by Cathy Gray | Apr 16, 2026 | Adventures, Life
Over a year ago, I stepped away from a traditional full-time position. It’s not for everyone. And honestly, it wasn’t always easy.
This past year had more loss in it than I expected. I lost my grandmother and my aunt. I lost close friends, some of them unexpectedly. In May, someone ran a stop sign and I ended up in a car accident. Those were the moments that hit hardest. The ones I still sit with sometimes.
But life keeps moving. A cousin got married and it was a beautiful wedding: family together for something good instead of a life service. Some of my closest cousins made a point to actually do something together. I went horseback riding with my cousin Melissa, something we hadn’t done in a couple of years. And I worked on my grandmother’s house with another cousin. It hadn’t been touched in years. There was something right about that.
I made a promise to myself to get back to the things that remind me who I am outside of work.
I rediscovered adventuring. I’d gotten away from it, and that was a mistake: caving, camping, kayaking, traveling. I took a friend out kayaking who hadn’t been in years. A few months later, she was gone. I got my mom her own kayak and spent most of the trip towing her because she got tired. She also doesn’t know how to swim. That trip was something.
Last October I went on a weekend camping trip to get back into caving. In January I did a sporty cave: traversing, frog walking. IYKYK. The trip host asked beforehand if it was something I actually wanted to do. I’d only ever done horizontal caving. Nothing like this. I was scared going in. I did it anyway.
At home, I tackled projects that had been sitting too long: new flooring in the bathrooms, an updated closet that actually fits things now, some siding work, and 8 trees cut that were too close to the house. The list never fully ends. That’s just how houses work.
And Sam. I thought I was going to lose him when lumps appeared again and kept growing. They were removed and he bounced back. But he knows his limits now. He wants to chase the neighborhood cat. He just can’t anymore. He’s officially retired: campfire warmth, a full bowl, and all the attention he can get. Not a bad deal.
Through all of it, I kept my hand in work. A few project-based websites. A show promotion for a friend who needed it done last minute. I wouldn’t have done it for just anybody.
I don’t post much on here. I’m working on changing that. I have a lot to share. I’ve always been more of an introvert: speaking up comes naturally in a small, familiar group but not as much out here. Honestly, I just need to get over it.
If you’ve made it this far: I’m ready for what’s next. Open to the right opportunity, whether that’s a project, a contract, or a full-time role.
Let’s talk over coffee. ☕
For earlier context, this post covers where I was and where I wanted to be.
Getting momentum back after a hard stretch is its own skill. I put together some thoughts on staying motivated when the path forward is not obvious.
Getting back to work was part of getting back to myself. I am looking for the right full-time opportunity in digital marketing and eCommerce, and available for consulting in the meantime. Here is more about the work.
Most of those adventures are documented in the adventure section if you want the details.
by Cathy Gray | Apr 14, 2026 | Business, Marketing, Portfolio, Professional Articles
Custom hose assemblies are not a simple order. There are a lot of variables involved, and when customers came in without the right information, the whole process stalled before it even started.
I spent seven years at Atlanta Rubber & Hydraulics before the company was acquired by Tipco. In that time, I saw the same gap come up over and over: customers needed something custom, but they were missing critical details. The result was back-and-forth, delays, and frustration on all sides.
The fix was simpler than you might expect. It was a flyer.
The problem it was built to solve
The S.T.A.M.P.E.D. acronym is an industry standard for specifying hose assemblies: Size, Temperature, Application, Media, Pressure, Ends, and Delivery. Every custom order needs answers to all seven. Miss one and the order can’t move forward.
The framework existed. What didn’t exist was a clean, branded piece that put it in front of customers in a way that was easy to understand and easy to act on. So I built one from scratch: the content, the layout, and the design.
How it worked across the business
Once it existed, it found its way into four different use cases without anyone having to force it.
For customers researching before they called, it lived on the website. They could look up what they needed before picking up the phone, which meant fewer calls spent gathering basic information.
For the sales team, it became a reference tool during customer conversations. Instead of walking through the same seven questions from memory every time, they had something concrete to point to. It kept the process consistent no matter who was handling the call.
For walk-in customers, it was ready at the counter. Someone came in, picked it up, and had a clear checklist of what they needed to pull together before placing their order.
And because it was a clean, professional document, it could be emailed out when needed. One file, used in context.
The takeaway
This wasn’t a complicated project. It was a well-placed piece of content that solved a recurring problem across multiple touchpoints at once.
When you take the time to identify where the friction actually lives and build something that addresses it directly, you don’t need four separate solutions. Build it once, do it well, and it works forever.
This kind of friction is a process problem first and a content problem second—here are some other examples of small process changes that made a real difference.
This project is part of a broader body of work—see more examples in my portfolio.
