Biography

Founder Snapshot

Nicholas A. O’Neil (“Nick”) is the founder of Start Your Innovation, where he builds modern, meaningful websites through a simple process: Plan → Build → Launch. An autistic follower of Jesus Christ, Nick approaches each project with clarity, care, and a service-first mindset—aiming to honor God and serve others through the gifts he’s been given.

Start Your Innovation is a web design studio focused on modern Squarespace websites.

• Founder of Start Your Innovation

• Process: Plan → Build → Launch

• Focus: modern, meaningful websites that connect people and businesses

• Board Member & Technology Lead, Inspiring Life Together

• Values: faith, service, clarity, integrity

Acknowledgments

First, Nick thanks God for saving him, guiding him, and strengthening him. He is grateful for the mentors, friends, and church communities God used to shape his faith and equip him for a unique calling in both faith and creative work.

Early Spark

Nick grew up full of joy and loved taking pictures. He developed an interest in computers through his Grandpop, who enjoyed teaching others what technology could do. When the computer broke, Nick felt sad and waited for his Grandpop to fix it—the computer had become a way for him to connect and communicate.

Values and Mindset

This season shaped Nick’s core values: steady work, fairness, and a commitment to truth with compassion.

As Nick grew up, family life changed over time. His parents lived in an apartment, then moved and later separated. His childhood was split between different homes and routines. He lived with his dad and sister, and his mom would come by to visit and watch them.

Nick learned work ethic up close. He spent time at his dad’s job and helped with simple tasks whenever he could. Sometimes his dad brought work home for Nick and his sister to help with, like collating papers, and over time, the repetition wore on them.

Alongside his main job, Nick’s dad also ran a small side business cleaning gutters. He didn’t like seeing people overcharged, so he worked to keep his prices fair and affordable. Nick helped in practical ways—like holding the ladder and assisting where he could.

He watched his dad use a computer to create business cards and flyers, and he helped hand them out door-to-door. Through it all, Nick learned responsibility, steady work, and the value of treating people fairly.

As life unfolded, Nick paid close attention. He learned to listen carefully, avoid assumptions, and look for the truth with compassion. Growing up, he saw moments when the adults in his life disagreed, especially when his mom was protective of his sister. Later, he understood that her protectiveness came from hard experiences and a desire to keep his sister safe.

Growing With Support

From a young age, Nick was sensitive and observant. Figuring things out became one of his strongest strengths.

When Nick was in kindergarten, learning to count, his dad looked for practical ways to help him learn. He asked Nick if he wanted him to make business cards, and Nick excitedly nodded yes. Nick practiced counting by counting the business cards.

At times, he felt left out by other kids, and caring adults had to speak up to make sure he was included.

Over time, Nick became curious about a pattern he noticed in people’s interactions—being friendly one moment and arguing the next. He asked his mom about it, and she told him they were seeing too much of each other and simply needed a break.

As Nick entered first grade, his teachers noticed he was starting to fall behind. The school moved him from larger classrooms into smaller ones. Nick didn’t understand why at first, but later he realized it was extra help. The smaller setting gave him more support and a pace that fit him better.

As Nick continued through elementary school, his mom occasionally bought small gifts for him to give to his teachers. She didn’t do it for recognition—she did it because it was the right thing to do. This helped Nick practice kindness and appreciation.

In hindsight, Nick sees how God used those experiences to shape his love for clear steps, practical tools, and patient progress.

Faith Journey

At one point, Nick’s dad wasn’t going to church but felt a strong pull to return. He first attended a Catholic church because it was familiar. Later, a friend invited him to a Christian church, and Nick was brought along.

Around that same season, Nick got into wrestling through his extended family. While he was happily playing with action figures, he overheard two adults talking about whether he should be involved. Later, they supported it.

A few years after Nick got involved with wrestling, his parents worked toward a fresh start and better schooling. Nick and his sister were excited that their parents would be under one roof, but a couple of years later, they cried when their parents fought and argued. Nick’s parents divorced right before he started high school.

At the time, Nick didn’t yet know he was autistic. He attended church with his dad and sister until he began to feel forced to go. He pulled back from routine—not from God—because he wanted faith to be a real choice.

After he stopped going to church, Nick still felt something drawing him toward God. He found the Bible his dad gave him when he was younger and tried to read it, but he didn’t understand it at the time and set it aside. Later, he encountered a real relationship with Jesus.

