Getting Personal with Sitebreed’s Nuno Faustino

In this Getting Personal edition, we interview an important member of the We Heart Astoria team, Designer & Digital Visionary, Nuno Faustino.  Making a huge impact to our site, Nuno is the founder of Sitebreed, a digital design company that helps bring local businesses a unique look and feel–better communicating their vision and customer promise.  We Heart Astoria couldn’t be what it is today without Nuno’s help and creativity, which we’re very thankful for.  You may recognize Nuno’s great work at other Astoria faves such as The Jumping Bulldog, Astoria Bier & Cheese, Butcher Bar, Simply Cycle Astoria and more. Without further ado, let’s give it up for Nuno!

1.  What do you do? How did you get into it?


Nuno Faustino –  I’m a web designer specializing in working with small businesses.  Before that, I was a script writer in my native country, Portugal, but
once I moved to the U.S., it quickly became apparent that a career change would be necessary. My background was in marketing and advertising and I
always had an interest in design. I had developed websites for myself and for friends, and web design seemed to be a natural fit. Also, when I
think about it, the way I approach web design is not much different than developing a script, because I believe that each business has a unique
personality and a story to tell. My job is to build a website that reflects that.

2. What do you most enjoy about your job?

NF – The relationships that I develop with the people I work with is what keeps me going on bad days. Working with people that are passionate about their businesses keeps me focused, sharp and motivated. Web designers often complain about nightmare clients, but I’ve been incredibly fortunate with mine so far. You might say I’ve been lucky – and that may very well be the case – but I like to believe that I’ve developed some sort of sixth sense about picking the projects I decide to work on, and I’ve learned to respect that.

3. Where can we find your work? What are the businesses you’ve worked with?

NF – You can learn a bit more about me and my work at sitebreed. Most of the people reading this probably know that I worked with the three of you in redesigning this blog. This particular job gave me a lot of exposure here in Astoria. Since then, I developed websites for The Jumping Bulldog, Butcher Bar, Astoria Bier and Cheese, Simply Cycle Astoria, FourC Fitness and Astoria Pet Photography. Outside of Astoria, and amongst other projects, I created the website for a documentary called “Citizen Wealth,” worked with the David Lynch Foundation, a yoga studio in Brooklyn, and Pie Face Pictures, a production company founded by my good friend and super-talented director, Doug Karr.

4. What’s the most exciting part of your job?

NF – I think that every creative freelancer will tell you that there is no feeling like moving a project from the “Prospects” folder to the “Active Projects” folder. Working freelance, I never really know what the next month will bring. A new client means I can still keep doing this for a little longer. It’s also very exciting and rewarding to get feedback from happy clients and play a part in helping make their business grow. I mean, I know I’m not going to save the world designing websites, but helping small business owners really gives me a feeling of professional and personal accomplishment.

5. Favorite restaurants in Astoria?


NF – I’d say Ovelia is my all-around favorite restaurant in the neighborhood, but if I was granted one last meal, it would definitely be a burger from Sparrow Tavern. Every time I have friends visiting from Portugal I take them there so  they can see what an American burger is all about, and it never fails to impress. When I just want to sit back and relax with a few drinks, Astoria Bier and Cheese is normally where I end up going.

6. Tell us why you heart Astoria

NF – The diversity, the food, being far enough from the madness of Manhattan, but still only ten minutes away, and, of course, my runs at Astoria Park.