If your business has a communication gap that a well-built piece of content could solve, that’s exactly the kind of work I do.
by Cathy Gray | Apr 14, 2026 | Adventures, Life
Sam is a 16-year-old boxer I rescued when he was just over a year old. Do the math: that’s a lot of years, a lot of trails, and a lot of miles logged together with a long life for a Boxer breed. The average lifespan for a Boxer is 10 to 12 years, and Sam as surpassed that.
Sam turned 16 in Jan 2026.
Sam the Adventure
He used to be my adventure dog. Hiking, kayaking, camping: Sam was there for most of it. He never needed convincing. You’d grab the leash and he was already at the door.
On the water, Sam had one move: find me, lay on me, and soak up the sun. Didn’t matter how cramped it got or how awkward the position. That was his spot and he knew it. I made it work because what else are you going to do.
Sam’s first kayaking trip.
He’s even been caving. Hidden River Cave in Kentucky is one of only two commercial caves in the United States that allows dogs. He was hesitant, but with convincing, he made it. There is a suspension bridge underground that he was unsure of. He’s never like suspension bridge or metal stairs, but he made it through. The darkness made it seem less dangerous.
That dog is still in there. But at 16, he’s made his priorities very clear.
Sam the Office Dog
For a stretch of time, Sam wasn’t just my adventure buddy: he was also my office dog. He had a bed under my desk, knew the routine, and made himself right at home. I didn’t bring him everyday, just when the owner was on vacation. He always had his two dogs and they didn’t get along with other dogs for the most part.
Most people were happy to see him. But his absolute favorite? A coworker I’ll call Negative Nancy.
Now, Negative Nancy was true to her name, about 99.9% negative and somehow managing to turn a compliment into a negative one. But Sam didn’t care about any of that. He cared about one thing and it was that she always had treats. As far as he was concerned, she was the best person in the building. Dogs have a way of cutting straight to what matters to them.
He’s also not here by accident. Sam has survived two surgeries. Both times, I wasn’t sure he was going to make it. Both times, he proved me wrong. That stubborn streak runs deep, and I’m grateful for every bit of it.
Sam after his second surgery. It was an emotional day for me and he’s asleep from all the attention.
Sam in Retirement
These days, Sam’s idea of a perfect day looks a little different. A warm spot in the sun. A full bowl. Someone nearby to give him the attention he absolutely knows he deserves. He’s traded the trail for the couch, and honestly, I can’t argue with him.
Boxers aren’t known for their long lifespans, so the fact that he’s still here: still stubborn, still food-motivated, still a beer away from losing his mind: is not lost on me. If there’s one within reach, it’s in danger. He has never once turned one down. Every slow morning walk is a good one.
He’s not the adventure buddy he used to be, and that’s okay. He put in the work. He’s earned this.
If you’ve ever had a dog who showed up for every season of your life, you know exactly what I mean. Sam did that. He still does, just at a much slower pace with significantly more napping.
Not a bad retirement plan, honestly.
Sam in retirement napping all day, everyday.
Sam is a reminder that the best colleagues bring both skill and personality to the table. I try to do the same. Here is the professional side of that equation.
by Cathy Gray | May 9, 2024 | Marketing, Business, eCommerce
What Is Conversion Rate Optimization?
Most businesses focus on getting more traffic. CRO focuses on what happens after they arrive: increasing the percentage of visitors who take a desired action on your site, like making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or requesting more information.
Top view: CRO maximizes the outcomes from your existing website traffic: enhances revenue, and provides deeper insights into customer behavior, all without increasing spending on new traffic acquisition.
This guide will explain the essentials of CRO, its significance in your digital marketing strategy, and its role in driving sustainable business growth.
This is not a how-to guide for CRO or an in-depth technical breakdown. The goal is to give those within an organization a better understanding in simple terms and in ways that are easily digestible.
Why CRO Matters to Leadership
Impact on Revenue
Conversion Rate Optimization is not just about tweaking a website. It’s 100% about directly impacting your bottom line.
By refining the user journey on your site, CRO strategies increase the likelihood of visitors completing a purchase, signing up for a service, or taking whatever action matters most to your business. Effective CRO means more results from your existing traffic without the proportional cost of acquiring new customers.
Cost Efficiency
Investing time and energy into CRO is often more cost-effective than traditional methods of increasing traffic like paid advertising or PPC. By optimizing what you already have, you get more out of your existing marketing efforts and budget. This approach improves return on investment without requiring additional spend to bring new visitors in.
Insights into Customer Behavior
CRO digs into how users actually interact with your site, giving leadership real data on customer behavior and preferences. Understanding what drives conversions and what stops them helps refine marketing strategies, product offerings, and business decisions: aligning them more closely with what customers actually need.