Learning the Craft

In high school, Nick took a Communication Technology class and enjoyed working in a studio environment—especially in a technical role. He worked on several projects: creating a TV commercial with his group, editing a Mother’s Day video package, and preparing and delivering a class presentation. When it came time to present, Nick didn’t feel comfortable speaking in front of everyone.

Toward the end of the year, he learned about an advanced class he could take in his junior year, but the teacher didn’t think it was the best fit because it required more speaking. Nick felt sad, but he was able to let it go and find something better.

In his senior year, Nick took an HTML class and was amazed by what he could do with code. The teacher taught the basics of displaying text on a web page using Notepad, and Nick enjoyed every bit of it. After graduating, he continued building projects at home and kept developing his craft.

He learned how to style web pages and later moved on to more advanced tools and tutorials. Inspired by The Social Network, Nick wanted to create a platform. He paused that idea at the time because the learning curve didn’t match the support and structure he needed then.

Loss and a Turning Point

In June 2018, Nick lost his sister, Brianna, to an intracranial colloid cyst. She was 25 years old. They were best friends and enjoyed Minecraft, watching YouTube videos, and being silly together. Nick was heartbroken and struggled to find joy in the same things they once did.

In July 2018, Nick gave his life to Christ. Later, Nick learned that his dad had been praying for him for years—including during the season when Nick felt drawn toward God.

A couple of months later, after his mom took him to get checked, doctors told Nick he had a pituitary tumor. He was scared, but something in him stayed focused on God, and he experienced God’s grace. He was grateful the tumor could be controlled with medication. This season became a turning point for Nick because God placed an image of hope in his heart—something he still holds onto today.

Serving and Waiting

After he was saved, the message of the Gospel became clear to Nick. He became deeply involved in two churches and felt a strong desire to serve. Much of his serving happened on the computer. He edited videos and updated the church website, and as he relied on God and served alongside others, he learned to communicate clearly and grow as part of a team.

As he grieved the loss of his sister, he coped through routines like resetting devices and cleaning with Lysol wipes.

As Nick grew and matured in the Lord, he felt a growing desire to start a business. He would serve at church, then come home and work on his own website, but the Lord spoke to him more than once: “Not yet.” Nick was disappointed, but he stayed faithful and patient, believing his heart still needed preparation.

Later, Nick understood that this “not yet” was the Holy Spirit’s guidance—not rejection—aligning the timing and shaping his heart for what came next.

Introduced to Website Builders

Nick was introduced to website builders and felt they were a more accessible path than writing everything in code. He felt the same excitement he had as a kid—dragging and dropping elements onto a page. Nick’s sensitivity to the Holy Spirit played a role in his discernment about which direction to go and which tools to use.

When Nick didn’t know something, he searched and worked through solutions. Over time, he also learned to use artificial intelligence as a learning tool to support his programming. He used AI as a study tool—like a tutor—to practice concepts, ask questions, and test his understanding.

Why Start Your Innovation Exists

Start Your Innovation exists to create modern, meaningful Squarespace websites that bring people and businesses closer together. Nick believes the web is more than a place to showcase products or services—it’s where relationships are formed, stories are told, and futures are built.

Nick’s process is simple: Plan → Build → Launch. By combining design, technology, and strategy, Start Your Innovation helps clients thrive as the web continues to evolve.

Inspiring Life Together

Nick is also an active board member of Inspiring Life Together, an independent nonprofit organization that cares for moms undergoing breast cancer treatment and their families. The organization supports mental, physical, and emotional needs by funding and providing practical goods and services. Nick serves as the Technology Lead and manages the website and fundraising platforms.

What Clients Can Expect

Clients can expect Nick to be steady, thoughtful, and easy to work with. He takes time to understand what matters, asks clear questions, and builds as the Holy Spirit leads. He combines structure with prayerful discernment so the final website feels true to the client and ready for the future. Nick approaches each project as an act of service, aiming to honor God and support people through the gifts he’s been given.

Personal Note

For the sake of privacy and wisdom, Nick won’t share details about a confusing season he walked through after his salvation. As a follower of Jesus Christ and someone on the autism spectrum, he chooses forgiveness. He’s often heard the phrase, “Hurt people hurt people,” and he’s learned something else, too: healing is rarely found in going back to what wounded you. God has been faithful—bringing him through it with clarity, peace, and direction.