“Graham Murray and his web services agency Lookit Design have been making the internet a better place for over two decades, long before diversity, equity, and inclusion became buzzwords. Most recently through the development of a transformative AI-powered tool that can make any website ADA-compliant and deliver inclusivity through accessibility.”
— Imprint Small Business Stories
Lookit Design thanks Imprint for its commitment to helping diverse small businesses succeed.
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How a boutique web services agency created a transformative AI tool
For every successful entrepreneur, there’s a moment that takes their small business from good to great. It’s a risk taken, a decision made, an idea executed. In this series, we ask small business owners about that fork in the road and the decision to take a big leap.
When Graham Murray founded his web services agency, Lookit Design, the year was 2004. Wix didn’t exist, Squarespace boasted one employee (its founder) and Mark Zuckerberg had just launched TheFacebook for Harvard students. Needless to say, Murray was an innovator. Years later that innovative spirit would spot an even bigger opportunity — one that would transform his business, and make a positive impact on other entrepreneurs. Here’s how he did it.
The backstory: Helping small businesses thrive online
In those Wild West days, Murray says, websites were “very two-dimensional” because they were expensive to set up and required heavy coding.
“My initial focus was to help small businesses,” he says. “What I really enjoy is getting up every day and working on things I want to do, alongside the people I want to work with. I realized I could actually make a difference in terms of their messaging and branding and their business success.”
Over nearly two decades, he certainly has made a difference — in ways he couldn’t possibly have foreseen in 2004. He’s expanded his business offerings to include everything from infrastructure and security compliance to content and email marketing. But it was five years ago, when a client came to him with a request, that Murray’s eyes would be opened to a fundamental online need — one that would be a game-changer for his business.
The turning point: A game-changing client request.
In 2018, a client asked Lookit to design a website that was accessible to people with disabilities. Murray knew that, despite good intentions, making a site compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) would be an expensive proposition for the client.
He wanted to find an affordable solution that his client could easily implement. So Murray built a solution assisted by artificial intelligence — essentially creating a widget that would overlay accessible design on any website without costing a fortune.
“If you’re not accessible, you’re not fully inclusive,” said Graham Murray.
As the potential for this inclusive and incredibly powerful tool began to sink in, he decided to take a leap: Lookit would make ADA accessibility the centerpiece of its services, offering it to any client who was interested.
That leap not only put Lookit at the forefront of accessible design, it set the stage for dramatic growth. Murray was surprised to learn 97% of the top million homepages on the internet were not accessible as of 2022 — including those of many large companies. Since Lookit’s AI-powered widget is scalable, the company’s client base has grown to include global corporations. And Murray is now exploring the Canadian market.
Graham’s 2 big lessons learned
1. Find a solution that goes beyond the immediate. When faced with a new problem, invest the time to design a long-term solution. Murray’s business sense always drove him to “find a solution that is portable and allows me to do the same thing for the next client.” For example, while websites were still custom-built in the early 2000s, Murray decided to make templates that could easily be customized before the idea was popular. He brought the same mindset to the problem of accessibility.
2. The right thing to do can also be good for business: Murray is no stranger to the feeling of being excluded. Lookit is certified as a diversity-owned business by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). Long before diversity, equity, and inclusion became buzzwords for large corporations, making the Internet a more accessible place seemed like a no-brainer to him.
“You want to do good in the world and have an impact,” he says. “I can make a difference not only for my customers, but also the world, and for people who are excluded because they can’t access the internet like most of us take for granted.”
About Imprint
Imprint is a full-service content marketing agency based in NYC. Certified as diverse-owned by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), and a member of the nglccNY – National LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce New York, Imprint is proud to support other small businesses, particularly those from underserved communities.