Understanding Conversion Rate Optimization
Definition of CRO
Conversion Rate Optimization is a structured strategy focused on increasing the number of visitors who take a desired action: making a purchase, filling out a form, or signing up for a newsletter. It starts with analyzing user behavior to identify what’s working, what isn’t, and where the friction is.
Key Components of CRO
Each of these areas supports the others. Together they improve the effectiveness of your website and help you hit your business goals.
Website Design: Layout and aesthetics play a direct role in how users interact with your content. A well-designed site looks professional and makes it easier for visitors to find what they need quickly.
User Experience (UX): This covers everything from site speed and navigation to CTA buttons and overall ease of use. The goal is a seamless experience for every visitor.
At Bristol Facilities, heatmap data from HotJar showed exactly where users were losing interest. Content was reorganized and the site design was adjusted based on what real users were actually doing, not assumptions. KPIs improved as a result.
Analytics: Data is the foundation of CRO. Tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console show where visitors come from, what they do on your site, and where you lose them.
At Atlanta Rubber & Hydraulics, Google Analytics and Search Console drove every decision: tracking where customers dropped off in the purchase funnel, which product pages had high traffic but low conversions, and where checkout created friction. That data pointed to the fixes.
Customer Feedback: Direct input from users complements the numbers. Surveys, user testing, and feedback tools provide qualitative context that helps explain what the data shows.
Segmentation and Personalization: Not all visitors are the same. Identifying different audience segments allows for more targeted messaging and experiences, which can significantly improve conversion rates.
Managing both B2B and B2C customers on the same eCommerce platform meant the experience couldn’t be one-size-fits-all. Pricing, messaging, and product visibility were adjusted based on customer type so each segment saw what was relevant to them.
Copywriting and Content: The quality of your copy directly impacts conversions. Clear, benefits-focused content that speaks to visitor needs guides them toward action.
Product descriptions on an industrial eCommerce site aren’t glamorous, but they matter. Rewriting them for clarity and search intent meant fewer returns, better qualified buyers, and more completed purchases.
Landing Page Optimization: Pages designed to convert should be clear, focused, and free of unnecessary distractions. A strong value proposition and a compelling CTA are non-negotiable.
Building out a separate site for a specific customer segment is landing page optimization at a larger scale. The goal was the same: remove friction, make the path to purchase obvious, and match the experience to the audience.
Psychological Triggers: Principles like scarcity, social proof, and trust signals can meaningfully improve conversion rates when applied thoughtfully.
On an industrial eCommerce site, trust signals matter more than flash. Clear return policies, accurate stock information, and straightforward shipping costs all reduce hesitation at checkout. Removing that friction moves buyers forward.
Fundamental CRO Strategies
A/B Testing
One of the core techniques in CRO is A/B testing: comparing two versions of a page or element to see which performs better. Each version is shown to a similar audience at the same time, and the version with the higher conversion rate wins. This gives you data-backed clarity on what actually moves the needle.
One important rule: test one change at a time. Testing multiple variables at once muddies the data and makes it impossible to know what actually worked.
Google Merchant Center is a practical example of this. Testing product titles, descriptions, and images one change at a time showed what drove more clicks and conversions. Small adjustments, tracked carefully, added up.
User Experience (UX) Optimization
An optimized UX means visitors find your site easy to navigate, fast to load, and worth staying on. Longer visits and more interactions are critical steps toward higher conversions.
An often-overlooked UX issue is the platform running underneath the design—a deprecated theme can quietly undermine the experience even when the store looks fine on the surface.”
Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)
A clear CTA guides users toward completing a desired action. It should be visually distinct, strategically placed, and direct. Vague or buried CTAs lose conversions that were already within reach.
On the Atlanta Rubber & Hydraulics eCommerce site, product pages were reviewed for clarity: were the Add to Cart and Request a Quote buttons easy to find? Were they in the right place? Small adjustments to placement and copy made a measurable difference in completed actions.
Advanced Techniques in CRO
Personalization
Personalization tailors the site experience to individual users based on data like browsing behavior, purchase history, and previous interactions. A more relevant experience increases engagement and the likelihood of conversion.
Segmentation
Segmentation divides your audience into groups based on criteria like demographics, behavior, or purchase history, and targets each group with relevant messaging. For leadership, effective segmentation leads to more efficient marketing and better returns.
Technology Tools
A range of tools support CRO efforts by showing how users interact with your site. Heatmaps reveal where users click and how far they scroll. Behavior analytics tools track paths and drop-off points. These tools are essential for ongoing optimization.
Tools like HotJar, Google Analytics, and Search Console were used consistently across client work to identify where users were dropping off and what pages needed attention. The data pointed the direction: the strategy did the rest.
Hiring a CRO Expert For Your Team
What to Look for in a CRO Expert
When hiring for CRO, look for candidates with a mix of technical knowledge, analytical ability, and creative thinking. Key areas to evaluate:
Analytical Skills: Strong ability to pull meaningful insights from data. Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics and Adobe Analytics is essential.
