We’re looking forward to introducing you to Charlene Brown. Check out our conversation below.
Charlene, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
For me, integrity is non-negotiable. Intelligence and energy are powerful, but without integrity guiding how you use them, they can easily get twisted into self-serving or even harmful actions. I’ve seen people with brilliant ideas and magnetic energy, but without integrity, it all unravels. It becomes manipulation, performance, or noise. Integrity is the compass. It determines whether your work builds and nurtures communities or leaves behind damage.
That same lens of integrity is exactly why my work is often misunderstood. Too many people think website design is just about taking a few requests, making something “look good,” and calling it a day. But I won’t put a shiny mask over a hollow shell—that’s not integrity. If a business doesn’t have clarity on its offers, its values, its systems, and its purpose, then no website—no matter how beautiful—will deliver real, profitable results. I’ve watched too many entrepreneurs chase “easy builds,” only to end up with emotionally disconnected, content-empty sites that don’t serve them or their audience.
That’s why I don’t just build websites—I create Digital Flagships™. Integrity demands that I guide leaders to build platforms that reflect the truth of their brand, the strength of their strategy, and the legacy they want to leave. Because at the end of the day, your website should do more than exist. It should stand as proof that you’ve built with vision, intention, and integrity.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Charlene Brown, widely known as da Tech Conjurer™, isn’t your typical website strategist. I’m a tech and brand strategist who believes in redefining what websites mean for entrepreneurs, consultants, and corporate leaders. For me, a website isn’t a digital business card or a random landing page—it’s a Digital Flagship™, the command center that anchors your brand, protects your intellectual property, and fuels long-term growth.
With a bold stance on integrity and a refusal to sugar-coat the truth, I challenge the shortcuts and surface-level fixes that dominate the marketing industry and overall digital space. I teach leaders to vet and implement tech with clarity, take ownership of shaping tech policies, build evergreen digital ecosystems that actually work, and create online platforms that reflect both the depth of their brand and the legacy they want to leave.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
Without question, my parents. They didn’t just work hard—they worked with integrity. Watching them taught me that the way you show up matters just as much as what you produce. They showed me that when you bring honesty and consistency to the table, people don’t just trust you—they actually like working with you. That was proof to me that you can keep it real, hold your standards, and still earn respect and connection at the same time.
That lesson shaped the way I approach everything I do. For me, it’s never been about checking boxes or hustling for the sake of looking busy—it’s about ensuring that what I create actually carries value, impact, and longevity. That mindset is why I refuse to waste effort on shortcuts or meaningless output. I’d rather build something solid, strategic, and sustainable than deliver something quick that crumbles later.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that held me back the longest was being seen. I used to believe I couldn’t step forward until everything was “complete”—my brand, my offers, even me. What I had to learn was that some things aren’t meant to be completed. They’re meant to evolve. Life shifts, and resilience means shifting with it. Once I embraced that truth, I stopped hiding in the shadows and started welcoming the lessons that only visibility can bring.
There was a point, though, when I almost walked away. Someone close to me told me I was “charging too much” and needed to price myself low. That moment planted doubt: maybe websites were no longer valuable, maybe drag-and-drop builders and discount designers had made my work irrelevant. For a while, I believed it. I questioned whether the business I envisioned—a business built on strategy, integrity, and transformation—could really survive in a marketplace that often chases quick and cheap trends.
What kept me from giving up were a handful of fellow business owners who gave me space to reflect and the push to realign. They reminded me that my strength wasn’t in competing at the bottom. It was in expanding what I offered, reframing my skills, and building a model that elevated both me and my clients. That’s when I truly stepped into my work as a strategist and started positioning websites as Digital Flagships™ instead of disposable “projects.” That pivot didn’t just save my business; it gave me the clarity to double down on my mission.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies in my industry is that tech can “fix everything,” even when the user has no clear direction. Another is the myth that tools can replace human expertise. They can’t. The real opportunity is in creating a stronger partnership, where human insight and lived experience set the strategy, and tech amplifies that vision. Too often, I see advice being handed out without context, without understanding the circumstances a business is operating in. That kind of “one-size-fits-all” thinking does more harm than good. Tech doesn’t solve issues; it only amplifies what’s already there. If your foundation is shaky, tech just makes the cracks louder.
That’s why my long-term project is shifting how tech gets vetted and how policies are created around innovation, especially for small businesses in the Black community. We can’t afford to be left cleaning up the fallout from systems built without us in mind. I’m committed to making sure we aren’t just the last to adopt new tools but that we’re at the table influencing how they’re designed, implemented, and governed.
When it comes to separating fads from foundational shifts, I pay attention to scale. Fads come and go at the sound of an “influencer.” Foundational shifts reshape not just one industry, but the way the world works. My role is to prepare businesses to spot that difference and act strategically.
At the cultural level, the value I protect most is sovereignty. I want more Black businesses—especially those led by women—to move beyond chasing trends and instead shape the future by leading policy changes, creating new models of community, and building ecosystems that sustain us. For me, it’s about protecting our right to build in ways that reflect how we actually live, express ourselves, and nurture our communities; not just how we fill our bank accounts.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
One thing I thought I wanted, but that didn’t satisfy me, was working with clients at what was supposed to be a higher capacity, only to discover they were still approaching the process with half-commitment or low expectations. At that stage in my business, I wasn’t strong enough in my conviction to truly lead. I stayed too quiet instead of stepping fully into my role as an advisor; the one who sets the standards and makes sure clients bring the assets and clarity needed for me to implement effectively.
I regret not finding my voice sooner on certain projects. When you lead from avoidance—trying not to disappoint people who aren’t showing up for themselves—you end up dimming your own light. That was me for a while: working harder to push clients across the finish line than they were working for themselves.
A coach once told me something that changed everything: once you’ve delivered on your promise, it’s not your loss if a client doesn’t show up for theirs. That’s not my “L” to carry. It was a difficult pill to swallow, but it freed me. Today, I protect my light and energy by focusing on clients who are ready to rise to the challenge and match my level of commitment. That’s how I make sure my work and my legacy serve those who are truly prepared to show up for themselves.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com
- Instagram: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/instagram
- Linkedin: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/linkedin
- Twitter: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/x
- Facebook: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/facebook
- Youtube: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/youtube
- Other: • Substack: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/codexchronicles
• Pinterest: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/pinterest
• Amazon: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/amazon
• Spotify: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/spotify
• da Misfit Squad™ Membership: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/community
• InboxConvos™ Newsletter: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/inboxconvos/
• Flagship Foundations™ 3-Day Challenge: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/challenge
• B.I.P.™ Strategy Session: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/bipclarity
• da Brand Misfit’s Insights LinkedIn Newsletter: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/linews
• Bklyn Custom Designs℠ on LinkedIn: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/linkedinbiz
• Keep It Super Simple paperback book: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/keepitsupersimplepb
• Turn Clicks Into Profit paperback book: https://bklyncustomdesigns.com/turnclicksintoprofitpb
Image Credits
Charlene Brown, da Tech Conjurer™, headshot: credited to J3fe Media
Portfolio Client Spotlights: credited to Charlene Brown, da Tech Conjurer™, Founder of Bklyn Custom Designs®
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
