leader in the design consultancy space, their website needs to speak for the standing with a strong design.

The Solution

A High-Performance, Custom-Built CMS

Working to a tight deadline ahead of the “Design Outlook” conference, I collaborated weekly with Torii's design leaders and owners to make sure the new site aligned with their rebrand and was strategically built for their business goals. We chose a fully bespoke build over an off-the-shelf platform, which couldn't offer the flexibility required and would have been costlier to maintain long-term.

• Strategic Technology Stack: I chose Payload CMS for its flexibility and developer experience, paired with Next.js for performance and SEO. Together they gave us a future-proof platform capable of handling multiple data feeds, custom SEO, and future AI integrations without a mountain of third-party plugins.
• Custom Sales Funnels: A key feature was purpose-built sales funnels — including the Torii TX and “AI in Design” landing pages — that guide potential clients through a curated journey addressing their specific needs.
• Seamless Content Management: The new CMS streamlined Torii's content workflow end-to-end: the team can now create pages, case studies, and marketing funnels themselves, with full control over their digital presence.

Results & Impact

A Stunning Transformation

The new website delivered a significant return on investment, transforming Torii's online presence from a liability into a powerful business asset.

• Boosted Lead Generation Activity: The new website delivered a significant improvement in lead generation, with the number of inbound enquiries growing substantially in the first three months.
• Reduced Overheads: The new, efficient platform massively reduced monthly hosting costs and eliminated all plugin subscription fees.
• Enhanced Performance: Lighthouse scores saw a major boost across the board, with faster page speeds and improved accessibility.
• Increased Engagement: The custom YouTube feed successfully drove more traffic to their “All Things Design” podcast, helping to grow their audience.

This project shows the same design-systems thinking as the Amadeus work applied at a smaller, faster-moving scale: bespoke architecture, a measurable business result, and a client relationship run end-to-end by one person.