Technical Expertise: Working knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and responsive design to implement changes effectively.
User Experience Design: A solid understanding of UX principles and best practices, including intuitive navigation and accessibility.
Testing and Experimentation: Hands-on experience designing and running A/B tests and other experiments to validate what works.
Communication Skills: Ability to explain complex concepts clearly to stakeholders and collaborate across marketing, design, and IT teams.
Problem-Solving Abilities: A proactive, creative approach to diagnosing and solving conversion problems.
The skills above aren’t a wish list: they’re a working description. Analytical skills, UX familiarity, A/B testing, cross-team communication, and problem-solving are areas I’ve applied directly in real eCommerce environments across multiple industries and platforms.
Ready to put CRO to work?
CRO is one of those areas where the work speaks louder than the theory. If you’re looking for someone who has actually done this: auditing pages, reading the data, and making the changes that move the needle, let’s talk. Contact me.
If you want to apply this to your store, here’s an overview of the eCommerce work I’ve done.”
CRO picks up where traffic strategy leaves off. If you’re working on the traffic side of the equation, SEO in eCommerce covers what drives visitors to your site in the first place.
by Cathy Gray | Apr 7, 2024 | Restaurant Reviews, Life
I like to travel the world with food and I certainly did with this local treasure for the not so typical Chinese Cuisine.
WEI Sichuan Authentic Chinese Cuisine in Marietta, GA was a surprise to see on DoorDash when I looked on the menu.
About Sichuan Cuisine
What is Sichuan Cuisine?
Szechuan, also known as Szechwan or Sichuan cuisine, originates from the Sichuan Province in southwestern China and is known for its vibrant and bold tastes. This culinary style is distinguished by its generous use of chili peppers and the distinct taste of Sichuan peppercorn, which contribute to its noted pungency and spiciness. Ingredients like peanuts, sesame paste, and ginger also play significant roles in the flavor of Szechuan dishes.
How is Sichuan Different Than American Chinese Food?
American Chinese culinary is more sweeter and less spicy to appeal to a wider audience where Sichuan dishes embrace boldness and complexity. American Chinese often uses common ingredients that are are more common where Sichuan uses a diverse array of ingredients which include more exotic vegetables.
Sichuan cooking uses specialized techniques to enhance the freshness and flavors of its dishes, focusing on a meticulous balance of tastes and textures. In contrast, American Chinese cuisine has adapted over time to suit local preferences and cooking techniques are used more for fast and convenience. While American Chinese food tends to blend elements from different Chinese regions into one offering, Sichuan cuisine retains its regional unique flavor.
WEI Authentic Chinese Cuisine Menu
Taking a look at the menu WEI Authentic Chinese Cuisine offers authentic Sichuan dishes alongside common Chinese Cuisines to suit a variety of tastebuds. They offer a wide variety of dishes featuring beef, chicken, seafood, tofu, lamb, and also duck.
If you happen to visit and are not one to try different foods, they still have the classics that you are familiar with like:
- Beef and Broccoli
- Orange Chicken
- Sesame Chicken
- Egg Rolls
- Lo Mein Noodles and
- Fried Rice
Orange Chicken from WEI Chinese Cuisine
What I Ordered
For my first time, I decided to try completely new dishes. I ordered the Bamboo Flounder Fish and Scallion Pancakes. And I would not mind trying more.
Bamboo Flounder Fish
By their menu description is: Lightly fried flounder with scallions, cumin, cilantro & numbing Sichuan peppercorns.
This was a light and flavorful fish. There was a generous amount of peppers, but it wasn’t hot like you would think. It was a pleasant bold flavor against the cooler notes of the cilantro.
The DoorDash presentation doesn’t do the flavor justice.
I found this image of the Bamboo Flounder Fish from one of their reviews to show what it looked like dining in.
Scallion Pancakes
I typically don’t order an appetizer for lunch especially through DoorDash, but the Scallion Pancakes intrigued me. They did not disappoint. They weren’t thick like a breakfast pancake and more like a flat bread. I really liked the crispy chewy texture, though I would have preferred more scallions in the pancake.
Scallion Pancakes delivered via Door Dash
Scallion Pancakes also known as Green Onion Pancakes
Other Items On the Menu That I’ll Order Next
These items stood out to me and yes I have a list so next time I’ll know what to get.
- Roasted Duc, I’d dine there for this one instead of having it delivered.
- DOUBLE COOKED PORK BELLY cooked with cabbage, bell peppers, jalapeños, leeks, hot chili oil & broad bean sauce
- WOOD EAR MUSHROOM SALAD, which is spicy and with wild peppers and Chinese black vinegar
For more Georgia spots worth visiting, the full Georgia section has day trips and destinations across the state.
