Why Merrick Trusted Smack Happy Design Across Two Companies and Dozens of Website Migrations

When Merrick Lee Jr., Head of Growth at Almstead Tree, Shrub, & Lawn Care, first discovered Smack Happy Design, it started with a name that caught his eye and a work portfolio that sealed the deal. What followed was years of collaboration across dozens of website migrations during his time at SavATree, a fast-growing tree care company acquiring businesses at a pace that demanded a reliable, fast-moving web partner.

In this candid conversation with Smack Happy founder Nicole Hanusek, Merrick shares what it was actually like to hand off high-stakes migration projects to an outside team, why WordPress consistency mattered so much during rapid acquisition growth, and how the relationship has followed him into his new role at Almstead.

From brand identity to print design to a full website rebuild, Merrick breaks down what a real long-term agency partnership looks like and why he didn’t think twice about making the call again.

Topics covered: website migration, WordPress development, brand consistency, agency partnership, marketing leadership, tree care industry, SEO, print design, digital rebranding