Today we’d like to introduce you to Agata Topolewska.
Hi Agata, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey to AGA Creative Studio is a bit of an unexpected one. By day I work in cybersecurity. I have spent over a decade in the field holding roles in federal compliance and working with major government contractors in the DMV area. But somewhere along the way I started noticing a problem that had nothing to do with cybersecurity.
I kept seeing incredible local small business owners who were genuinely excellent at what they do but completely invisible online. They were losing customers every single day to competitors simply because those competitors had a professional website and a Google presence.
I have always had a creative side alongside my technical background. I started experimenting with web design on the side, building sites for for my friends and family. The feedback was overwhelming and more importantly I could see real results, phones started ringing and new customers started showing up.
That is when AGA Creative Studio was born. I named it after myself, AGA comes from Agata, because I wanted the business to feel personal from day one. When a small business owner works with me they are not dealing with a faceless agency. They are working directly with me, from the first conversation to the day their site goes live and beyond.
Today AGA Creative Studio serves small businesses across Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia. I run it alongside my full time career and every time a client tells me their phone has not stopped ringing since their site went live I know every hour is worth it. I am just getting started, and I cannot wait to see where this goes.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Smooth? Not exactly! Starting from scratch is genuinely hard and I think anyone who tells you otherwise is leaving something out. When you launch a new business nobody knows your name, nobody has seen your work, and nobody has a reason to trust you yet. You are essentially asking strangers to hand over their money based on a promise. Building that trust from zero is the biggest challenge I have faced.
Getting those first clients was the hardest part. Every potential client wants to see your previous work before hiring you, but you cannot build a portfolio without clients first. It is a classic catch-22 that every new business owner faces. I pushed through it by building sample websites to demonstrate my skills and being willing to go the extra mile for my early clients to earn their trust and their testimonials.
Cold outreach was also a steep learning curve. Walking into a local business or cold calling and introducing yourself takes courage, especially when most people say no or simply do not respond. Learning not to take rejection personally and to keep showing up consistently was something I had to work at every single day.
The honest truth is that building a client base from nothing requires far more persistence than talent. There were moments of doubt along the way. But every yes made the previous ten nos worthwhile and every client who told me their phone started ringing after their site went live reminded me exactly why I started AGA Creative Studio in the first place.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
AGA Creative Studio is a web design agency based in Maryland. I build professional websites for local small businesses across Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia, helping them show up online with confidence and start attracting customers through Google.
What I specialise in is taking a small business that is invisible online and giving it a presence that genuinely reflects the quality of its work. A lot of my clients come to me with nothing more than a Facebook page or an outdated site that embarrasses them every time someone asks for their web address. They leave with something they are genuinely proud to share.
What sets me apart is the combination of a personal approach and a technical background that most web designers simply do not have. I come from over a decade in cybersecurity which means I understand online security, digital infrastructure, and how the internet actually works at a deeper level than someone who only designs websites. My clients get that expertise built into every site without ever having to ask for it.
But beyond the technical side, what I think clients value most is the fact that they are working directly with me from start to finish. No account managers, no handoffs, no junior designers. Just one person who genuinely cares about their business and is invested in seeing it succeed.
What I am most proud of is the moment a client tells me their phone has not stopped ringing since their site went live. That is the whole point. A beautiful website is great but a website that actually brings in customers is what really matters. That is what I build.
At AGA Creative Studio the tagline is “Small business. Big presence.” That really does sum up everything I am trying to do for every client I work with.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
This one always makes me smile. Some of my favorite childhood memories are from growing up in Poland, where I was born before I eventually made my way to the United States. There is something about childhood in a different country and culture that stays with you in a very vivid way.
I remember the simplicity of it most fondly. Long summers spent outside with neighborhood kids, the smell of my mom’s cooking, and the feeling that the world was full of possibility. My family worked incredibly hard and instilled in me from a very young age that effort and persistence are the foundation of everything worthwhile in life. I carry that with me every single day.
Coming to the United States as a young adult was both exciting and challenging. It shaped who I am in ways I am still discovering. It gave me a deep appreciation for opportunity and an understanding that nothing worth having comes easily. I think that experience is a big part of why I connect so naturally with small business owners. Most of them are first generation entrepreneurs who built something from nothing through sheer determination. I understand that story on a personal level.
If I had to pick one single memory it would be the feeling of sitting around a table with family, everyone talking over each other, laughing, and completely present. No phones, no distractions. Just people who loved each other spending time together.
Pricing:
- Get Online — $499 — one page website, live in one week
- Standard — $799 — five page website with Google Business setup
- Professional — $1,499 — full website with SEO, booking system, and social media setup
- Care plans from $99 per month — ongoing website maintenance and support
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.agacreativestudio.com/
- Other: agata@agacreativestudio.com
